ProCatSitter Today

Today, I’m talking about ways to optimize a cat’s environment and how sharing this information with your clients makes you indispensable to them.

How do you help your clients build an environment that allows their cats to experience their instincts as much as possible?

The more dialed you are to a cat’s particular desires and needs, the happier and healthier the cat will be.

Setting this idea into your own mind will help to make you an indispensable resource to your clients, as well. Just by having a solid understanding of the best tweaks and tips to create a happy cat space.

Because a healthy and happy cat will have far fewer behavior problems. The link between chronic stress in a cat’s environment and health problems are well known by veterinary behavior researchers

Here are some of the products mentioned in this episode. I am an Amazon associate which means I get paid a small commission if you make a purchase from one of those links.

There is no extra cost to you and helps me keep this podcast going.

zoom groom

Cat food puzzle board

Pill pockets for cats

Please note that the information presented in this audio blog is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Are you worn out by the countless decisions that you must make every day? Is it a strain just to keep everything running smoothly and efficiently?

Dealing with too many decisions in a short space of time can have serious consequences. And wow, 2020 has sure complicated that problem.

For many, the stress of this year has compounded a condition known as Decision fatigue.

This is what happens when we are forced to make numerous decisions within a space of time.

I’m going to discuss how this affects you and ways you can deal with it effectively.

Get the book here: Atomic Habits

If you buy from this link, I will receive a tiny payment at no extra cost to you.

Here is a link to James' Blog:

James Clear Articles

#22 - When you need to give a client's cat medication. In this episode, I talk about tips for giving medications that keep both you and the cat stress-free. Here are some links mentioned in the show. 

Slow Blink Paper

How To Give A Cat Liquid Medication Video

How To Give A Cat Eye Medication

How To Give A Cat A Pill

Here are my amazon associate links to some of the useful products mentioned in the show. 

Pill Pockets For Cats

Empty Gelatin Capsules

Visit my website at Procatsitter 

#21 - When The Cat Won't Play

ProCatsitter website

Episode #20

Today’s episode is about a subject that’s kind of scary, redirected aggression in cats. If you’ve ever personally witnessed a genuine case of this happening, as I have, you know how shocking and frightening it can be for cats and people alike.

Perhaps you’ve witnessed it with your own cats are maybe even client’s cats. Or heard about it while compiling your cat profile for new clients.

But before we get into our discussion of that, I want to start the show with a couple of cat trivia questions.

If you’re like me, you love cat trivia so I thought it would be a little fun to throw in a couple of interesting tidbits here.

I’ll read them and let you think about them before I give you the answers at the end of this episode.

The first one comes from an article in Catwatch magazine. Which is a cool digest-type magazine put out by The Feline Health Center at Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine.

And in this article, they ask:

What are the 10 most expensive cat breeds? 

The second question comes from a book called The Behavior of the domestic cat 2nd edition by John Bradshaw, Rachel Casey, and Sarah Brown.

Why do cat’s whiskers fan forward when they pounce on prey?

Answers coming up at the end.

REDIRECTED AGGRESSION

So, I talked about Aggressive behavior in cats in last week’s episode. If you missed that episode you might want to check it out because I talk about Pam Johnson-bennet’s book Cat vs Cat. 

Today, I want to talk about a specific type of aggression, called redirected aggression. It is an interesting topic because it can be so frightening.

Because it can seemingly come out of nowhere.

Redirected aggression occurs when a cat becomes highly agitated or frightened by a stimulus in their environment. This could be anything, such as a neighbor cat walking through the yard.

Or, after the cat experiences a frightening incident, like a stack of dishes falling on the floor with a loud crash.

The cat becomes extremely aroused and frustrated because it can’t release its stress on the target. The cat then redirects that aggression on a substitute, often a nearby cat.

Sadly, this can occur between cats that were once close friends and can permanently damage the relationship.

