adventures in pet-sitting
Some backstory:
I've never been able to have furry pets wherever I've lived (at home, at college, off-campus apartments, current apartment...) & I have always wanted to get a cat!
So, starting at a young age, my sisters and I would often pet-sit for friends! Cats, small dogs, rodents, reptiles, fish, the whole shebang. We even had business cards! And we still do pet-sit sometimes, though not collectively anymore. Pet-sitting/house-sitting is my personal favorite side-gig!
note: all photos in this post are shared with the owner's permission!
So, when a new friend told me a friend of theirs was in need of a house/pet-sitter, I offered my services! Convenient timing, as I had been in a bit of a funk missing some familiar elements of home (including the above-pictured kitty friends). It was exciting to get to spend time taking care of two cats and a pair of canis panthers for a week! Admittedly, I was a bit nervous to meet the dogs at first, since I've never taken care of large dogs before, and am historically nervous around any dog that is much bigger than an average Schnauzer... But my concerns were eased when I saw pics and videos of them on their owner's social media, and they seemed very calm and gentle.
When I met Grimm & Zuri, I immediately felt at ease around them as I could tell that they were exceedingly good doggos. I was shown all their commands and given a crash-course in everything about them so I could confidently take care of them. Their owner expressed concern she was overwhelming me with information but I was very grateful for all the info on their behavior and routine. I appreciate the routine that taking care of pets provides, with their feeding schedule, waking up with the cats, exercising the dogs, and getting a sense of when they want to play or need to go outside. As much as I like routine, I am terrible at setting an at-home schedule for myself. So I actually love when I pet-sit and the pets dictate the schedule!
Alright, the actual pet-sitting week! I was obviously excited to spend a week with kitties, and eager to get to know the doggies more. When the week came for me to go to their house, I was asked to come over in the middle of the day which meant I needed to take a bus since my partner would be at work with the car (that I can't drive yet, anyway). I honestly thought I would be nervous, taking a bus by myself to an unfamiliar town in a foreign country. I don't even have much experience taking buses in the states! But I think a mix of excitement for pet-sitting, and just getting used to doing new and unfamiliar things kept me from being very anxious on the bus. I walked to the station, read the bus schedule, and got on the correct bus with no difficulty. I did worry a bit about getting off at the correct stop, but luckily right as I was about to request a stop someone else on the bus already had so I just gratefully followed them off.
~A Day In the Life pet-sitting in Thetford
The morning usually started early, with Egon meowing in my ear to alert me to the fact that it is breakfast time. Downstairs, Astrid would be waiting atop the freezer, also meowing for breakfast. After feeding them, I would let the dogs out and scoop the cats' litter boxes. Then, I typically went back to bed to snooze or read while the dogs also settled in for a snuggle. This is the life, I thought, sandwiched between two gently-snoring canis panthers. (Doggy snores are just so cute!)
Later in the morning, when the dogs and I were ready to actually get up, I would exercise them and usually give them a treat toy to keep them occupied while I ate. The late morning and early afternoon was usually playing with the dogs, watching a movie in a cozy cuddle-puddle of pets, and slowly earning Astrid's trust (she eventually let me pet her tummy! for a moment, at the end of the week).
I gave them all their big afternoon meal around 2 or 3, and it was my first time feeding pets raw meat. While it was new for me, I found it much more preferable than feeding reptiles live bugs or mice, so, no worries there! The cats ate on a towel-mat in the kitchen, and the dogs ate in their kennels. I would crate them while giving the cats their lunch so the dogs didn't snatch it, then I'd bring Zuri and Grimm their food. They are SO well trained - they sat still and didn't go for the food (the raw meat right in front of them), until I gave their release command. It was so impressive to see!
Through the late afternoon and evening, I would work on my blog, play with the pets, exercise the dogs again when they got the zoomies, and curl up with them on the couch in front of the fan, trying to stay cool while watching Avatar or playing Animal Crossing. I was told not to worry about taking Grimm and Zuri for walks, since they are so big and I am only one small person. But I played with them outside in the yard each day, usually one at a time since Grimm likes catching the bouncy balls mid-air, while Zuri seems to prefer playing tug with rope toys. Although I tried, I cannot play tug with one hand while bouncing a ball with the other...
After I gave Grimm his night-time dose of allergy medicine, I'd take them both outside again to go potty before bed. Then I'd crate them and get ready for bed myself. Astrid would usually sleep in one of her hiding spots, but Egon liked to curl up in the bed with me. Another common autistic trait that I possess is feeling more at ease with animals than around other people a lot of the time. Being around cats in particular significantly eases my anxiety. Even if I'm not feeling particularly anxious at the moment, snuggling a cat always makes me feel extra calm! Plus they are so soft and warm, which makes petting them a very pleasant stim.
Well, that's my in-depth analysis of my most recent pet-sitting experience! I hope you enjoyed it (and if you know of anyone in Suffolk that needs a pet-sitter, send them my way!)
Overall, it was a great week that was just as beneficial to me as it was to the pet-owners. I got my furry-friends fix, earned some money, and had a positive bus travel experience. I hope to pet-sit for this lovely crew again, and who knows... maybe I'll need to get some new business cards! ;)
Do you have any pets? And/or do you like to pet-sit for others? Tell me about your animal pals in the comments! Also, if you have a furry (or scaly, or feathery) friend, give them an extra snuggle for me today :)
take care of yourself <3
~heather
if you're enjoying this blog and want to see more of what I do, scroll down to my ko-fi tip jar, or click the link to find my other online spaces
BONUS PET PIC
(because 4 collages wasn't enough already...)
These two kitty-cats are neighborhood wanderers that know to come to
Kiki & Bennie's house for the best treats on the block!
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