Westgate Pet Sitting

17/08/2024

It's Black Cat Appreciation Day! Give your Black kitties an extra hug and treat today. Here are a few of my panther kitty friends. Some with a touch of white, including my Martin.
Notte, Tyson, Bucca, Jack, Mia, Beyonce, and Martin.

09/08/2024

I haven't had time to post, but for this International Cat Day I just had to highlight a very special kitty. Miss Nova just celebrated her 20th birthday on July 20th!! Nova was adopted by her family at 8 weeks old. To make it more special, they adopted her sister and brother too so the triplets got to spend their lives together! Sadly, she lost her sister Luje, who was the social bug of the family, 4 years ago. And her ultra sweet brother, Orean just passed last year. Nova was the more independent of the trio but she really enjoys more attention now in her golden years. And she still likes to play in her water bowl! She has stayed exceptionally strong and healthy up until recently, as typical senior ailments have been slowing her down.
Nova enjoyed some favorite treats and her friend made her the adorable birthday banner!

07/07/2024

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July and kept your furbabies safe. Here are some of the patriotic pups I got to spend the holiday with! Shepp, Quin, Khloe, Ella, Rider, Murphy, Parker, Mac, and Shay!!

03/07/2024

Walter takes better selfies than I do! It's always a great day being with my farm friends.

30/06/2024

A few of my friends showing their colors in support of Pride Month! Dude, Sadie, Luly, Ruby, Murphy, Zoey, and my kid, Clyde!

28/06/2024

I got to spend some time with my stunning friends, Quill and Lilah. 5 year old Quill is just a happy boy who loves to play. 2 year old Lilah is already winning in confirmation dog shows and has her first title in scent work!

25/06/2024

It can be overwhelming, especially if you have adopted your first cat, to know how to set up your home and how to make the environment enriching for your cat.

Here are some helpful hints you can follow:

1) Make sure your cat's litter boxes are in a quiet and easily accessible space. Do not place them in the dark corner of the basement or near any large appliances that could scare them as they use their box. Also, make sure children and dogs cannot access the box, which could discourage your cat from using their litter box.

Place food bowls in areas that are inaccessible to children and dogs as well. Areas you could try could be up on a high perch, on top of a cat tree, or on top of a small bookshelf that is just for your cat.

2) Cats love to be up high so they can observe their territory and have a place to retreat to if chased or annoyed. You should provide plenty of vertical space in your home, such as cat condos, cat trees, and cat shelves.

3) Scratching is a natural behavior for cats and it helps with marking their territory and grooming of their nails. There are many types of scratchers on the market, so you may need to find which kind your cat likes, and then place them in social significant areas of the home. These areas may be near doorways, stairs, or near their favorite resting place.

4) It is great to provide a resting area for your cat to relax and not be bothered. Usually, your cat will tell you where they prefer to relax because you will notice they nap in the same spot. Make their area comfortable for them with a blanket or bed, and make sure to tell family, friends, and visitors not to disturb your cat while resting there.

5) Make sure your cat has access to observe the outdoor world to help keep them mentally enriched. This could be a cat tree near a window, opening the front or back door for them to look out the storm door, or maybe you would like to provide a catio for your cat on the porch.

6) Lastly, along with daily play time, make sure to provide daily enrichment as well. Create a 2 week rotation of different enrichment to provide for your cat. Some examples are catnip, cardboard boxes, ping pong balls, scent enrichment, tunnels, and much more. Once done, place the item away until it's next turn in rotation.

24/06/2024

Good looking, Westley, knows how to enjoy life! This happy boy loves long walks, rolling in the grass, and playtime! We should all be like Westley.

23/06/2024

Meet my new friend, Ruby! Ruby is a sweet young siamese kitty who was rescued from a hoarding situation. She is very gentle and lets her personality come out when it's playtime. Ruby is very happy being the one and only kitty in her home, getting all the attention she wants from her human family.

