Cat Care Specialist

Cincinnati Animal CARE; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 22,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Paid Time Off

Professional Development Assistance

Retirement plan with employer match

Job summary

Cincinnati Animal CARE is seeking a Cat Care Specialist to support our mission of helping animals and the community. You will provide compassionate feline care, engage with adopters, volunteers, and fosters, and contribute to a growing organization.

The role involves daily cage cleaning, feeding, enrichment, basic medical tasks, and collaboration with staff and volunteers to ensure outstanding experiences for adopters and animals alike.

Qualifications

• 1 year of professional animal care experience preferred.
• Understand basic animal behavior.
• Possess strong oral and listening skills.
• Ability to follow policies and procedures.
• Ability to work with supervision and be dependable.

Responsibilities

• Clean and disinfect cat cages and other areas of animal use.
• Feed and provide water for cats and kittens in care.
• Assist in meeting mental, physical, and emotional needs of cats and kittens in care.
• Maintain general cleanliness of the cat living spaces.
• Speak with potential adopters and fosters and introduce them to our cats.
• Respond to matchmaking and customer support email requests for cats and kittens.
• Assist with education and training of adopters, fosters, and volunteers with cat and kitten information.
• Implement daily enrichment activities.
• Assist with routine medical procedures such as intake vaccinations and restraint for medical exams.
• Assist in maintaining cat records.
• Assist in the maintenance of equipment, building, grounds and supplies.
• May train new employees.
• May assist with transport rescue or partner clinics as needed.
• Be aware of and report medical and behavioral issues.
• Be aware of and report safety concerns.
• Demonstrate compassionate care of animals at all times.
• Contribute to an exceptional experience for adopters, fosters, volunteers, and donors.
• Respect the time and effort of coworkers by being on time for work and performing at a high level throughout the duration of each shift.
• Navigate and use animal management software system.
• Work alongside of and collaborate with our dedicated volunteer staff to ensure daily responsibilities and ongoing projects are optimal and high functioning.
• Supporting additional organizational needs as they arise

Skills

Animal care experience

Understanding of animal behavior

Communication skills

Policy adherence

Oral and listening skills

Judgment and diplomacy

General supervision adaptability

Oral and written instructions

Ohio driver's license

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Cat Care Specialist

Reports to Cat Care Manager

Join the Team at Cincinnati Animal CARE

At Cincinnati Animal CARE (CAC), we do work that matters.

Every day, our team protects animals, supports our community, and helps save thousands of lives each year through compassionate care, advocacy, and education.

This work is meaningful, fast-paced, and can be challenging, but for the right person, it’s incredibly rewarding.

We are a team built for impact, made up of people who care deeply, work hard, support one another, and show up every day committed to making a difference.

If you are passionate about animals, thrive in a mission-driven environment, and want your work to have purpose, we’d love to have you join us.

About the Role

We are looking for a Cat Care Specialist to join our team and play an important role in supporting CAC’s mission.

In this position, you will:

• Give compassionate feline care and engage with potential adopters, volunteers, and fosters.

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys meaningful work, takes pride in helping others, and wants to contribute to a growing organization making a real impact in the community.

What You’ll Be Responsible For

Your day-to-day may include:

• Clean and disinfect cat cages and other areas of animal use
• Feed and provide water for cats and kittens in care
• Assist in meeting mental, physical, and emotional needs of cats and kittens in care
• Maintain general cleanliness of the cat living spaces
• Speak with potential adopters and fosters and introduce them to our cats
• Respond to matchmaking and customer support email requests for cats and kittens
• Assist with education and training of adopters, fosters, and volunteers with cat and kitten information
• Implement daily enrichment activities
• Assist with routine medical procedures such as intake vaccinations and restraint for medical exams
• Assist in maintaining cat records
• Assist in the maintenance of equipment, building, grounds and supplies
• May train new employees
• May assist with transport rescue or partner clinics as needed
• Be aware of and report medical and behavioral issues
• Be aware of and report safety concerns
• Demonstrate compassionate care of animals at all times
• Contribute to an exceptional experience for adopters, fosters, volunteers, and donors
• Respect the time and effort of coworkers by being on time for work and performing at a high level throughout the duration of each shift
• Navigate and use animal management software system
• Work alongside of and collaborate with our dedicated volunteer staff to ensure daily responsibilities and ongoing projects are optimal and high functioning.
• Supporting additional organizational needs as they arise

What Makes Someone Successful in This Role

We’re looking for someone who:

• Is passionate about CAC’s mission and animal welfare
• Brings a positive, team-first attitude
• Communicates openly and professionally
• Takes ownership and solves problems proactively
• Thrives in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment
• Can balance compassion with accountability
• Is dependable, adaptable, and eager to learn

Qualifications

Preferred/Required:

• A high school diploma or equivalent
• 1 year of professional animal care experience preferred
• Understand basic animal behavior
• Knowledge of caring for and feeding animals
• Ability to understand and adhere to policies and procedures
• Possess strong oral and listening skills
• Ability to handle sensitive issues
• Ability to work under general supervision
• Ability to exercise judgment, tact, and diplomacy
• Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions
• Positions within this classification may require a valid Ohio driver's license

Why Join CAC?

At CAC, you’ll be part of more than just a workplace. You’ll join a team of people doing meaningful work together.

We offer:

• The opportunity to make a real difference every day
• A mission-driven, supportive team culture
• Growth and development opportunities
• Competitive benefits package
• A workplace where your work directly impacts animals and the community

Compensation & Benefits

• Pay: Minimum pay of $18.50 after successful 90 day training period. $16.19 during training period.
• Retirement plan with employer match
• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• Professional Development Assistance
• Life Insurance

Working Conditions / Physical Requirements

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, or operate objects, controls, or tools listed above; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in outside weather conditions. The employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts; in high, precarious places; and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.
• Exposure and handling unvetted animals and their waste is frequent.