Are you interested in volunteer activities in San Diego County? Curious about volunteering to work with animals at a shelter or rescue? Interested in helping save more cats? Volunteering with Love Your Feral Felines (LYFF) might be the answer!
Spend a virtual day in our shoes and paws as our dedicated volunteers go about their daily tasks at our LYFF Adoption Center, and discover how you can make a difference in the lives of our cat and kitten friends!
Volunteer Shift: Monday – Friday Morning Activities
Mornings are when the LYFF cats are most active and in need of love, making it a crucial (and fun) time for volunteers to be present.
- You walk in and turn on the lights, brightening the rooms and preparing for another day of feline fun.
- Greet your 30+ new best friends who are all eagerly anticipating the breakfast you’ll serve them and the playtime and cuddles you’ll share.
- Find the surprise the cats left for you overnight—Is it an unplugged water fountain? A party in the kibble bowl? A turned-off air purifier?
- After monitoring the cats’ breakfast, volunteers dive into litter-box clean-up, usually with a furry supervisor or two keeping an eye on the job.
- Then you clean and refill the cats’ food and water stations to keep them happy and healthy. You also give the room a good sweep to maintain a tidy environment and rearrange beds and blankets according to what your cat overlords prefer.
- Next is playtime and snuggles! While it’s fun for you and the cats, it’s also critical to ensure our kitties’ well-being and happiness.
- Finally, you clock out for the day, knowing you’ve done your part to bring comfort and joy to our many cats who are waiting for their forever families.
Monday – Friday Mid-Day Volunteer Activities
The mid-day shift doesn’t include food service or quite as much feline energy. Our cats are usually sleeping off their morning romps, so it’s a more relaxed shift.
- As you make your rounds, you’ll scoop out any deposits in litter boxes, to ensure a hygienic environment.
- Depending on the day of the week, duties may include deep-cleaning food and water bowls or wiping down walls and cat furniture. These tasks are split between volunteer shifts throughout the week so that every surface is kept clean to ensure a safe and healthy living space for our cats.
- Most important at this shift is one-on-one time. Play with whoever’s awake, give gentle strokes to any who are napping, and help monitor the general well-being of each cat or kitten in care.
Monday – Friday Evenings Volunteer Shift
Since cats are crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk), they’re usually well-rested and thrilled by entertainment and human playtime in the late afternoon and evening.
- You’ll cruise and clean up any more litter-box deposits, likely with supurrvision by some friends.
- Along with that comes tidying up their food and water bowls, replenishing dry food, sweeping, and mopping designated areas.
- You will also rearrange the main living quarters, as some of our cats think they’re interior decorators and constantly make adjustments.
- Then the most fun: Spend time with the cats, capturing their playful moments in photos and videos, and making notes on their unique personalities to share with the adoption team.
- Just before leaving, take out the trash, wish all the kitties sweet dreams, tuck everyone in, and turn off the lights for the night!
Volunteering: Weekends
Weekends are when the LYFF Adoption Center invites visitors in for Cat Cuddle Hours and potential adopters in to choose kitties to take home. 
- As a weekend volunteer, you’ll focus a bit more on litter box cleaning and extra mopping to ensure the facility is fresh and inviting for both cats and potential adopters.
- You’ll also interact with guests who are there to play (and hopefully fall in love) with our adoptable felines.
- You may even get to see happy people and cats during an adoption!
Is LYFF the Right Volunteer Activity for You?
We and our kitties would love it if you’d join us! It takes a lot of people to save cats and kittens in San Diego County and to ensure we provide them with happy and healthy lives. For more information or to sign up to volunteer, see our Volunteer Info page (link at the bottom for application). We hope to see you there!
