What do you enjoy most about cat sitting?

What I most enjoy about cat sitting is the close attention. Every cat has a rhythm. Where they want to sit, how they want to be greeted, whether they want company or just quiet supervision. Reading that rhythm in a single visit is genuinely satisfying. After twenty-five years with cats in shelters, clinics, and a cat café, the cats who get labeled "shy" or "difficult" are usually just particular about how they want to be approached. Figuring that out is the best part of the job.

Do you have kitties yourself? What are their names?

Yes! Eight cats live with us. Indy is the triple threat of the family: our first barn cat, then ambassador at the cat café we founded, and now surrogate mom to two of our youngest, Dandy and Poppy. Inside we also have Xena and her sister Socks, and Noire and her brother Casanova. Out at the barn, Mama (Dandy and Poppy's mom) holds court on her own these days. Eight cats, eight personalities, a constant education...and hair. Lots of hair LOL

What is your typical process for working with a new cat parent?

I keep it structured so nothing important gets missed. Meet & Greet (free, 20-30 min): I come to the home, meet the cat in their environment, and walk through feeding, meditations, litter, behavior quirks, household hazards, and emergency contacts. I take notes and photos to recreate the routine exactly. Written care plan: After the Meet & Greet, I send a short summary confirming what I heard. This catches misunderstandings before the first paid visit. First visit check-in: A longer update with photos so the cat parent can confirm ai understood the routine. From there, I match the level of communication they want - some want photos every visit, others a daily summary. Ongoing: Every visit includes a welfare check, agreed care tasks, photo update, and written note. I’m reachable by text the entire time the cat parent is away.

How do you ensure the safety & security of the cats and the home while cat sitting?

Safety is non-negotiable, and I treat every home as if it were my own. For the cats: Before the first visit, I confirm feeding, medication, litter setup, household hazards, and emergency vet info. Every visit includes a welfare check - eating, drinking, elimination, behavior- documented with photos and written notes. If something looks off, I contact the cat parent immediately and, if needed, transport to their preferred or emergency vet. For the home: I confirm entry and exit procedures, lock every door I pass through, never share codes or keys, and stay only as long as the visit requires. I bring in mail if requested and leave the space exactly as I found it. After three years running a public-facing cat cafe, I’m meticulous about doors, latches, and double-checking before I leave.

How do you handle cats that are particularly timid or anxious?

I let the cat set the pace. As a Fear Free Certified Professional, I’m trained to read feline body language and recognize early stress signals - tail position, ear set, pupil dilation, whisker tension, freeze or hide responses. With a timid cat, I never force interaction. I sit at their level, avoid direct eye contact, offer a slow blink, and let them approach me on their terms. I keep visits predictable and low-stimulation: same time of day when possible, soft voice, slow movements, no overhead reaching. If a cat is hiding, I confirm visual safety, complete feeding and litter care, and quietly leave - I never drag a cat out from under the bed for a photo. After two decades in veterinary settings and three years co-running a cat cafe, I’ve learned that trust with an anxious cat is built through patience, not pressure.