A Rescue Centre Is Looking For Kitten Cuddlers To Hug Its Cats

    Everything has been building up to this moment.

    Richard James
    by Richard James

    BuzzFeed News Reporter, UK

    Like kittens? Like cuddles? THEN THIS IS THE JOB FOR YOU.

    chroniclelive.co.uk

    An article in the Newcastle Chronicle on Monday said the city's Westgate Ark animal centre was looking for volunteers to come in and interact with the rescued cats.

    Paul Black, who runs the centre, told the Chronicle there had been an influx of abandoned cats needing rehoming since April.

    GrishaL/GrishaL

    “Many of the feral cats either come in with kittens or are pregnant," he told the newspaper. "To re-home them we have to socialise them and this is easier if they are kittens."

    The rescue centre is now asking people to come in and spend some quality time with the animals to help rehabilitate them.

    anurakpong/anurakpong

    Black told the Chronicle:

    We have a lot of lovely volunteers here who really do help out.

    I am planning on holding an open weekend on December 27 and 28 where people can come and join us, for free, and have a glass of sherry or mulled wine and a mince pie and get to see the centre and meet the cats.

    They are also welcome to bring the cats little Christmas presents like treats, food, or litter.

    The centre currently has more than 15 rescued cats.

    lainea/lainea

    The centre is run entirely on donations. You can find out more about Westgate Ark here.

    BuzzFeed News spoke to Black on Tuesday about the reaction to the piece in the Chronicle and the way in which the news subsequently spread.

    He revealed around a dozen people came into centre on Monday to find out more about being a volunteer, with over 300 more sending emails.

    Black said the reaction had "caught us by surprise" and said it had been a bit overwhelming.

    Once they raise enough money to hire a vet, Black is hoping to also open neutering clinic for cats and dogs.