The MSPCA rely heavily on volunteers for core care work.
Volunteering with cats in an animal shelter in Ireland is usually hands‑on, practical, and really rewarding.
Typical tasks with cats
- Cleaning: cages/pods, litter trays, floors, bowls
- Feeding & water: giving the right food to each cat
- Laundry: washing blankets, towels, toys
- Socialising: playing with cats, cuddling them, helping shy ones get used to people
- Basic grooming or observation: keeping an eye out for illness or stress, this also includes socialising and grooming cats to help them get adopted!
What a shift feels like
A typical shift is structured and quite busy:
- You’ll often start with cleaning and feeding
- Then move on to changing bedding and tidying
- After that, you spend time playing with or calming the cats
In MSPCA, shifts are three hours long and scheduled in morning (10am-1pm) or afternoon (3pm-6pm) blocks.
It can be emotional
- You’ll meet cats that are sick, scared, or abandoned
- Not every story has a happy ending
- Seeing a cat get adopted is incredibly rewarding
Many volunteers say it’s challenging but deeply fulfilling because you have a direct impact on improving the cats’ lives.
The good parts (why people love it)
- You build a bond with individual cats
- You see shy or frightened cats become friendly
- You’re helping real animals in your local area
- It can genuinely improve your mood and sense of purpose
Even small tasks—like cleaning or socialising—make cats more comfortable and more adoptable.
Things people don’t always expect
- It’s not just playing with kittens
- Some cats may scratch in fear, hide, or be nervous
- The shelter can smell and be noisy at times with animals
- You’ll probably get hair and dirt on your clothes so wear casual clothes
- You need to commit regularly (most shelters require weekly shifts or minimum commitments)
Bottom line
Volunteering with cats in an Irish shelter is:
✅ Rewarding
✅ Hands-on and meaningful
✅ A great way to help animals
If you’re someone who doesn’t mind a bit of dirt and wants to make a real difference for animals, it’s honestly one of the most worthwhile things you can do.
Join our cat-loving team at MSPCA – fill out the form on the ‘Contact Us’ page of this website today!
