Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Contagious Cautions

Not all boarding facilities are equipped to handle guests (feline or otherwise) with health issues. Because we’re owned by and attached to a veterinarian’s office, the staff at the cats-only boarding facility is trained to do some unusual things. We administer oral medications (pills and liquids), topical medications (like creams applied to the inside of the ear), injections (like insulin for diabetic kitties), and even subcutaneous fluids (for guests who are dehydrated). But sometimes, we get a guest with a serious health issue that could possibly be contagious to other guests. We work very hard to ensure that the ill … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Brushathon

I had an absolutely delightful morning at the cats-only boarding facility yesterday! Don’t get me wrong — I really like this job. I enjoy working with the cats, I like the exercise, I like the change of pace from my other job (writing). We have great clients and some really wonderful guests. But some days, the job is challenging. The kitties are extra messy, or I’m just off my routine and trying to catch up. Yesterday was the opposite. Yesterday, I had the magic touch. I was the cat whisperer. An aggressive cat needed to be weighed? I picked her … Continue reading →

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Kittymas!

I celebrated my two year anniversary at the cats-only boarding facility just two weeks ago. The time has definitely flown by! My anniversary comes right in the middle of our busiest season: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. We had nearly fifty guests for Turkey Day, and are expecting just over fifty guests for Christmas! That’s still a low number, compared to the sixty-five we had my very first holiday season at the boarding facility. But what a way to learn the job! I had plenty of coworkers around for questions and help, and plenty of cats to work with — … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Overnight Entertainment

A paw slips through the gap and taps gently at the door latch. Slowly, the lever lifts and the door springs open! Suddenly, it’s party time at the cats-only boarding facility. Escapes don’t happen all that often, so they’re notable when they do happen. This week, one guest went for a triple escape. When I showed up one morning, there he was, wandering around the main boarding room. He was very neat about his adventure — nothing was spilled or out of place. There was just one weird thing about the first breakout: his door was still closed and latched. … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Little Visitors

At the cats-only boarding facility, we share a building with the cats-only vet who owns us… and a few other businesses. Next door to the vet side of the building is a Little Gym. Throughout the day on any given day, kids and parents on their way to the Gym will stop and peek into the windows to see the cat (or cats) in the playroom. Once in a while, parent and child will come inside to see the kitties. I’m always happy to show them around. This week happens to be Animal Week at our Little Gym, so we’ve … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Tiny Whirlwind!

It’s time for another wacky adventure from the cats-only boarding facility! I’ve mentioned that the first thing I do in the mornings is clean. There are litter pans to change, bedding to shake out, and walls and floors to wipe. While I was doing my work, one of the guests escaped! It wasn’t a cat I would have expected to make a break for it — she’d been shy and quiet throughout her stay. But the door to her kennel was open and out she went! She led me on a merry chase through the facility. First, she dodged in … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: No Surrender

The weekends are relatively quiet at the cats-only boarding facility. Once in a while, we get a walk-in — someone who needs to pick up some prescription food from the vet side of the building. Outside of that, most of our visitors are expected (either dropping off or picking up feline guests for boarding). This past weekend, I had a surprise visitor. A man stopped by to inquire about boarding rates. I ran through the rates, showed off the condos and playroom, and mentioned our extra services (like grooming). Then he told me his story. He and his cat had … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Transformation Complete!

I was sitting down with a client at the cats-only boarding facility the other day, talking about her pets and my pets. She has two cats and a dog; I have two dogs. Eventually, the conversation got around to how dog people sometimes don’t understand cats (and vice versa). Then I made my confession: I wasn’t really a cat person before I started working at the boarding facility. I’m a lifelong dog lover. My encounters with cats growing up were few and far between… and often negative experiences. The next door neighbors had an adorable grey cat who would come … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

You’re probably familiar of the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde — a doctor who is transformed into a monster by drinking a potion. Both characters are two sides of the same person; one a creature of evil and cruelty and one a brilliant and friendly man. Sometimes, it seems like our guests at the cats-only boarding facility must be drinking the same potion. Cats that are perfectly calm and well-behaved for us may be stressed or violent on the vet side of the building (and vice versa). Once in a while, I get a look at both sides … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: The Old Switcheroo!

Sometimes we get look-alikes at the cats-only boarding facility. I think I’ve mentioned the kitty brothers who are identical except for the shape of their eyes — two male cats from the same litter, both all white. The way to tell them apart is that one has rounder eyes and the other has squinty eyes. And that’s it. We have another client who has two Bengal cats. They look very similar, except for the pattern of the markings — one has a swirly pattern and the other is more stripey. Needless to say, it can get kind of tricky when … Continue reading →