Before I get into what can be done to prevent it let me tell you about my experience with it.

THE STORY OF CASPER

Casper was just a little grey kitten when I first met him. I’ve probably talked about him before in this podcast.

I was a residential care aid in a group home for adults with disabilities for 25 years.

I drove a large van that could accommodate wheelchairs. And, on this day, I was taking a couple of people to dentist appointments.

Luckily, I spotted the little grey fluff, Just as we pulled into the parking lot. He strolled along towards the moving van.

When you’re driving a large vehicle with people sitting in wheelchairs you can’t make any fast stops.

I learned to be a very observant and careful driver because of that job!

I slowed to a stop and he walked right under us. I couldn’t see him anymore. My co-worker jumped out and picked him up. She carried him into the van so we could park.

Then I finally got a good look at him. He had big green eyes and the loudest purr.

It turned out he belonged to someone in the neighborhood who no longer wanted him.

I have no idea why because he was gorgeous and incredibly sweet! So, he joined our family.

We named our new fur baby, Casper, and he was quickly accepted by our 4 other cats. He was playful, and fun to be around.

A KITTEN WITH A BAD HABIT

He did have one annoying habit; I think it came from his time having to fight for food in a busy household full of kids.

Casper used to rip into bread bags like a maniac. I think he enjoyed the feeling of popping his teeth into the plastic.

When you came home with groceries, all bags of bread, buns, or other bakery items had to be put away immediately.

If you left an item like that on the counter, it would be shredded within minutes.

Other than that, he was the sweetest cat in the world, not a tough guy by any means.

In fact, he was more middle ranking. And he deferred to the two bigger male cats of the house.

So, it was a surprise to me to witness two episodes of fierce aggression involving our sweet Casper.

CASPER'S FIRST VICTIM

Casper was a couple of years old the first time it happened. We had been caring for a foster cat in our spare bathroom.

The foster was isolated from the other cats. But there was just enough space under the door for them to smell him.

One day, Casper caught just a brief glimpse of the foster cat before I could close the door.

That’s all it took.

Casper was now staring silently at the closed door when Aussie, one of our younger cats, innocently moved up alongside him.

Unbeknownst to Aussie and me, Casper was wound up like a spring, glaring at the door.

In a flash, Austin was on his back and Casper was on top biting, scratching screeching. It was unbelievable. It lasted no more than 5 seconds.

And then it was over. But the damage was done.

No one needed medical attention. But Austin was reluctant to go near Casper after that.

Casper seemed completely oblivious to what had happened. He carried on as if nothing had occurred at all.

He never attacked Austin again. But 5 years later, there was another incident.

CASPER'S SECOND VICTIM

This time the trigger was a neighbor cat who had strayed too close to the outside cat enclosure.

Casper spotted the cat standing a few feet away. He glared at him, body stiff, tail half lowered.

The victim this time was Dodge, a good buddy of Casper’s.

Dodge was trying to get a look at what Casper was staring at. He brushed past him and lightly touched Casper’s back.

Then bang, Casper exploded into full attack mode.

Throwing the much larger Dodge onto his back, biting, scratching pulling fur, both cats were screaming, and I could see the shock in Dodge’s eyes.

And just as quickly as it had started, it was over. Casper walked away while Dodge stood their glaring at him, eyes wide in disbelief.

Like before, Casper appeared to have no idea anything had happened. And we never saw another incident like this happen again.

Fortunately, as shocked and angry as Dodge was, his relationship with Casper seemed to return to normal after a while.

In Casper’s mind, it wasn’t his friend he had taken down, it was the cat on the other side of the enclosure fence. That was the real target of his aggression.

END OF A FRIENDSHIP

Another time I heard about a serious case of redirected aggression, it involved a client’s cats. And the experience left her traumatized.

The two cats were closely bonded siblings. There were no other cats or other pets in the house. These cats were well looked after, and their every need met.

