Tag Archives: cat boarding

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: the Worst Part of the Job

It feels like this year has been a rough one for some of our favorite clients at the cats-only boarding facility. Some of our long-time visitors succumbed to chronic health issues or old age. It feels like we’ve been sending a lot of condolence cards. I don’t like it. Not one bit. We said goodbye to another dear friend this week — you may remember him as the biggest cat I’d ever seen. When he first came in to board for a weekend, he tipped the scale at almost thirty-four pounds. On his latest visit, he was down to almost … Continue reading →

Thoughts on a Year at the B&B

Time sure flies when you’re scooping kitty litter! Today is my one year anniversary with the cats-only boarding facility. I’ve learned a lot about our feline friends over the last three hundred and sixty-five days. The first (and most important) thing I’ve learned is a true appreciation for cats. When I first started work at the cats-only boarding facility, I knew a little bit about kitties. I’ve never owned one of my own due to allergies and a general preference for dogs… but after the past year? I could see myself living with a cat someday. It’s the guests themselves … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Outbreak Aftermath

After several of our guests got sick with an upper respiratory virus, we decided it was time for a major cleaning. We’re already very dedicated to cleaning at the cats-only boarding facility. The condos are cleaned as soon as a guest leaves, and at least once per week if they sit empty. The floors are swept and mopped twice per day. The playroom and exam room are sanitized after each cat is inside. But after four cats came down with a kind of cold, we didn’t want to chance other guests catching the same runny nose, runny eyes, and sneezing. … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Outbreak!

It started with one cat: runny nose, weepy eyes, sneezing. Soon three more cats were drippy and lethargic. The cats-only boarding facility had an outbreak! I’ve been working at the boarding facility since last December (how time flies) and this is the first time I’ve seen anything like this. The first cat — patient zero — usually has runny eyes and a sniffly nose. He’s a Himalayan, and like other flat-faced breeds, they can be susceptible to upper respiratory problems. Other Himalayans who come in to stay with us tend to have very runny eyes, too. So when patient zero … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Two Happy Endings for the Price of One

At the beginning of the summer, someone called the cats-only boarding facility hoping to find her lost cat. She was staying at a nearby hotel and the cat had slipped out when someone had come to the door. (It’s all too easy for this to happen, as I learned when I was on my cross-country trip with Moose and Lally!) We promised to keep an eye out for her cat — a grey kitty with big blue eyes. Since we leave food out for the local feral cats, we often get other wanderers stopping by for a nibble. But months … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Hi-Ho Silver!

We have a very special guest right now at the cats-only boarding facility: a friendly little cat we call Silver. I’ve mentioned our feral cat efforts before — we leave leftover food out for strays and feral cats. When a new stray comes by to nibble, we try to catch him or her for a check-up. The folks on the vet side will do a full exam, give the cat a round of vaccinations, and spay/neuter as needed. Last weekend, I met Silver. He was out by the food dish as I pulled into the parking lot. I crouched at … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Why Am I Working Here, Anyway?

I was chatting with a client at the cats-only boarding facility, and mentioned (as I often do) my two dogs, Moose and Lally. The client asked if I had any cats, and I said that I didn’t. She then asked me why I was working at a cat place if I didn’t have any cats. My usual answer is this: “So I won’t be tempted to bring any of them home!” And that is part of the reason. We’ve had abandoned kitties staying at the boarding facility before. While I did become somewhat attached to them, I knew I couldn’t … Continue reading →