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252984032766000Cat Cuddler Training Packet2017 Edition489204019812000Welcome:Thank you for volunteering your time to help the cats during their stay at the Connecticut Humane Society. This packet covers the information and policies you will need to know to work with the cats. Objective: Volunteer cat cuddlers provide necessary socialization, exercise, and stimulation for the animals. Ideally, each cat who is available for adoption should have time for socialization at least twice a day- if they will tolerate it! Volunteers may also socialize sick cats who are being treated for an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI). Scheduling:Volunteer cat cuddlers are scheduled for a set day and time each week. You may be working on a team alongside one or two other volunteers. If you do not show up for your scheduled shift, your teammates will have to work harder to make sure that all of the cats have had some interaction. Please let your volunteer coordinator know in advance (a week’s notice is ideal) if you can’t make your scheduled shift.General Information:Always familiarize yourself with the cat’s paperwork before interacting with them. Pay close attention to signs on their cage for special instructions about their health or behavior. If approached by a customer, please do not give out any information about the cat and instead direct them to the front desk for assistance. If the cat is available for adoption, you may give the customer the name of the cat but please refrain from giving out information about the cat’s personality. Cat Cuddler Responsibilities:Provide socialization for each cat who is available for adoption and cats who are being treated for URI. There is no minimum length of time for socialization- you must pay attention to their body language.Allow cats out for free roaming/exercise. Record observations regarding the cat’s behavior and elimination using the Feline Grading Observation Sheet and alert staff of any concerning behaviors. This form will be attached to each cat’s paperwork.Make sure cats have fresh water, a clean litter box, blanket and toys. Spot-clean as needed throughout your shift. Keep rooms clean and tidy. Put supplies back in their appropriate place, keep counters clean, put dirty laundry in the bin, and sweep the floor as needed.Assist with cage cleaning if a staff member asks for assistance. Volunteers must receive training to clean cages, and must wear protective goggles and gloves when using cleaning chemicals. Behavior Grading Criteria:After each cat interaction, give the cat a grade based on the below criteria. Report the grade on the Feline Grading Observation Sheet.A: Actively solicits attention, easy to handle, purring, kneading, head butting, relaxed body postures.B: Enjoys interaction but does not solicit/initiate.C: Does not resist interaction but does not solicit. Body posture may show signs of stress, but does not react offensively. D: Vocal threats (hissing/growling), defensive posturing, may react aggressively to being handled or touched. Redirects aggression on humans if upset by other animals.F: Biting, scratching, striking (intent to harm). Aggressive behavior such as hissing, swatting, attempting to bite, should be reported to a staff member verbally right away in addition to being recorded on the grading sheet.Cat Interactions:If you are working alone, only one cat may be out for exercise at a time. If you are working with a partner, two cats may be out at a time, but all other cages must be kept closed. Use the Cat Interaction log to record the names of the cats who came out together and make notes about what they do (ex. Ignore each other, playful, hissed at each other). Use a new line for each set of cat interactions. Refer to this log when deciding which cats to allow out together.Feeding:Cats are fed twice daily by the staff. Cat Cuddlers may only assist with feedings if specifically instructed to do so by a staff member. This is to prevent overfeeding, diarrhea and wasted food. When feeding, always check for special diet signs. Adult cats are fed ? cup of dry food twice daily. Do not discard uneaten food. The afternoon portion is added to the leftover food from the morning so staff can monitor if the cats are eating their entire portion throughout the day. Cat cuddlers are not to feed the cats treats. Cats receive canned food in their kongs which are distributed by Enrichment volunteers. Please do not sneak in treats from home. Cage Signs:Fur SquadCats marked with a “Fur Squad” sign may be a bit shy or fearful. These cats may only be handled by staff and our team of