They slept together; played together and ate next to each other. They were a pair of happy brothers.

I looked after them for years without problems. Then one day I realized that I hadn’t heard from the client in a long time.

I sent an email asking how she and the boys were doing.

She replied, recounting what had transpired.

The boys had a terrible fight. One brother had suddenly attacked the other for “no reason” she said.

The attack left them both bleeding and terrified. It sounded like it had carried on for much longer than just a brief fight.

And their relationship was ruined.

My client was shocked and heartbroken. Scared that it would happen again.

I asked what happened just before the fight. The client had seen a strange cat walking passed the patio window around the time of the incident.

So that must have been the trigger for the attack. One brother became highly aroused and enraged at the sight of the strange cat.

When his anxiety could not be relieved it was redirected at what was available, his brother.

This can happen to anyone nearby when a cat in this state. A dog or even a human.

PREVENTION AND REPAIR

So, what can be done to help clients prevent or repair damage to relationships between the cats?

Any cat involved in a sudden and severe fight should be checked by a veterinarian.

In the meantime, separate the cats temporarily until everyone calms down. But DO NOT PICK THEM UP! Doing so could trigger an attack on you.

Keep your demeanor low key and positive so no one feels that they're being punished.

Try to determine what triggered the reaction. Did the cat see another cat or raccoon outside? Is it possible to cover the window through which the animal could be seen?

When the cats are together again, observe them carefully for any sign of ongoing fear or aggression.

Sometimes the attacking cat will continue to see the other cat as the source of his fear and rage, triggering more attacks.

If this happens, you may have to separate the cats for a longer period and go through a reintroduction.

Pam Johnson-Bennett outlines the steps of reintroduction in her book, Cat vs Cat

If the problem persists, contact a veterinarian. The vet may want to prescribe medications that could help get the problem under control until the relationship can be repaired.

As frightening as these attacks can be, being a keen observer of cat body language and what’s going on in the environment will help prevent reoccurrence.

Because prevention is so much better than dealing with a ruined feline friendship.

Ask your client to keep a Diary of their cats’ behavior, including exactly where it happened and who was involved. Including the frequency.

Try to pinpoint what the target was if not identified at the time of the attack. If a fight seems imminent, distract, and separate before anything happens.

Try to control your own emotions and reactions, too. Keep everything as calm as possible.

ANSWERS TO TRIVIA QUESTIONS

The first question was, what cat breed is the most expensive?

According to an article in Catwatch Magazine, who got this list from a website called therichest.com

Starting from least expensive to most expensive

10 Ragdoll

9 Peterbald

8 Maine Coon - my favorites!

7 Egyptian Mau

6 Siberian Forest Cat

5 Scottish Fold

4 Bengal Cat

3 Khao Manee, an exotic white cat from Thailand.

2 Savannah Cat

And finally, number 1, the most expensive cat in the world is listed as the Ashera Cat.

They’ve listed the price for the Ashera Cat at $125,000.

That must be from the most prestigious cattery around. Because I’ve seen these cats selling for $22,000 in ads.

Still, that's a very expensive cat!

And for the second trivia question:

Why do cat's whiskers fan forward when they pounce on prey?

And the answer comes from THE BEHAVIOR OF THE DOMESTIC CAT 

I’ll give you a hint. Have you ever put a treat down right in front of a cat and wondered why they don’t seem to see it? That’s because they can’t.

It’s presumed that whiskers move forward to compensate for the cat’s poor eyesight at close range. In other words, cats are seeing their prey with their whiskers.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a tiny amount when you purchase from my link.

The good news is that it helps me at no extra cost to you!

Well, that’s it for this episode.

If you would like to hear more of this podcast, please subscribe and leave me a review wherever you are listening to it.

Thanks for spending some time with me!

Until next week, Happy cat sitting!

Just a reminder, the information in this podcast is general cat care advice and is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional care from a veterinarian or qualified behaviorist.

