Curious what it's like working at Catoro?

We are interviewing our staff so you can get to know the team better! We hope you enjoy this insight from the people who work daily to keep our Cat Forest running well.

Meet Allee

Allee is a cat supervisor in our Cat Forest and has been taking care of our cats since we opened in July 2019! 

How would you describe working at Catoro?

Fulfilling and challenging.

What is the most fun part of your job?

Hanging out with the kitties, meeting new kitties.

What is the hardest part about working at Catoro?

Cats are very complex and sensitive, emotionally and physically. It's difficult for us (emotionally and physically as well, haha) when cats are terrified or have illnesses/injuries.

What is the most stressful thing about your job?

When a kitty is scared or not feeling well and I can't communicate to them that we're only there to help them and that one day they'll be happy in their own home.

Why do you think working with rescue cats is important?

I think so many of these cats have been treated badly or neglected or not given a proper chance at life. Many have been abandoned. Most of them are traumatized but so deserving of love.

And I think people who adopt rescue cats often end up relying on the cat as much as the cat relies on them. The bond you form with a cat who has learned how to trust people in your care is like no other. You become each other's support!

What is your favourite memory of working at Catoro?

It's really hard to choose. As much as I love the cats and have a lot of good memories of cats being funny and adorable and sweet, I've had a lot of fun with my team.

Things like duetting the washing machine song... or dancing to the washing machine song... as well as our Christmas parties or get-togethers.

There's nothing like hanging out with a bunch of other Cat Ladies.

How is working at Catoro different than you expected? 

There's a lot more work involved in cat care than I thought before. It might seem like we just get to pet cats all day but some days we're too busy for more than a few chin scratches.

One of our important tasks for volunteers is to spend time with quarantined kitties, because we staff often only have time for a greeting.

Tell us about a cat whose story affected you.

Moxie was a cat who melted my heart. She was thrown against a wall and suffered brain damage that left her semi-paralyzed.

I don't know if she remembers what happened to her but she was the sweetest baby despite her past.

My partner and I absolutely fell in love with her and really, really wanted to take her home. We ultimately weren't able to but she found an amazing home anyway!

What is one thing you wish more people knew about rescue cats?

That a lot of them are just waiting for the right moment to come out of their shells. Some take days, weeks, or months. Some might take years.

We've had a few moments with painfully shy or semi-feral cats where they completely turned around and it's always a memorable experience.

We had two cats named Minnie and Mouse. I don't really know what their backgrounds were but they were completely untouchable and would hiss and swat when we got anywhere near them or just run away in a panic.

 

One day I was petting some of the other cats and taking a video and in the frame a little black fluff appeared around my legs asking for pets, and I was in complete shock.

She just woke up that day and decided she was ready for love. We've had so many others that were classified as semi-feral that ended up being so, so sweet.

But even if they stay shy, I think it's a rewarding experience being able to care for them.

Do you have a pet at home?

Right now we have 3! A cat, Roscoe, a dog, Ciara, and a Uromastyx baby.

Roscoe and Ciara are really funny together. Roscoe loves her and tries to tackle her and wrestle her but Ciara doesn't understand cat language and just thinks he's an annoying little brother.

Ciara was adopted from the Regina Humane Society and Roscoe had a very brief stay at Catoro before we "fostered" him. Roscoe can only eat raw food so we feed him Primal nuggets! Both Ciara and Roscoe are obsessed with the Vetreska laser wand and the Pidan wand attachments.

What is your favourite drink on our menu?

It's hard to pick just one but we make the best Brown Sugar (Cashew) Milk!

Is there anything you would like to add?

Thank you to everyone who has supported us through the pandemic and made our work possible 🙂