Sarnia Cat Sitter

26/11/2024

Your cat is telling you much more than you know.

25/11/2024

Our amazing sitter Stacy has been fostering this sweet girl through her recovery. Anybody who has had a blind cat knows how incredible they are 🩷. I have met this sweetheart and she has lots of love to give.

25/11/2024

These ears! 😍

19/11/2024

Last month I had the pleasure of this handsome fellow and his brother staying with me for a couple of weeks 😍

We are booked for boarding until mid-February, but there is still time to register for our professional in-home care services for the holidays at www.sarniacatsitter.ca 🐈🎄🎉

14/11/2024

Please put those sq**rt bottles away. There are better ways to manage undesirable behaviours. What are you struggling with?

Shutting down behaviours through aversive methods such as loud noises (shakers, rattles, clapping, shouting), air sprays or water sprays, shock collars or physical punishment may certainly suppress behaviour in the short term, which can be very reinforcing for caregivers.🐾🐈🐕

However, what we MUST consider is what effects this may have in the long term.🌟🐾

Animals will learn that they can no longer use certain behaviours to communicate, relieve stress or show their emotional state.🐶😿

This in turn may lead to learned helplessness, reduced welfare and quality of life, or in some instances to physical disease such as Feline Idiopathic Cystitis.💔

So, before choosing the easier option of shutting down behaviour, please consider what this may do to your pet in the long run…🌟🐕🐈

, , , , , , , , , , ,

13/11/2024

Great idea!

12/11/2024

We made sure Zoey got lots of love and brushes ❤️

🐈 Register your cat for their perfect staycation experience at www.sarniacatsitter.ca

11/11/2024

I spent a few hours yesterday with these kittens being fostered through Caregivers of Petrolia Ferals. These spicy little nuggets are not yet comfortable with human contact, and their foster mom needed some help with medication administration. With LOTS of patience, gentle handling techniques, and positive reinforcement, these guys got their parasite treatment and their first head and cheek scratches 💕

07/11/2024

We are looking to expand our team of professional cat care providers! If you have experience with cats, are available evenings AND weekends, have your own vehicle and are 18+, check out our website for more information and how to apply.
https://www.sarniacatsitter.ca/joinourteam

31/10/2024

Happy Halloween! Keep your cats indoors and safe tonight (....and all nights). If you have an escape artist, set them up in a closed room with toys, treats, or other special items to keep them happy while you are giving out treats.

23/10/2024

Who else shares slow blinks with their cat? 🙋‍♀️

21/10/2024

In the past two weeks, we were contacted by three of our clients who were suddenly and unexpectedly admitted to the hospital. Our team was able to jump into action immediately to provide care for their cats, even picking up needed supplies such as food and litter. Diabetic Milo didn't even miss a dose of insulin.

Our service provides more than just caring for cats. We are here to provide complete peace of mind for pet parents, whether to enjoy their vacation or recover through a medical emergency. 🐈

15/07/2024

Thank you for the important reminder! It's never too late to train your cat to willingly go into a carrier. DM us if you would like to be sent information on how to do this 🐈🐈‍⬛

30/06/2024

💯 🤣

25/06/2024

A good percentage of the cats that we trim nails or remove matts for are highly fearful and have had previous traumatic experiences while being handled by veterinary staff or groomers. I am asked almost daily why I don't use gloves. This post sums up my views perfectly. Your cat's welfare should not be comprised for convenience.

Unpopular Opinion: Why I Don’t Recommend Bite Gloves for Handling or Socializing Cats and Kittens

My true and unfiltered opinion: bite gloves are for unskilled handlers who don’t know what they’re doing. I said what I said. I have never used bite gloves when handling a fearful or aggressive cat. Ever. While bite gloves may seem like a safe and easy solution, they often do more harm than good. Here’s why:

Unnecessary Stress: Cats that require bite gloves are already in a state of extreme stress. Forcing them into situations where they feel the need to defend themselves only heightens their anxiety and fear. Handling them without proper trust-building can be traumatic and counterproductive.

False Sense of Security: Many believe bite gloves offer complete protection, but that’s not entirely true. Cats can still bite through the gloves, which can lead to injuries. Moreover, this false sense of security often makes us less attentive to the subtle signals cats use to communicate their discomfort or fear.

Counterproductive to Socialization: The concept of flooding—overwhelming a cat with forced interaction—is inhumane. Cats subjected to this often become more fearful and aggressive, rather than more accepting of human contact. This approach is more likely to harm the cat's well-being than help.

If you find yourself thinking about picking up the gloves, ask yourself: does this cat REALLY need to be moved or handled? Is there a kinder way to do this that will minimize stress? Will my decision keep both of us safe?

Tell me about a situation where you felt the need to use bite gloves. I’ll tell you what you could try next time, instead.

14/06/2024

New client Sandy lost her sister a few days before her parents were scheduled to go away. Being the first time she would be alone in 12 years, they were unsure how Sandy would do. We kept a close eye on Sandy for signs of stress, anxiety, and depression and coordinated some socialization visits from a family member she was familiar with. Sandy didn't seem to mind all the extra love lavished on her 💜🤍🩷

12/06/2024

Maurice (the cat) recently spent a few days boarding with me. When his mom picked him up she reminded me of this picture that I took a couple of months ago. I love the expression on his face trying to figure out the bunny. The interaction was closely supervised, but at 21.5 years old, Maurice is as chill as they come 🥰