Pet Sitting Care by Nanette Gordon
March 2011
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Cat Sitter Nanette Gordon: Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 11:31 PM
 Cat Grooming Tips
As a professional cat sitter, I visit many cats on a regular basis and of course, getting cat fur on my clothes doesn't bother me at all - plus I am not allergic! But some people are allergic to the dander which sheds along with the fur and this can be a source of discomfort for them. So here are some helpful tips on how you can minimize the amount of fur shedding and lingering in your home and on your furnishings, keeping your visitors more comfortable and your cats very happy at the same time.
Cats by nature are very clean. A typical cat spends 5 hours a
day grooming herself—and 16 sleeping. But sometimes even the most
fastidious feline sometimes needs a makeover!
Here are some of the benefits of regularly grooming your cat:
- Keep your cat’s coat and skin clean and in good condition
- Reduce the amount of hair on your clothes and furniture
- Decrease hairballs
- Help allergy sufferers tolerate your cat better
- Reduce damage and injury from sharp toenails
- Discover health problems (wounds, fleas, ticks, lumps,
rashes, weight loss, ingrown toenails, ear infection) before they become
serious
- Prevent uncomfortable and unsightly mats
- Spend “quality time” with your cat
How often? It depends on the type of coat, and on your cat’s tolerance
level. Short and medium-haired cats are generally fine with weekly
brushing to remove dead hair and redistribute skin oils. Cats with short
hair rarely need to be bathed unless they are unusually dirty or unable
to clean themselves due to poor health. Long-haired cats are a
different matter. They need to be brushed several times a week or even
daily to keep tangles and matting under control. The Persian and
Persian-related cats benefit from a daily brush. They also may need to
be bathed every month or two to keep the long coat clean. Toenails need
trimming every 2 weeks or so.
Coat care Some cats adore being groomed, while for others, it takes some
getting used to. For best results, choose a time when both your and your
cat are relaxed. Start with short sessions at first and build as you
both get more comfortable. Begin by stroking your cat with your hands
and then move on to the brush or comb. Be gentle around sensitive areas
like the belly, haunches, tail, and ears. Always work in the direction
that the fur grows. Praise and reward her for good behavior.
There are many grooming tools on the market, and you may need to
experiment to see what works best for you and your cat. See the
glossary below if you are not familiar with the types of grooming tools.
For long-haired cats, it’s good to start with a wide-toothed or
shedding comb. This detangles and removes dead undercoat hairs. Then
follow with a slicker brush, curry comb, or grooming glove to smooth the
coat and make it shine.
 Mats are often a problem in longer haired cats. For isolated
mats, grasp the mat at its base and work with a wide toothed comb
starting at the tip and working inward toward the base. Avoid the
temptation to cut a mat out with scissors! It is easy to cut the skin by
mistake. If matting is severe or becomes unmanageable, consult your
veterinarian or a professional groomer.
Short-haired cats usually just require a soft brush, followed by
a chamois. Some of the delicate-haired cats such as the rex-coated cats
only require a light chamois or hand rub.
Note that a flea comb is not just a useful tool for identifying
fleas and dirt in the coat—it also works well to remove dead hairs in
both short and longer haired cats and can be used to help keep the coat
free of debris.
Grooming your cats does not have to be a chore - it is a pleasant bonding experience for both you and your cat.
I will keep you posted on more cat care subjects such as the benefits of house cat sitting, reading the signs of cat discomfort and special nutrition for cats. Until next time, wishing you all the best from your cat sitter Nanette. |
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Nanette Gordon: Posted on Wednesday, March 09, 2011 9:47 PM
 Important Reasons to Hire a Professional Pet Sitter to Care for Your Pets At Your House
The
popularity of pet sitting business is booming internationally.
In the United States alone there are upwards of 63.2 million
individuals who own a pet, or two. Reports tell us that in America
there are roughly 64 million dogs and 76 million cats in households. Professional pet sitting services are a respectable and honorable cottage business industry that
will thrive and grow with popularity in coming years as more people learn the advantages.
Pet owners world wide are breathing a sigh of relief that they
have this option for their pet when they travel. In the past when an
individual would travel for business, or a family would vacation, they
would rely on grandparents or relatives to see to the needs of their
pets.