If you have any concerns regarding a cat’s health, please seek the advice of a veterinarian.

This episode is all about multi-cat households and how they can cause trouble if not managed well.

Cats are incredibly good at hiding their stress and we may not notice something serious is brewing in their minds until the stress reaches a critical stage.

By the time we start to see the negative results in the cat’s behavior and health, it has been going on for some time.

Here is my Amazon Affiliate Link: Make sure to select the new edition now available!

CAT VS. CAT

Cat vs Cat was first published in 2004 but was completely updated and reissued in 2020 so if you’ve read it before, as I have, you will want to read it again!

Please note that the information presented in this podcast is for general information only and is not intended for medical advice. Please refer to the CDC website for updates. CDC Coronavirus and animals info

For the book, here is my Amazon link: DECODING YOUR CAT

For Pet Sitters International's Course: PSI COVID CERTIFICATION

In this episode, I talk about cat breeds and how knowing more about specific breed characteristics can alert you to issues that can affect the behavior and health of the cats in your care.

Whether you have a client who has a special breed already or one who asks your advice on what kind of cat would be most suitable for them.

I’ll give you some ideas about alternative sources where your clients might find the characteristics they’re looking for.

And, if you stick around to the end, I’ll give you some resources and references that will make studying different cat breeds quicker and easier.

If you’re looking for a handy reference a book called “The Complete Cat Breed Book: Choose The Perfect Cat For You”, published in 2013 is a good one.

Here is my Amazon Affiliate link to get it 

The Complete Book Of Cat Breeds

 Some of the top international associations are:

The international cat association. www.Tica.org

Cat Fanciers Association www.cfa.org

Fédération Internationale Féline www.fifeweb.org

Some Regional registries:

The World Cat Congress is an organization that seeks cooperation in the cat fancy world when it comes to cats and registries:

https://www.worldcatcongress.org/

Here is a purebred cat rescue organization:

https://www.purebredcatrescue.org/choosing-the-right-breed/sphynx-rex/

Read more about International Cat Care here:

https://icatcare.org/about/our-history/

https://icatcare.org/our-campaigns/first-do-no-harm-breeding-of-pedigree-cats/

Well hello Procatsitters, you’re listening to Procatsitter Today, episode #16

Today’s podcast is about building resilience into your cat business and your life.

The world may look pretty bleak right now, fortunately, it’s not forever.

Those of us in the pet care business need to be ready for the rebound. And there’s plenty we can do right now to prepare.

Let me start by saying, if you or someone you love has this terrible virus or if you’ve lost someone to it, my heart goes out to you.

To be worried about your financial future is one thing, to be grieving or afraid for loved ones at the same time is unimaginable.

My own father is in a care home after suffering a massive stroke. Even though he gets good care, I’m still concerned about his safety all the time. He is in one of the most vulnerable groups.

The fear and anxiety I’m feeling about him and other family members affect all aspects of my life right now.

Our routines have also been completely uprooted and replaced with this new reality - just like that.  

We’re all grieving the loss of structure and income from our pet care businesses. And to make matters worse, we’re confined to our homes.

Under these circumstances, it’s easy to fall prey to hopelessness and despair.

Cats and Stress

I think we can take a lesson from cats here.

Cats live in the moment. They don’t worry about next week or even the next hour. They do their best to adapt to the moment they’re living at any given time.

Cats thrive on routine. The more predictable their environment is, the healthier they are. The same is true for humans.

We have 6 senior cats who love their well-established routine.

Every morning, they gather in the kitchen waiting for one of us to get up and start making their breakfast.

It’s like they all have their own watches!

The same routine plays out at the end of the day for dinner. My oldest cat, Skylar, will sit at my office door meowing loudly if I’m late for his dinner routine.

During the rest of the day, they all have their favorite spots to relax and play. And this is all tied to our regular routines.

As cat sitters, we know that keeping a cat’s routine as close to normal as possible leads to much smoother visits.

