A Typical Day at Dahab Cats
Curious about what a day volunteering with Dahab Cats looks like? Read on to find out if it's for you!
Days with Dahab Cats start by ensuring all our hungry cats are fed and watered in the mornings - they'll let you know if you're behind schedule! If you're staying at Cat House, where approximately forty of our cats also reside, you might rise just before shift starts at 9am and roll straight into cat duties, or maybe allow time to make yourself eggs in the communal kitchen (and hopefully be able to eat them in peace!).
In between plenty of cat cuddles, you'll work away in the morning on the task you were assigned on the weekly rota. This will most likely be Cat House duties or working in our Clinic, which houses cats requiring the most urgent medical care. All tasks are centered around making sure each cat is fed, watered, clean, healthy, and happy. Some cats might have specific food tailored to them, and others might be shy eaters amongst the group and need extra attention to make sure they're eating well. It won't take you long to pick up on individual cats' personalities and eating habits! With our cats' primary needs tended to, we turn to the shelter and our home, with jobs such as cleaning, stock taking, and laundry. Any additional time can be spent on a variety of projects that are of interest to you. These may include feeding stray cats in the local area, painting the walls at Cat House, checking cats' eyes and ears, or upcycling and crafting cat toys.
Morning shift finishes at noon, and this means the afternoons are completely free to spend as you wish! If you can tear yourself away from cuddling kittens in the Arishra, you might choose to dive into many of the water based activities on offer. Dahab is world renowned for Red Sea diving and windsurfing, and people come from all over the world to experience the unique conditions here. There are plenty of diving courses on offer, as well as shops selling everything you need to get started along the seafront. Alternatively, you might decide to go on a hike in the mountains, take a yoga class on the beach, or simply enjoy the slower pace of life Dahab offers by sitting back and taking it all in.
Evening shift begins again at Dahab Cats at 5.30pm, where you will spend two hours making sure every cat has had their dinner, and water and litter changed. Each day has a particular schedule for feeding, and, if it's a wet food day, you'll need speedy serving skills as the cats will be eagerly awaiting their meaty supper!
After 7.30pm the evening is yours. You might choose to simply observe the cats at their primative hunting hour - guaranteed high value entertainment. Or you may decide to wander down the lively evening streets around Assala Square, experience an Iftar with the community during Ramadan, or stop for some koshari - Egypt's national dish of macaroni, lentils, and chickpeas, topped with a tangy tomato sauce, spicy vinegar sauce, and crispy fried onions.
After all that, you'll be pleased to curl up in bed with a couple of cats, safe in the knowledge that you made their day a little bit better here in Dahab.
Look out for future posts detailing behind the scenes volunteering in the clinic, the best ways to spend your days off in Dahab, and spotlights on each of our wonderful cats and kittens!