A Day in the Life at the Wales Cat Centre – By Gemma, Rehoming & Welfare Assistant

 I’m Gemma, one of the Rehoming & Welfare Assistants here at the Wales Cat Centre. I’ve been in this role for just over 10 years now, and before that I volunteered for almost a year. It often doesn’t feel like I’m working at all, since I get to look after and spend time with cats and kittens every day, something I’m incredibly passionate about and genuinely love doing.

Gemma with her dog Gizmo

I have one cat of my own called Cassie who I adopted from here when I first started. Thankfully, she isn’t a fan of other cats, otherwise I would definitely have taken another five home by now. I also have an elderly dog called Gizmo, he is a German Spitz cross Pomeranian, who my cat is a big fan of. They get along brilliantly, and they always give me a thorough sniff-down when I get home because they can smell all the other cats I’ve been caring for.

 

Cassie - Gemma's cat

Working in Admissions

My role varies day to day depending on which section I’m assigned to, but recently I’ve been working in the Admissions corridor, and it’s one of my favourite areas. This is where we look after all the new cats and kittens coming into our care.

Every cat admitted to the centre is settled into their own individual pen in the Admissions corridor. It’s a quiet space, away from the public, giving them time to adjust and settle before their veterinary health checks.

Gemma putting a newly arrived cat in it's pen

During an admission, we gather as much information as possible from the previous owner, then bring the cat to the Treatment Room for a health check and microchip scan. Once that’s done, they’re placed into their clean pen with a cosy bed, a hiding space, and access to a secure back run via a cat flap. After a settling period, they receive a thorough vet check which usually leads to treatments or procedures over the following week, neutering, microchipping, flea and worm treatments, and vaccinations. All cats receive these before going up for adoption (with the exception of second vaccinations, which are given 3–4 weeks after the first).

Gemma health checking a new arrival at the centre and scanning for a microchip

Some cats need additional treatments, ear medication for mites, tablets for skin issues, or occasionally something more serious. We recently had a cat who was found to have a pellet lodged behind its ear. Thankfully it hadn’t caused serious problems, but it did need to be removed at our local vet, Shepherds. Cats needing extra care stay in Admissions where it’s calmer and they can recover in peace.

A Typical Day in Admissions

8am:

• Feed, medicate and clean every pen
• Place freshly sprayed Feliway-scented cloths in each pen to help de‑stress the cats
• Sweep and mop the area
• Wash and disinfect bowls and litter trays

Gemma cleaning Major's pen in admission

11am–3pm:

• Admit new cats arriving that day
• On quieter days, head to the Homing corridors to help reserve cats to the public
• Other tasks include:
• Writing up cat stories
• Taking photographs for our website
• Completing follow-up checks for recently adopted cats
• Helping on reception
• Collecting donations from our Tesco or Sainsbury’s food bins

Gemma doing admin work for newly arrived cats

3pm–5pm:

• Second round of feeding, medicating, and cleaning
• Deep‑clean pens where cats have moved to the Homing corridors
• Set up pens ready for the next new admissions

My Favourite Moments

One of my favourite parts of the day is around 4.30pm, once all the practical jobs are done. This is when I can spend quality time with the nervous cats or those who need a little extra TLC. Helping them come out of their shell, settle in, or simply feel safe is incredibly rewarding. It’s so easy to fall in love with almost all of them, and while we all have our favourites, I’m mostly just grateful to make their stay here a little less scary.

Another highlight is receiving updates from adopters once their cats have settled into their new homes. Seeing photos of long stay curled up on a sofa or a once nervous cats relaxed on a bed makes everything worthwhile. It’s a lovely reminder of why we do what we do, and it truly is the most rewarding job I’ve ever had.

Cats happily settled in their forever homes