These routines are something they depend on to keep comfortable and stress-free.

Cats become stressed fast if their routine is changed. If reliable sources of food and water or safe places to sleep, play and relax, are not there, cats can become stressed very quickly.

Under those circumstances, a cat can develop bad habits like overgrooming, aggression, or other destructive behavior as they try to adapt to stressful changes.

Just like cats, when we’re without stable routines and rituals, it can feel like we have no control over anything in our life. leaving us feeling helpless.

Keep Your Vision - Change Your Habits

You can’t control what happens in the world or thoughts that pop into your head, but you can control how you respond to these things.

Remember, this isn’t about changing your vision for your business, it’s about changing your strategy to get there.

There will be good days and bad days. Sometimes you’ll feel strong and sometimes not so much.

Now is the time to be very gentle with yourself. Give yourself time to adapt to this new environment.

Build predictability into your routine with good, productive habits and you will be thriving on the other side of this.

I’m not trying to diminish your concerns

These are terrible times, but they don’t have to be catastrophic.

It’s essential to take steps that will keep your health and your business resilient.

Focus on what you can control.

Taking care of your health during these scary times is not just about handwashing and social distancing.

Now more than ever it’s important to avoid falling into destructive habits.

Good habits will keep you physically, mentally and financially resilient.

It’s easy to turn to solutions that are unhealthy when we’re anxious. Over drinking or overeating, can put our body and mind under tremendous stress.

We do this because we’re seeking comfort. But in ways that won’t help us.

And when we have unlimited time to indulge in them, they can cause harm.

Drinking too much every night, mindlessly watching Netflix, oversleeping or undersleeping can lead to more bad habits.

When we feel anxious and afraid, alcohol intensifies these feelings.

It can make us feel more isolated and unproductive because alcohol is a depressant.

I’m not telling you not to drink. I’m just saying you should be aware of the amount and frequency of your drinking.  Once you’re in deep with these harmful habits, it’s harder to break free of them.

Watch out for sharp increases in what you consume. And if it’s becoming a problem for you. Try to keep it out of your environment as much as possible.

Keep A Reasonable Schedule

An enormous amount of research has shown that just following a regular schedule keeps you healthy and well equipped to face stressful times.

This schedule should include work as well as time for yourself to play and relax.

Decide when your workday will start and when it will end, then stick to it.

Instead of worrying all day about what could go wrong in the future, Schedule time to problem solve each week.

Scheduling when you’ll deal with stressful things, like paying monthly bills, makes it possible for you to relax and take a break from stress for the rest of the week.

Monday morning is when I tackle all bill issues.

When it comes to listening to the news stay informed but avoid letting negative news consume your entire day.

My news time is 6 p.m. Not too close to bedtime, but late enough that it won’t drain the creativity and motivation I need earlier in the day.

It’s not just your mind that needs to stay on schedule during this time. You’ve got to keep your body moving as well.

Since you’re likely not moving around as much as you normally would, you’re missing out on vital exercise that keeps your mood stable.

Create a great playlist of music then put on some comfy clothes and just start moving for 10 to 15 minutes. This really helps me shake off the stress of the day.

I just want to make it clear, though, I am not an expert on mental health. If you are experiencing uncontrolled anxiety which is seriously affecting your ability to do even ordinary things like eating and sleeping, please don’t suffer in silence. Ask your doctor for a referral to a qualified professional.

Business Resilience

Businesses and charities are scrambling to make the best of a bad situation and are rolling out virtual events and activities to stay connected with their clients and donors.

That’s good news for the cat sitting business.

For example, let’s look at an industry that is closely tied to the cat sitting business: The travel business. They’re spending a lot of money to keep their clients thinking of them.

And they’ll continue to spend until it’s safe to travel again and beyond.

For example, a travel company named Zegrahms Expeditions has launched its “Armchair Exploration” series that allows people to get a virtual experience of an adventure they’ve been craving.

