Tag Archives: cats only boarding facility

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Spring Break

Spring break for most people means a few days off from work or school, time spent with family and friends, and maybe even a vacation! At the cats only boarding facility, spring break means we’re approaching full capacity. At the end of last week, we had three guests. By the time the weekend was over, we had nearly forty! Our main boarding room is full — thirty cats in thirty condos — plus we have guests in the two isolation wards and one guy who came in with a hurt leg resting quietly next door on the veterinarian side. That’s … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Not-So-Accidental Injuries

Accidental injuries, I’m relatively all right with. Wrong place, wrong time, nobody’s fault. Those not-so-accidental injuries? Those, I feel bad about. My right side seems to have taken the brunt of the lessons in cat behavior. My first scratch and bite combo came from a cat named Chuck who wasn’t very happy when I put him down on the scale. The scratch went from knuckles to elbow, and it looks like the part on the back of my hand will be a lingering scar. This was most definitely an intentional wounding. But it was also a case of me not … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Accidental Injuries

There are some cats who leave an impression on your heart. Other cats leave an impression on you physically! In my work at the cats only boarding facility, I’ve met both types. For right now, I want to talk about the latter. One thing I’ve noticed is how very unpredictable cats are — especially when compared to dogs. I’ve lived with dogs for years. I’ve learned their little vocal cues and body language. Cats? Not so much. There are some who give warning with a hiss or a growl, and some who act out with very little (if any) warning … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: My Bulletin Board

I’ve picked up a new responsibility at the cats only boarding facility — I am now in charge of the monthly bulletin board. The job comes with a large (and I mean overflowing) box of assorted cat calendars, cat pictures from catalogues and magazines, a rainbow of colored paper, and more. I offered to take on the bulletin board a few weeks ago, so I’ve had a chance to plan a bit. One thing I wanted to focus on was educational materials. There are lots of things we do at the boarding facility that our clients might not understand — … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Kitty Pedicures

One of the services we offer at the cats only boarding facility is a toenail trim. Since I had never done one before (I’ve only done dog pedicures so far), my coworkers showed me how it’s done. It seems to work very easily with two people — one person holds and distracts the cat and the other does the snipping. If you are the person who is holding the cat, you want to be sure that he’s not able to wiggle away; pulling a paw away at the wrong time could mean that the nail gets caught in the scissors. … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: My New Best Friend

From time to time, we have guests who really don’t want to be there. Sometimes, the move from home to the boarding facility can be very stressful. Some cats hide and shy away from petting; other cats become aggressive and try to lash out. One of our relatively frequent visitors is a cat named Cliff. He was at the cats only boarding facility when I started working there back in December. For those few days, he was one unhappy kitty, growling and hissing when anyone approached his condo. I was determined that the next time Cliff came to stay, we … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: The Naming of Cats

The first musical I ever saw on Broadway was Cats — I used to listen to the soundtrack (on vinyl) over and over. There’s a song about the naming of cats that I still can remember the lyrics for: The naming of cats is a difficult matter It isn’t just one of those holiday games… You may think at first I’m as mad as a hatter When I tell you a cat must have three different names. The song goes on to say WHY a cat has three different names, including the secret name that they only tell to other … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: A Happy Ending

I’m very pleased to report a happy ending for our three homeless kitties at the cats only boarding facility. You may remember that they were involved that day that I got groomed — Ru, one of the three cats who became ours over the holidays, decided that my hair needed a good licking. Over the six weeks they were at the boarding facility, I got really attached to these cats. A quick reminder of the players: Ru: a short haired tortie cat with striking dark green eyes. Definitely the boss of the group. Tiger: a big, goofy orange tabby with … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Sympathy with Pet Parents

Early last month, when I had my interview with the cats only boarding facility, one of the things they mentioned they were looking for was sympathy. Compassion. Not only for cats in all different states of mind, but for the owners, too. Often, the owners are dropping off their babies for the very first time. These pets have never been away from home, maybe never spent a night without someone from their human family. Part of my job is reassuring the human family that their feline friend will be safe and loved and attended to. And I can sympathize. Remember … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Feral Cat Efforts

At the cats only boarding facility, they welcome cats of all shapes and sizes. We get some “mostly outdoor” cats whose owners bring them in to stay when the weather is bad. We get some pampered princes and princesses who require daily brushing and like to eat from fancy dishes. I know for sure that my coworkers are cat lovers. But more than that — they really care about the welfare of cats. All cats. Even the feral ones. Every day, we take all the leftover cat food and empty it into a big dish. After each shift, somebody brings … Continue reading →