Volunteer Profiles: An Interview with Fostering & Daily Care Volunteer, Liz Floyd
In 2015, Liz Floyd joined the team of volunteers charged with the daily care of cats at Catcuddles HQ, before expanding her role to also become a Catcuddles foster carer in 2016, specialising in fostering mother cats and their kittens.
Over the years, Liz has offered a safe haven to a regular stream of needy felines, many of whom had never before known the warmth and comfort of a home, and has helped with the feeding, cleaning, and socialising of countless cats at CCHQ. She is a devoted volunteer who approaches her work with an abundance of warmth and compassion.
In a recent interview, we asked her to share her experiences of volunteering at Catcuddles, in hopes that she might inspire others to the plunge and become a volunteer, either for Catcuddles or for another deserving cat rescue organisation.
Enquire about volunteering for Catcuddles here, or visit our Fostering FAQs page for more infomation on becoming a Catcuddles foster carer.
What inspired you to start volunteering for Catcuddles?
I was scrolling through a local Facebook group one morning and came across a post asking for volunteers. I had previously met Evina at Woodlands Farm when she came looking for Ariel, the farm cat who had become ill and was losing weight.
He was taken into the care of Catcuddles where he spent the remainder of his life. I had been impressed that Catcuddles went out of its way to find and care for him when it had seemed that all other cat rescue organisations were overwhelmed.
Is there any cat you have fostered during your time at Catcuddles who was particularly special to you?
The most vulnerable; little traumatized Tyrion, who could only accept stroking from the safety of the laundry basket. Little Puck (or Ariel as he was also called) of the “Bin Shed Seven” - a litter of kittens that had been born in a bin shed - who was so nervous that he crept about with his belly to the ground… he and his sister now live happily in an elegant brownstone house in New York. Yoda, the formerly fading kitten, who arrived wearing a modified sock to keep him warm; and, of course, Raewin and her family, who are still my screensaver!
What is your favourite part of being a volunteer?
Besides meeting and interacting with so many different cats, I enjoy learning from them, and gaining more understanding, knowledge, and expertise from my time with them, though I recognise there is still a way to go!
Do you have any advice for someone who is considering volunteering for Catcuddles, or even another cat rescue organisation?
Do not underestimate the amount of time fostering will take!
If kittens are in a room by themselves, you will not want to leave them alone for too long. Do not underestimate a kitten’s potential for getting into trouble and never leave anything heavier than a towel on a surface from which it could fall or be pushed off to cause injury.
I find it useful to keep a notebook containing kittens’ dates of birth, date of arrival at the foster home, dates of any parasite treatment given, and any medications that need to be administered. I also find it useful to note milestones and any problems, for example, with litter or feeding, and how they are resolved… all of this information is useful for future reference.
For doing the daily cleaning and feeding routine at Catcuddles, I suggest wearing clothes you do not mind ruining, and always having a charged phone on you, with a couple of relevant numbers to call in case of an emergency, such as the Catcuddles North London Clinic.