It’s “Catnap” time at CAT. We’re taking an organization-wide weeklong break—here’s what you need to know.
Our people have always been a priority at CAT. During the pandemic, those people have taken on more than ever. So CAT is doing something BIG to support all staff. From February 13-19, we are closing our shelter and thrift store for an organization-wide week off.
The last two years have been a nearly nonstop roller coaster of challenge and change. We’ve needed to reinvent the way we do many, if not most, things… and then do it all over again! And these days, like so many businesses and organizations, we’re often struggling with staffing shortages and increasing costs.
Throughout the pandemic, we have remained focused on helping cats and their families, keeping our staff engaged and employed, and keeping the organization stable. Those three things are closely tied together. It’s our amazing people who deliver the services and programs that further our mission. And there has been a lot of pressure on our people during this time. With resilience, optimism, and a willingness to try new things, our team has continued showing up. We are here to save lives, help people, and support each other. And the organization has been looking for more ways to support the staff. Those include pay increases, expanded benefits, bonuses, and now: our very first break week!
No need to worry. Our commitment to animal care won’t stop—even as we take a bit of breather. While many kitties will move out to foster care, a small team of staff and volunteers will be at the shelter each day to care for the cats here and keep our everyday work going. Our transfer partners understand. They’re working with us to schedule transports around the break so we can keep saving lives. We’ll respond to urgent CAT Helpline requests, so that folks who need immediate support have options. But services and customer support will be reduced during this week—and we hope you’ll be understanding.
This short rest is well-earned. And it will help us launch refreshed into another busy year of lifesaving!
We have big plans for 2022. Over the past two years, we’ve steadily increased our adoptions and admissions back toward pre-pandemic levels. Our hospital is performing more spay/neuter surgeries than we did before the pandemic. And our other programs and services are ramping back up too.
This break week isn’t a total solution. But it’s one way to show our CAT people the same love and support we feel for the cats and clients we serve. Thank you for understanding. Thank you for your support. And thank you for saving lives with us this year!