Another example is the Divi resorts in Aruba. With all the hotels closed, they’ve come up with some creative ways to keep themselves top of mind with their past and future clients.

They call it #DiviDoseofParadise

Their updated website has lots of ideas to give people a virtual feel of laying in a hammock on the beach at their resort. They even include a playlist of Caribbean music, called “The sounds of Aruba.”

They also feature recipes so clients can get a taste of Aruba-inspired dishes from the resort’s kitchens. Or mix themselves an Aruban cocktail served just as it would be at one of the beach bars.

Visitors also get a list of Aruba themed books and movies to keep the travel feeling alive and well.

The idea is to create an atmosphere of being in Aruba using as many of the senses as possible. This keeps their clients contemplating future vacations at the Divi resort. 

It also gives their people a break from the same four walls of worry and boredom they’ve been staring at for weeks.

But it’s not just the travel industry finding ways to engage with clients, charities are also getting creative to stay connected with their donors.

Our local cat shelter, which I’ve supported for years, has had to cancel all their spring and summer fundraising events. These seasonal fundraisers are a vital part of their overall fundraising plan.

So, they’ve gone to virtual events such as a cat photo calendar contest and similar things.

You too can come up with ways to give current and future clients a taste of the love, professionalism, and peace of mind that comes with using your service.

Maybe you could feature a weekly photo contest asking people to send in pictures of their cats enjoying extra family time?

Or have people submit photos of their favorite vacation destinations. Or a photo of them taking part in their favorite vacation activity, golf, swimming, zip-lining, etc.

People are on their computers in record numbers now, so reach out and stay engaged not just with current clients but also with future clients.

Invite potential clients to contact you to learn about your services before they need it. Then when the world gets moving again, your name will be the first one that comes to mind.

There’s no reason to stop building your client list now. And every reason to build it even more.

But what if you can’t stay focused on business projects because of stress and new responsibilities at home?

Your best strategy is to put good habits in place that will become easier and more resilient as you practice them.

Determine your best, most creative time of day, and start there.

Get up every morning as if you’re going to work. Get dressed, shower, brush your teeth, and get settled in a comfortable workplace.

Get to work on all those administrative projects and tasks you’ve gotten behind on.

Identify a specific goal or task you want to accomplish each day. Will you be working on your monthly newsletter? Or create a photo challenge for your social media followers?

Write your daily goal down and do it.

This will keep you moving forward.

When was the last time you had a chance to update client files?

Email clients you haven’t heard from in a while and ask how they’re doing.

Other business-related work could be practicing cat photography with your own cats.

Hone your skills to create a catalog of appealing cat photos that you can use for your social media posts.

Plan and schedule photo shoots using props you find around the house. Find a quiet, comfortable space to work with your cat.

With patience and planning, you will soon have a lot of great images.

Remember, keep the sessions relaxed and fun for the cats. And stop before they lose interest.

Schedule time to increase your skills on a free design tool like Canva to create branded social media templates and posts.

The more you practice skills like copywriting, photography, live video, and design, the more prepared you’ll be when the lockdowns start to lighten up and it’s safe to travel again.

Find ways to make others feel better with uplifting and encouraging posts. Remember, many of your clients are sad and worried, too.

Here are some other ideas:

• Review and update all your consultation and contract forms. Do they reflect your current policies?

New Habits Take Time

Creating productive habits will keep you resilient now and when things get back to normal.

But this won’t happen all at once

It takes time, practice, and planning

Give yourself time to build these new habits. Because this crisis will come to an end. You will survive this.

And I want to do everything in my power to help you come out of this strong and prepared to rebuild your business and your life.

A really good book to learn more about the power of building good habits is called “Atomic Habits: An Easy And Proven Way To Build Good Habits And Beak Bad Ones.”  By James Clear.

