What is your experience with cat sitting, and how long have you been doing it?

I have taken care of animals esp cats on and off for most of my teenage years - to now middle age. I remember taking care of a medical needs cat as a teenager which was eye opening (I think she had diabetes). My friends cat I looked after when I was in my 20s, he required an inhaler, and had the name Gob (pronounced Joeb) which was a fitting name for him.. as he was quite the rapscalian. He did pretty well with the inhaler treatment! I volunteer at the animal shelter in Cat Care as well, I have been doing that for ten years consistently now. Now not quite sitting, the care required requires learning about each cat and learning their joys and boundaries. I work with red dot cats as well (sometimes the shyest or behaviorally less people oriented). I have enjoyed my clients on Meowtel as well.

What do you enjoy most about cat sitting?

Helping cats and their owners take whatever break for whatever reason they need. We had a cat with anxiety so it was tough leaving him, but we also really needed a vacation from time to time. Our pet sitter made us feel relieved because it took a long time to find someone willing between his medical needs and severe anxiety. I understand the value of pet sitting for all kinds of creatures.

Do you have kitties yourself? What are their names?

I have Teto, Cappie and Maisie at home. My day always starts with their care. Teto is an Arabian Mau, Cappie a Bobtail and Maisie is a Scottish Fold. All rescues.

What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a cat sitter?

Look for someone with experience that you feel most importantly you can trust. Those with exposure to cats and different kinds of cats is so important (that for me means breeds and behaviors).

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

I typically do a meet and greet, I will bring my phone or a notebook to take notes and learn more about their cat(s). I like to meet the kitty if the kitty is up for it.

What is your favorite cat toy?

Yeeeeow 🍌 and any given box. My kitty Maisie likes her cat wheel (which was supposed to be for our other very active cat) and I enjoy watching her run sprints on it.

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

I never initiate the conversation - ie in order to build trust its important to let the cat initiate and take it slowly! We've done cat and people introductions so much in our home. We adopted 2 adult cats in our latest round so I understand the importance of understanding your cat. This often means - making sure they have somewhere to go they trust (did the owner leave out a blanket that smells like them for the kitty to rest on)? I desribe my approach which starts with simply my voice and gaining familiarity with that. From there we work on trust with my glasses to rub on (if the cat is open to that) and we go from there. I assess the body language of the cat as we go. I never go too far with a kitty who doesn't trust me.