The Villages - April 2022 - 12

SPCA Staff and Volunteers
Initially, Louise was the sole caretaker for
adoptable cats, but as the population grew, so too
did the need for volunteers.
" There were like 18 cats in here one day, and I said
I really need help. They would send the new people
over here and I'd put them on the roster. And so that's
how we got organized. We had a volunteer coordinator
but, she mostly dealt with events and the dog walking
schedules. I think of it like a football team, and then
we also have the special team who works in the office.
There's something for everybody. So I handle the
scheduling (among other things). My goal is to have at
least one or two people cleaning here every day. "
With the addition of Kitten Wonderland, which
houses the small spunky critters, volunteers were
needed to cater to their individual needs.
" We offer a free
shelter program so volunteers
can learn the skills to recognize cat behavior. It's a
PowerPoint with four modules, and it also teaches
precautions, just like in the health field. You have
universal precautions and regulations. And you'll learn
about those that pertain to the animal shelters. We had
a cat who came in and started exhibiting aggressive
behaviors and biting. So, we have to recognize the
signs - their ears, their tail, their body language. You
can read a cat's behavior. But we also get cats that have
been so highly socialized. I came in here yesterday for
a meeting and there was a new cat. He got right in my
face and started loving on me. "
Education and training help long time pet
parents and newbies alike, such as Kristine Johnson,
a Kitten Wonderland helper who came to work with
the canine crew. She's now one of the faithful cattakers.
Louise calls her a kitty convert, not a native
feline fanatic like herself.
" I've always loved cats, " Louise said. " I've had them
since I was 7-years-old, and I call myself a cat magnet. "
Louise recalls her first encounter with a stray while
growing up in Washington, D.C.
" I remember it like it was yesterday. My dad and I
were walking through our community, up to a little
plaza. There was a little gray kitten on a street corner,
and I said, 'Daddy, can we pick it up?' He made me
a promise, saying if the cat was still there when we
came back from the store, we could bring it home. I
ended up naming her Smokey and she was with me
until I turned 21. After she died of kidney failure, I
12
APRIL 2022
The Villages - April 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Villages - April 2022