18/06/2024

With the heat wave coming this week, it's important that you know how to protect your pets from heat stroke when outdoors. Please be mindful. Panting and breathing rapidly can only help so much before their bodies enter the danger zone leading to seizures, organ failure and blood clotting complications. Heat stroke is therefore a medical emergency and requires veterinary treatment. Learn more:
https://www.bellemeadanimalhospital.com/blog/common-causes-of-pet-heat-stroke/

17/06/2024

We may all know this but not everyone does. It's the time to keep our eyes open for pets who may be left in cars, even just a few minutes.

During the upcoming heatwave, please be mindful of your pets! Car temperatures can soar into the HUNDREDS, quickly. Even cars with air-conditioning can malfunction with fatal results. Pets should not be left unattended in a car, especially in the summer weather. If you see a pet in a hot car, call your local police or animal control department ASAP!

• always make sure your pet has water available
• keep outdoor time short
• walks in the morning and evening are best
• be aware of hot pavement for paws
• if you see something, say something

Let’s do our part to keep our pets safe this summer 💙

16/06/2024

16/06/2024

April and Sasha seem to feel the same way I do when the summer weather comes! Soak it up and enjoy every bit.

15/06/2024

We've made it to another Caturday, and here are a few of the kitties I've been spending time with this month! Henrietta, who always has the most adorable pensive expression. Easy going Chooch with beautiful eyes. The biggest cuddle bug, Skippy and his playful sister Star. And the 3 house brothers; class clown Halo, sweet gentle Ginger, and handsome Smokey, who can't resist a wand toy.

15/06/2024

14/06/2024

Stanley wants to remind you that an apple a day can keep the doctor away and help clean your teeth! Eat healthy!

02/06/2024

I visited these gorgeous sisters, Notte and Stella, for their monthly nail trim this week.

01/06/2024

Saturday is Caturday, and this handsome boy would like to introduce himself. Wilbur, also known as Burbur and Burbee, offers the perfect mix of playful and cuddly. He was adopted into a loving home after being returned to the rescue because his previous adopters thought he was too rough when playing. That's ok, he found his forever home now!

27/05/2024

Baby Phoebe is curious and getting adjusted to her farm family. Big sis, Khloe, just watches over her and teaches her how to play nice.

26/05/2024

What a beautiful weekend for dog walks! The afternoons have been warm, so we make sure to take breaks in the shade and for water. Baxter is a Pug and Boston Terrier mix, so he is Brachycephalic, meaning a short skull and pushed in little nose. It's even more important to take extra care in the warm weather for him. So even though Baxter was very eager to go, I made him take his breaks. Shay, Mac, and Murphy appreciated some shade, too.

14/05/2024

Our Tongue Out Tuesday participants this week are Luly and Knight! I think Luly was letting me know what she thought about posing for more photos. Is that the perfect raspberry or what?

11/05/2024

I feel your pain, girls. It was not a good hair day!

11/05/2024

Another rainy day, but Basil and I are prepared with matching rain coats, and Lilly rocks her rubber duckies!

29/04/2024

I'm sorry, I'm very behind on posts and I may not be adding them in any particular order! I cared for Nash a month ago during many consecutive days of rain. When it finally cleared, he was jumping for joy that he could run free.

20/04/2024

Do you know the signs of cannabis (ma*****na) intoxication in cats and dogs?

VCA Animal Hospitals shares that pets experiencing ma*****na intoxication may:

🍃Be hyperactive—or sleepy, disoriented and/or very vocal.
🍃Have dilated pupils and drool excessively or vomit.
🍃Develop urinary incontinence.
🍃Experience tremors, seizures or a coma (in severe cases).

Other physical signs include a slow or fast heart rate, altered blood pressure, and a slowed breathing rate.

If you suspect a cat or dog has been exposed to cannabis, you should take the pet to your veterinarian or nearest emergency veterinary hospital.

👉Read the full article from VCA:
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/ma*****na-intoxication-in-dogs-and-cats

14/04/2024

I couldn't miss posting this handsome boy on a Caturday. Tigger is a very chill kitty who loves rolling around and asking to be pet.

10/04/2024

So many pups wanted to compete for Tongue out Tuesday!
Bella, Phoebe, Hudson, and Holly all gave their best try.

08/04/2024

This is the best eclipse ever