I love all animals but specialize in cats-only because I am a true cat person at heart.  I am more experienced with cats and they have always really taken to me.  I have had cats since 1969 when I was an infant.  The motto that I have continuously lived by is Everything-Kitty-Always!  My life's decisions have been based on my cats, such as where I live (Do they allow pets?  Will my cats like it here?  Is it safe for them?); what I do on a day-to-day basis; when and how I schedule trips; and anything else that might impact their lives.

     All my adopted cats have been strays (from California, Kansas, New York, Montclair, Clifton), from shelters (North Shore Animal League and PAWS Montclair), rescues (with kinky tails!) from Home Vet Service in Belford and from North Brunswick and Aberdeen), or feral (Ideal Beach and Union Beach).  A breeder also gave me a half-Turkish Angora cat because she could not be sold.

Background

     I graduated summa cum laude in the Honors Psychology Program from Montclair State University in 2000.  I intend to pursue a Master's degree in Animal Behavior and my goal is to study and be specialized in Feline Behavior.  I have volunteered at PAWS Animal Shelter in the Cat Room, helping socialize the cats by brushing, touching, petting, and having them sit on my lap so they will be more adoptable by being adjusted to human interaction.  I am on the Stand-by List to foster cats and kittens until a permanent home is found for them so they do not have to go to the shelter and live in a cage.  Currently, I am volunteering at the Monmouth County SPCA to help fundraise for the construction of the new cat habitats.

Why a Cat Sitting Business?

     I had been a client of a pet-sitting service who offered me a position to care for cats-only.  The owner could see that I really had a special interest in felines since I am a big cat-person and knew it was important to me to specialize in cat care.  This got me thinking because although I liked my current job, I felt I was at a point in my life that my goals were changing and I wanted to devote myself to cats - working with them, helping them live great lives, studying their behavior, and learning more about them with the intention of contributing to the cat community by offering some sort of service for them.  Adding to my decision were the deaths of two of my cats in the period of one year.  Their illnesses and loss led to my need to devote my efforts and energies to cats.

     What I wanted to offer was a specialized service that was totally worry-free because that is what I expected as a client.  Unfortunately, I have had bad experiences with my own cats' care and I wanted to prevent this from happening to others: On the first occasion, my neighbors neglected to care for my cats and did not give them any water.  When I returned, they had suffered and I realized I could not trust non-professionals to care about my cats' needs.  So, I started using someone who was very busy and could not spend any additional quality time with my cats, other than filling food and water bowls then scooping the litter boxes and running off as fast as possible.  Although their basic needs were met, they still suffered for company and attention.  A different service did not follow any of my very clear directions regarding feeding or litter box maintenance.

Why Kitty Amour?

     To a cat lover like me, interacting with cats all day long is heaven!  Along with superior service, the most important focus I wanted my business to offer for my clients is, "Quality, Not Quantity." I do not cram in as many sessions as possible each day, thereby short-changing time with your cats.

     Your cat will not have to adjust to different people because I am Kitty Amour, the only Cat Sitter, as opposed to some companies that have many employees and cannot guarantee the same person will care for your cat in the way you expect.  I realized that what I wanted was something smaller and not to have many employees. For my personal emergencies I have three professional back-ups only if my business partner (cat-lover husband) is unavailable.

     I have experience giving oral medications (pills and liquids) and injections, such as subcutaneous fluids (insulin and Lactated Ringers Solution).  I am Red Cross trained in Pet First Aid and CPR.  Currently, my own special-needs cats include one who is deaf, two who have struyvite crystal blockage problems that are monitored with frequent urine tests and are on a special diet, and another who has kidney dysfunction that is being treated with a special diet, subcutaneous fluids, and high blood pressure medicine (tablets) plus periodic blood and urine tests.

     Your visits will be scheduled when your cat needs them, not squeezed in between more rigidly scheduled dog walks, which may happen with other general pet sitters.  I do not have to rush off to care for dogs that are on a stricter walking timetable.  Additionally, your cats and home will like that:

1. I never have doggie smell on me;
2. My clothes are never muddy from dogs jumping on me; and
3. My shoes are never mucky from dog walking.

Current Pursuits - My immediate goal is currently underway - I care for a small local feral cat colony and help control its spreading population by rescuing kittens before they become feral, socialize them, and then help adopt them into good homes where they will be loved.  For the adult cats who are feral and cannot be socialized, TNR (trap, neuter, return).  Because some feral cats will never adapt to life with us, they are returned to their familiar surroundings and I maintain a healthy environment for them there by providing food and fresh water.

I am working on writing articles for the Kitty Amour MewsLetter, and other organizations publications such as PSI and NAPPS so I may join the Cat Writers' Association.

I have volunteered to help at Tabby's Place, a Cat Sanctuary, in Ringoes.

Future Goals - Someday I would like to start a nonprofit organization with a mission to help cats who display unacceptable behaviors from being tossed out by their owners, forced to fend for themselves, and wind up in shelters, or having miserable lives.  I would like to offer education and information to their owners and provide therapy to correct cats' behaviors so the owner will keep the cat.  By offering services to counsel people, this will result in helping cats so there will be less strays, ferals, and homeless, unwanted, suffering cats.  Informing the community about feral colonies - why they happen, how to prevent their exploding populations, people's role in their creation, how to correct this problem, and how we can help the victims (cats) would be an additional boon.

I am also drawn to offering a volunteer service to aid the elderly so they may have help with their cats (delivery of supplies, cleaning litter boxes, feeding & watering) so they may keep their cats as long as possible for companionship as opposed to giving them up due to problems they may have with providing care to their cats by themselves.