MONTHLY VOLUNTEER PROFILE: DANIEL PHILLIPS

Everyone who volunteers at the Winnipeg Humane Society gives of their time because they care for animals, but Daniel Phillips has probably never met a cat he didn’t like.

Daniel, a Feline Enrichment volunteer, cares for cats so much that he comes in three times a week for a couple of hours to spend time with cats in Kitty Cat Way, and the Cat Condos.

“I pet the cats,” he said, perhaps simplifying his duties at the shelter. “The idea is to get the cats more used to the presence of people, so that when visitors come in, they’ll react in a more friendly manner. They’ll be more receptive to visitors who may be interested in adopting them. It’s nice to provide them with some human contact so they’ll get more used to us. Makes them more adoptable.”

Daniel, 24, has grown up with cats but is currently cat-free, so volunteering at the shelter helps satisfy any ‘cat fix’ he may have. “I’ve liked several of the cats I’ve interacted with but I’ve never adopted one,” he said. “I’ve heard about other volunteers who adopted cats they met here.”

His family has had four cats. The most recent pair came to their home, walked in and adopted the family. “In 2008, the place we lived in did not have a fenced-in back yard,” Daniel explained. “I looked out the back window, saw them and said ‘Oh. Cats!’ There were two cats coming up to the back porch and they were meowing to be let in. They became our next two cats. They adopted us and their names were Huey and Bob. Both recently passed away.”

Daniel has been volunteering at the WHS since February 2023, after he graduated from college. He and his family previously lived in Saskatoon. While there, he volunteered with an organization called Street Cat Rescue. “It was not as professional of an organization as this,” he explained. “It was in an outlet mall. I thought that since I did some volunteering there, I could find some volunteer opportunities here, now that I’m out of college.”

Meeting all the cats is Daniel’s favourite part of the job. Getting a cat used to people – and not just you, the volunteer – can be challenging. “If you see the same cat for a while, you begin to ask yourself ‘Why hasn’t this cat been adopted yet?’” he said. “Sometimes they get used to you, but they’re not used to strangers yet. Then you must figure how to get them more used to all people.”

Cats, like people, each come with their own personalities. “Some cats in the shelter are easier to deal with than others, Daniel said. “It depends upon their personality type. Some are hot and cold. Sometimes they’re very friendly and then they become overstimulated very quickly. Other cats are just overstimulated and you have to read the signs.”

Of all the different cat personalities, Daniel has a soft spot for those that, when you first meet them, are cowering at the back of their cage or their condo. “You’ve got to be patient with them but once they come out of their shell, it feels very good, he said. “Once they’ve gotten used to you and they come out to see you. It makes you feel good. Once you gain their trust, it’s nice to be able to interact with them.”

He also finds that older cats in the shelter are interesting and quirkier than others. “They’ve had longer to acquire said quirks,” he laughs. “Especially those who were house cats but who came, through one circumstance or another, back to the shelter. Often, they have a way of communicating what they want. Recently, there was a black cat here who would always come up to you on your right side and would gently paw on your shoulder as if to say ‘Hey, I’m here. I want something.”

Daniel is hoping to find full-time work but, in the meantime, will continue volunteering. And when he finds a job, he hopes to continue volunteering with the WHS. “I’m enjoying it very much. Everybody is very good to work with. They are so caring. And I like meeting the cats.”