trained “Fur Squad” volunteers. Cat Cuddlers should not handle these cats or open their cages for any reason. Cat Cuddlers who have been with CHS for over six months may sign up to attend a Fur Squad training class. Volunteers who successfully pass the training will be given permission to work with Fur Squad cats to help them overcome behavioral issues. Fur Squad trainings are held periodically.Staff OnlyCats marked with a blue “staff only” sign may be under quarantine for biting or be off-limits to volunteers due to a medical or behavioral issue. They may be aggressive, fearful, contagious, or have a history of fighting with other cats. It is very important that volunteers not handle Staff Only cats or open their cage for any reason. This is for safety reasons and to prevent the spread of disease.Special Diet Special Diet signs indicate that a cat is on a prescription diet. The name of the diet will be written on the sign. FIV+An FIV+ sign indicates that the cat has the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. This is not contagious to humans, but can be spread to other cats through direct physical contact such as biting or mating. If a cat is marked FIV+ they cannot be allowed out with other cats unless they are residing in the same cage with another cat.URI RecoveryThis card indicates that the cat has been treated for an Upper Respiratory Infection, similar to the common cold. These cats should no longer be contagious, but to be safe, these cats should not be allowed out of their cages to roam and should be handled after all of the healthy cats have had some interaction.Medical ObservationThese cards indicate that the cat needs to be checked by the medical staff. The staff will put up this card if a cat has vomited, had soft stool, has a wound, etc. Volunteers should not put these cards on the cage. Cats with a Medical Observation card should not come out for free-roaming in case they are contagious. Please wash your hands thoroughly after interacting with one of these cats.Enrichment:Cat cuddlers may provide Enrichment for the cats.Turn on the soothing sound machine for the cats. Avoid the thunderstorm setting.Start the perpetual motion toys and/or mobile.Spray a scented spray to stimulate their sense of smell. Just a few spritzes in the air is enough. Please don’t overdo it. Their noses are very sensitive and a little goes a long way.Brush the cats gently using a soft brush. And only if they seem to be enjoying it. Dirty brushes should be left in the laundry room for cleaning. Do not share brushes between cats.Disease Prevention:Some animals who come to CHS are sick and potentially contagious. Some of these diseases can be fatal to other animals if they are exposed. To prevent the transmission of contagious illnesses throughout the building:Do not handle any animal marked “Staff Only.”Pay attention to color-coded door signs and follow instructions. Volunteers are not allowed in orange or red rooms.Pay attention to cage signs for special instructions.Do not enter private areas of the building unless you are trained and assigned to work in that area.Wash hands after handling every cat, but before handling their paperwork.Return cats to the same cage they came out of.Do not allow sick cats out to roam or allow them to play with shared toys such as wands.Tell a staff member if you have a medical concern about an animal or mark it on the clipboard.Follow the guidelines in the Volunteer Handbook for preventing the transmission of contagious illnesses to your pets at home. Interact with cats in this order:1. Healthy Kittens2. Healthy Adult Cats3. Cats and kittens with FIV and cats and kittens who are recovering from URI.4. Cats and kittens who are currently being treated for URI.Working with Sick Cats:Volunteers may work with sick cats in the URI (Upper Respiratory Infection) Room at the end of their shift. Cats who are being treated for URI are contagious to other cats, but not humans. To limit the spread of URI to other cats, volunteers must follow protocols (posted on the colored room sign) for wearing personal protective equipment such as shoe covers, gowns and gloves. If a disinfecting mat is located just outside the door, volunteers may step on the mat when entering and exiting the room in lieu of wearing shoe covers. Gloves need to be changed and hands must be washed after each interaction, and gowns must be changed if you cuddle animals against the gown. Volunteers must not handle any other cats in the building after working in the URI room.Safety 101:Do not enter an animal’s kennel or enclosure.Do not stick your fingers in the cages or hold your hand up to the cage