No Holidays for a Pet Sitter

Qzarina, a Maine Coon, is a master of hiding, but comes when called now.

Being a pet sitter, I spend most holidays and many weekends caring for other people’s pets. It’s hard to leave my own precious kitties, but I made sure I spent the entire three days of the recent President's Day (and Valentine's Day) weekend with my cats, grooming and petting them and telling them how much I loved them.

My long-term clients booked me well in advance for the weekend and beyond. They have three kitties, including a small Maine Coon, Qzarina; a bicolor medium-hair named Murray; and Missy, a pretty black-and-white shorthair. I visit them twice a day and spend every other night with them. Missy doesn’t like most people other than her pet parents, but I have spent so much time with them that she is used to me and even lets me pet her a little now and then. She has even started sleeping on the bed with me at night. 

Murray is a love bug. He will start purring if you just look at him. He loves to be brushed but his favorite thing to do is eat. Murray is now on a diet, which is challenging with two other kitties. I came up with some ideas to distract Murray during dinner that gave the other two kitties a chance to eat.

Qzarina is a quiet, loving kitty. She enjoys being petted and loves to sleep on blankets or on her cat tree. She is a master at hiding but now comes downstairs if I call her most of the time.

I also spent a few nights with another long-term client. Their household consists of two dogs and two cats. The dogs and cats have come to a compromise where the cats spend most of their time upstairs and the dogs stay downstairs. I made sure to visit both floors and spread the love around.

I feel very lucky that I can spend time with so many different pets while providing a needed service to their pet parents. They know they can leave their pets in my care and the pets will get the love and attention they want and need. And I get lots of doggie kisses and kitty purrs that show me how much the pets appreciate me!