This is no longer an option for many people. Family’s don’t always
remain in the same community. Statistics show that it is common for
parents and siblings to live hundreds of miles apart. Once the family
option for pet sitting evaporated, people turned to their neighbors.
This was soon found to be a bad option for both the neighbor and pet
owner. Neighbors felt used, and the traveller felt as if they were
putting the neighbor out by asking the favor.
Some
individuals tried to travel with their pets. They assumed that it would
be best for their pet to not be separated from them.
These good intentioned pet owners soon realized the folly of their
ideals when they discovered that drinking water in some areas weren’t up
to par, leash laws were different in each area, and the chances of
finding a lost pet in a strange area were minimal. Extended car travel
is not good for a pet, either. Animals can quickly become dehydrated
and agitated when left in a locked car while the family is inside a
restaurant, or mall. The chances that a pet could possibly get hit by
an automobile rise every time a pet is taken into a public area, such as
parking lots or the city. Pets do not like being kept in a crate in a
hotel. They do not like being muzzled for barking or for snipping at
strangers. Pets just generally do not like being away from home.
 Air travel is not pleasant for a pet, either. The cargo holds
on airplanes have erratic temperatures. There is no heat, and there is
no air conditioning. The sounds in these cargo areas also frighten
animals and make them skittish and nervous. Some pets even require
medication prior to flight. Taking your pet on a plane should only be
considered under extreme circumstances.
Pet owners soon
realized that while they were comforted by the presence of
their pet on a trip, the pet was out of its comfort zone and did not
behave like its usual self. The route of kenneling a pet was soon taken
and though it saved the day in a tight pinch, pet owners tended to know
from the start that this was not a good option for their pet. Their pets
were kept in small quarters. They were only allowed out a couple of
times a day for a few minutes to do their business. Being crowded in an
area with other barking and whining animals would leave a pet out of
sorts for days after their owner came home.
Options were
limited for a traveling pet owner. Some people gave up and simply
refused to have an animal if they were going to have to be away all the
time. That was until house pet sitting was discovered and now is the most popular way to care for your pets when you have to leave home.
True animal lovers were the first
to recognize the need for professional pet sitters and dog walkers. They were the
ones who took it the hardest when they were forced to see what their
pets went through when they were forced to travel with their owners, or
how they behaved after being picked up from a kennel after a week or
more away from home.
Truthfully, these individuals could not enjoy their trips for worry.
These were individuals who hung a stocking for their pet at Christmas,
and made them a birthday cake on the pets special day each year.
The rapid
growth and success a pet sitting service business is when the owner realizes that it is a business. A love for animals
is the foundation, but smart business sense is what will keep you
operating, with many satisfied customers and referrals. There is a lot of time and effort that go into a successful and popular pet sitting operation. There is no room for error. Details of every aspect of the pet's care, healthy, routine, supplies and more need to be addressed and respected. Animals are keenly aware of their domain.
When you first meet your potential pet sitter, ask for credentials such as license, insurance and bond certificates, State and local registrations, business status and other pertinent documents. A professional pet sitter will bring these items to the initial consultation.
The reason someone gets into the pet sitting business may stem
from being an animal lover, but if the sitter is not warm and friendly
with people this may not bode well for this particular pet sitter. Pet owners are particular about whom they let care for their pets. If you sense that the applicant is uncomfortable around you, be wary. Everyone should feel comfortable during the first meeting - the customers, the pet sitter and the pets.
The pet owner will familiarize the pet sitter as to the habits, character and
personality of each pet, including what they like to play with
and what special nicknames they have. Some dogs may lay around and
sleep all day. Others may not settle for a moment. It is important to share every detail with the pet sitter so that if the pet is not doing their
usual activities that should throw up a red flag.
Provide the pet sitter with history of illnesses, vaccination records,
veterinary information, as well as a place to contact the pet owner if
needed. Another imporant item for long trips and especially out long distance and overseas trips is to provide the pet sitter with medical authorization - this is when you place a letter on file with your Veterinarian giving permission to the pet sitter to bring in the pet for emergency treatment and places financial responsibility with the pet owner for this treatment and any outcome.