bars.Do read signage, instructions and notes before handling animals.If you are unsure about an animal or the paperwork is missing, check with a staff member to make sure it is safe to interact.Do not attempt to cut a cat’s nails. Let the staff know if they need trimming.How to Interact with the Cats:A soft gaze and slow blinks helps to communicate your good intentions.Be calm and quiet. Slow movements and a soft voice are comforting to cats. Make sure cell phones are silenced so as not to startle the cat.Offer an extended finger or your closed fist for the cat to sniff so he can become comfortable with you.Wait for the cat to request interaction by bumping or rubbing against you.Don’t force an interaction. If the cat seems wary or moves away from you, move on to the next cat. Pet a cat when he is exhibiting relaxed body language.Start by softly scratching under the chin with your fingertips, then move on to the area between the ears.Stroke the cat from forehead to the base of the tail. Keep strokes gentle and slow and avoid side to side movements.No belly rubs!Watch and listen for signs that the cat is becoming too stimulated or does not want to be petted anymore (tail or skin twitching, ears flattening, fidgeting or moving away from you, hissing or growling).Keep petting and grooming sessions short to prevent overstimulation.Use toys, not your fingers to engage cats in play.Never snuggle a cat or kitten near your face or attempt to kiss them.Ask staff for assistance if you need help getting a cat back in their cage.Never use your cell phone to call, text, surf the internet or listen to music while handling a cat. Where to Pet a Cat:9906015240000Correct Way to Hold a Cat:Support the cat’s weight.Hold the cat against your body for added support. The cat’s face should not be near your face.457207112000Scruffing: Scruffing is a technique used to prevent bites by allowing you to gently control the cat’s head and neck. When done correctly, scruffing should not hurt the cat. Never pick up an adult cat by the scruff alone; always support their weight. Reporting an Incident:Report any bites or incidents to the manager-on-duty immediately and complete an incident report.Preventing Cat Fights:Always refer to the Cat Interaction sheet before allowing two cats out to interact with each other. Communicate with your fellow volunteers as to which cats are loose.Make sure there is a water bottle within reach before letting two cats out to interact.When two cats are loose, pay attention to make sure they are getting along with each other.When returning cats to their cage, make sure the door latches properly so they cannot get loose.Never use your hands to break up a cat fight. Spray fighting cats with water from the bottle or a hose. If assistance is needed, immediately notify the staff or front desk. Do not touch the cats immediately after a fight. Give them plenty of time to calm down before you attempt to move them.Feline Body Language:36728402667000 3246120300355Warning SignsHissingGrowlingFailure to approachEars flat against headBack archedPupils dilatedClimbing the walls or cageTail thrashing4000020000Warning SignsHissingGrowlingFailure to approachEars flat against headBack archedPupils dilatedClimbing the walls or cageTail thrashing525780300355Signs that a Cat is FriendlyApproaches youHead-butts youRelaxed facePurring or chirpingKneadingRubs against you4000020000Signs that a Cat is FriendlyApproaches youHead-butts youRelaxed facePurring or chirpingKneadingRubs against you 12192055181500RELAXED? Lying downEars forwardTail lying naturallyKneadingPurring-381008445500 TENSE/FEARFULEars turned to the sideBody tucked inTail held close to the body10668033972500 DEFENSIVE ? Bristled hair ? Arched back ? Flattened ears ? May be thrashing tail ? Eyes may be dilated ? May be hissing or spitting0-127000 DEFENSIVE THREATEars pulled backHead and neck tight against the bodyTeeth displayedMay be rolled onto the side to expose claws032004000AROUSED/OVERSTIMULATEDEnlarged pupilsStaringSwishing tailFur rippling on the back or sidesTense bodySummary:Thank you for making a commitment to help the cats during their stay at the Connecticut Humane Society. Please make sure you are consistently following the guidelines in this packet so that you and the cats will stay safe and healthy. We are always happy to provide additional training upon request.We are constantly working to improve ourselves, and our policies may change. We ask for you to be flexible and to cooperate with any new policies that may become effective.Thank you again, and happy cuddling! ................
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