Search Results for: blog diary of a cat care b ampb

Killer Cats on the Loose

One of the most popular news stories to break last week was a new estimation of the deaths attributed to domesticated house cats.  We’re not talking people deaths, but the deaths of small birds and mammals; that might seem insignificant, but the number is in the billions.  Researchers from the Smithsonian and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that although the worst offenders are feral and stray cats, one in three domesticated cats also kills animals in its neighborhood.  Those cats average two kills a week. When it’s well-fed, domesticated cats doing the killing, they’re not usually keeping these … Continue reading →

What To Do about Neighbor Cats

I keep going back and forth on whether or not to let my cats outside.  Cole doesn’t have much interest, but Chrestomanci certainly does.  I know he’d be happiest as an indoor-outdoor cat, but I don’t know that I’d be happiest with him as one, and I don’t know that it’s worth the stress.  One day in the summer when we let him out with us, he wandered off.  He came back a few hours later, just as my husband said he would, but by then it was dark and I was very upset until he showed up again. Another … Continue reading →

The Curious Case of the Cat in the Shower

Every time anyone enters the bathroom at our house, it’s cause for a big fuss. That’s because no matter what somebody’s doing in there, our cat Cole must have a part of it. If he hears someone in the bathroom, he rushes in (if the door’s open) and starts getting very vocal. Cole isn’t the most vocal of cats, but he’s not the least either. He chirps for attention, and if there’s a bird he can see out in the yard, the whole house knows it. But even when there’s prey he can see just beyond his reach, Cole is … Continue reading →

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 →

Not So Wild Cats in the Neighborhood

At the cats-only boarding facility, we keep an eye out for abandoned or feral cats. Leftover food from the guests is set out twice a day for our “regulars”. We even do our best to catch, spay or neuter, and find homes for the feral cats who hang out behind the building. But those aren’t the only abandoned kitties I deal with. There’s a sizable abandoned cat population at the apartment complex where I live. There are two in particular who live and hang out right by my door: a pair of mostly black kitties. One is extremely friendly; the … 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 →

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 →

Ask a Pets Blogger: Helping Pets with Flaky Skin

My cat has terrible dandruff… at least I think it’s dandruff! She’s always got flakes on her skin and in her coat. What can I do to clear this up? This is a conversation I get to have often at the cats-only boarding facility where I work. As part of our check-in process, we give each cat a quick brushing with a very fine-toothed comb. Our goal is to check for fleas, but we often end up talking to owners about skin and coat care… and dandruff. Dry skin can be a seasonal problem, especially in the winter months when … 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 →

Why Does My Cat’s Tail Quiver?

It can be something of a mystery — trying to translate a pet’s body language. I’ve always been more of a dog person than a cat person, so sometimes behaviors I see at the cats-only boarding facility throw me for a loop. Most cats don’t wag — at least, not like dogs do, to signal happiness. I’ve never seen one do it, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t feline waggers out there, right? (If you have a kitty who wags his or her tail like a dog, let me know! Send me a video!) Lately, I’ve seen a few different … Continue reading →