Cats Protection Social Media Case Study
Turning stories into second chances
A story-led social media strategy that increased visibility, strengthened community connection, and supported faster rehoming outcomes
Real Results
+846% improved reach
Faster rehoming outcomes
64,000+ impressions
Project Snapshot
Client: Cats Protection Mid Sussex Branch
Role: Volunteer Social Media Manager and Strategist
Scope: Social media strategy and ongoing content creation
Platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
Focus: Visibility, engagement, adoption outcomes
Behind every post was a real cat waiting to be seen, and time mattered.
The Challenge
Cats Protection Mid Sussex were struggling to reach enough people online, which directly impacted how quickly cats were being rehomed.
Their social media lacked structure, consistency, and reach beyond existing supporters. Posting felt overwhelming, engagement was low, and adoption posts weren’t gaining the visibility they needed to be effective.
They were facing:
Low reach on adoption posts
Inconsistent posting across three platforms
Limited storytelling around individual cats
No clear social media strategy
Low visibility on important content
Low visibility meant fewer enquiries and thus longer waiting times for cats in their care.
The Approach
I created a clear, storytelling-led social media strategy designed to increase visibility, deepen emotional connection, and support faster rehoming outcomes.
The strategy focused on:
Platform-specific storytelling across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Balancing discovery, trust-building, and action-led content
Establishing a sustainable and consistent posting rhythm
Deepening emotional connection between cats and potential adopters
The foundational work included:
Full content audit to identify gaps and opportunities
Competitor overview and SWOT-style analysis to inform strategy
Content strategy centered around:
Adoption and rehoming stories
Educational posts to build trust and authority
Regular updates so supporters could follow each cat’s journey
Community-led content to strengthen local engagement
With the foundations in place, the impact began to show.
The Transformation
Over time, Cats Protection Mid Sussex’s social media shifted from quiet and inconsistent to confident, visible, and emotionally resonant, reaching far beyond their existing supporter base.
Real outcomes, achieved organically
Reach increased by up to +846%
Engagement increased by up to +168%
Reel performance increased by over +1,000%
Link taps increased by +700%
64,000+ impressions on key adoption posts
These results were achieved entirely through organic, strategy-led content, without the use of paid advertising.
Visual Transformation
Before and after Instagram grids showing the shift from reactive posting to professional, trust-led storytelling.
Before
Inconsistent visual style across posts
Limited storytelling beyond individual adoption posts
Low visibility outside existing supporters
Important rescue work felt easy to scroll past
After
Clear, consistent visual identity that feels recognisable
Emotion-led storytelling that highlights each cat’s personality and journey
Adoption posts that stop the scroll and encourage action
Why Emotion Changes Everything
Sweet Batman and Robin had received no interest, despite being ready for a home. This reel used emotion-led storytelling and subtle creative variations to help the audience pause, empathise, and understand their situation, significantly increasing reach and giving their story the visibility it deserved.
Another Story That Needed The Right Eyes
Merlin had been waiting over 200 days for his forever home, repeatedly passed by despite being ready for adoption. Using the same emotion-led storytelling approach, this reel helped his story reach beyond existing followers and connect with people actively looking to adopt.
Trusted by pet-care organisations
“Our audience has grown, engagement has increased, and people tell us they feel far more connected to the branch because of the content Christie creates.”
Elizabeth Gross, Mid Sussex Cats Protection
What changed in practice
Engagement became more meaningful, with increased comments, shares, and messages
Short-form video became a key driver of discovery
Adoption posts gained stronger traction and visibility
Follower growth became steady and intentional
Why this matters
For a rescue organisation, social media isn’t about views or follower numbers for their own sake. Follows and views are actually irrelevant unless the right people are watching your content.
So it was all about getting the cats who need help seen, understood, and given a chance through emotionally driven content.
This approach helped more cats be noticed, shared, and rehomed, simply by communicating more clearly and building a stronger, more emotional connection with the people who care.
The same principles apply across the pet-care world. When trust, reassurance, and visibility are handled with care, they naturally shape decisions and lead to meaningful action.
My Reflections
This project was incredibly meaningful to me. Supporting rescue cats through thoughtful, strategic content was incredibly rewarding, especially seeing so many cats move into loving homes more quickly and hearing the updates of them thriving post-adoption.
What I’m most proud of is knowing that improved visibility helped speed up the rehoming process, allowing more cats to spend less time in care overall.
The dedication of the Cats Protection team stood out throughout. They truly cared, and they were an absolute joy to work with.
Your content should help the right people choose you, with confidence.
If social media feels like another thing you should be doing, but doesn’t truly show how much you care, I’m here to help you make it feel lighter, clearer, and more aligned with the work you already do so well.