Keys are to be given directly to the pet sitter and not placed in hiding places for retrieval by the pet sitter or upon completion of the pet sitting assignment. A possible
thief could be watching the home and may see you getting it and
replacing it. That is a disaster waiting to happen.
 Besides walking the dog, feeding the bird, tending to the cat,
and playing with the pets, a client sometimes will want a pet sitting
service to do other things. The pet sitter can offer many
services for the traveler, besides pet care.
The first one being home security. such as bringing in the mail and newspaper, watering the potted plants, placing the trash barrels for trash day and bringing them back in for storage. Simply opening the curtains on one visit and closing them on
the next will give the home a lived in look. These services are in
addition to pet sitting. The possibilities are endless as to what a pet sitting service can offer the client.
The advantages of hiring a professional, reputable pet sitting and dog walking service are many. The pet sitter gets to do what she loves
for a living . . . being around animals. The traveler can enjoy their
trip knowing that all is well on the home front. The pets get to stay
in their own home, around their own things, eating their own food, and
they get to go out and play like they usually would on their regular
routine. It is a win-win situation for the people and the pets.
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Dog Walker & Pet Sitter Nanette Gordon: Posted on Monday, March 07, 2011 7:05 PM
Beware of the potential dangers of retractable leashes
Dog guardians have to worry about so many things
related to keeping their pets safe: Keeping them away from raisins and
chocolate, making sure latches on doors and gates are effective, watching out
for pools of sweetly irresistible but lethal anti-freeze, unplugging paper
shredders when not in use so probing noses and tongues won't activate
them.
I'm adding another potential peril to the list:
retractable leashes, those long-cord gadgets with plastic handles that
allow the dog to roam 20 or 30 feet from the walker. I've seen way too
many tragedies and near-misses befall dogs at the end of those leashes.
And most of all, not one of these, it's important to point out, was equipment failure.
All were human/user failures, the result of their being used in settings
(mostly urban) and in a way (extended to the full length) that was
inappropriate for the amount of chaos or possible calamity inherent in
the situation.
•A deaf dog that didn't notice a car backing out
of a shrub-obscured driveway (as the oblivious owner, 20 feet behind, chatting on a cellphone and not paying attention to the dog).
•Dogs that darted into the street and the walker was unable to pull them back from afar.
 •A young dog mangled by another dog when the two
met at a blind corner and the pup, far from its owner and unable to be
kept restrained, encountered the old dog and suffered the
consequences.
•A well-mannered dog that, at a blind corner, was slammed into by a kid on a speeding bicycle.
Unfortunately, until something awful happens — or
almost happens — we're consumed only with the notion that the dog has
more freedom, that it can sniff at will and cover more ground than on a
four-foot leash. We don't always think ahead to how bad things can get
when a dog has a head start of three seconds and 15 feet.
When walking a dog, at all times and especially in situations where there are cars crossing frequently, children at play and other pedestrians, it is well advised to keep the dogs close - within 2-3 feet, on a standard nylon or leather leash. This is not only maintains control of the dog from pulling away and potentially having the walker drop the leash because of the surprise and strength of the dog. This also prevents the dogs from darting towards cats, squirrels and birds, other dogs and children.
I was taking the dogs out the other night after dark, stepped out of the door on a very quiet night. However, just about 20 feet away and obscured by several shrubs and the darkness, were other dog walkers with their dogs. The dogs I was about to walk darted in that direction. Fortunately, I had the dogs on 3 foot nylon leashes so I was able to hold on tightly and avert disaster. If that had been retractable leashes, it could have gone another way - the dogs could have pulled away from me and I could have lost control of the leashes due to the awkward plastic handles slipping from my hands. Thereby, releasing the dogs upon the other dog and into harms way from vehicles, canals and other animals.
Every pet sitting and dog walking job I undertake I insist upon standard leashes for all dogs, even small dogs. I remember another occasion when I had been walking two small dogs (miniature Schnauzer and Chihauhau) on retractable leashes. When another walker came nearby the dogs wanted to greet each other and the leashes became tangled. This is not only awkward and embarassing, but potentially hazardous because if the dogs do nip at each other, it will be difficult to separate them quickly. It is my goal to keep the dogs in my care safe and having a secure leash is a top priority for me on every pet sitting and dog walking assignment. I tell this to all of my clients. And they are grateful. |
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