In it, James explains how little changes make the biggest difference. And how the environment you create matters more than willpower and motivation.

By creating small, consistent habits in our environment we can affect the biggest changes in our life and business.

So, what books or activities are you finding helpful or inspiring for the times? Let me know, I’m always looking for more ideas!

Well that’s it for this episode

I know you have a lot on your mind and I want you to know I’m here for you. Do you have a question, a vent, or just want to chat? Or, maybe you’d like an accountability partner for a new habit you’re trying to implement?

Send me an email through my website, procatsitter.com. Message me on Facebook @Cathyhamm or Instagram @Procatsittercathy, anytime.

Until next time

Take care

IS YOUR CLIENT A HOARDER?

Many years ago, a local newspaper reported a story about a lady whose home had been raided by animal welfare authorities. She was an elderly woman, whom the paper described as a hoarder. 

A neighbor had phoned about a house with an overwhelming smell drifting down the street.

The medium-sized home, located in a large subdivision, was overrun with cats. The walls, draperies floors, and furniture were shredded and covered with urine. Cat waste had accumulated everywhere.

While none of the cats had died, many of them had ear mites, fleas and untreated sores. The woman herself, was too ill to care for them.

The cats were removed and brought to local shelters. The home was condemned, and the owner was taken into long term care.

The story was gut-wrenching, especially since I knew the woman. She had been a of client of mine many years earlier.

HOARDERS

Animal hoarding is a sad topic. It’s also on the rise according to some experts.  Hoarding is something that cat sitters may have encountered in the past or will encounter in the future. For that reason, I think it’s a topic that needs to be addressed.

Animal hoarding causes immense suffering to animals, and cats are frequently its victims.

I’m going to tell you a little bit more of my experience with a hoarder in a minute.

But first, let's look at what cat hoarding is and what it isn’t.

I like to be very clear on what I’m talking about before using terms that can easily be misinterpreted. Hoarding can mean different things to different people.

The word hoarder is used to describe a range of behaviors. And it’s important to note that experts who study hoarders categorize them into different groups:

What I’m talking about here is the officially accepted definition of animal hoarder.

And it does not mean anyone who keeps multiple cats.  

Just because someone has multiple cats, doesn’t make them a hoarder. At one time my husband and I had 12 cats in our house. Mostly fosters with some of our own.

All our cats were well cared for. We had the means to care for them. And had no problem returning cats once ready for adoption.

Although we did adopt a couple of them over the years, mostly special needs cats.

We knew our limits. And I’m aware of how age can affect one’s ability to provide proper care. I no longer foster but I do support the cat shelter in other ways.

Currently, we have 6 healthy senior cats living with us.

So, what is the “official” definition then?

HARC: THE HOARDING OF ANIMALS RESEARCH CONSORTIUM

HARC is a group of researchers, joined to study the problem of animal hoarding and how it affects both animals and people from 1997 through 2000.

The task of raising awareness of this complex disorder is being continued by veterinary epidemiologist, Dr. Gary Patronek and social worker Jane N. Nathanson.

If you’re interested in reading more about HARC and their research, you will find the link to the Cummings School of Veterinary medicine at Tufts University below.

https://vet.tufts.edu/hoarding/

As this is where much of the information in this blog comes from.

HARC provides a definition of an animal hoarder as:

• Having more than the typical number of companion animals.

So basically, a hoarder is someone who has more animals than they can care for, denies that fact while continuing to acquire more.

There are hoarders who accumulate inanimate objects. Often what others consider junk, which is by far the most common type of hoarding. These collectors are often found living in conditions that make it impossible to move around inside their homes.

People who hoard animals share similar traits with other types of hoarders. But what they do causes much suffering. Animal hoarders and the cats they are housing often end up living in perilous squalor.

Early in my business, and this was a long time ago, I knew little about people who hoarded pets.

I didn’t know the typical signs of hoarding. There were few people that did since this is an extremely difficult segment of the population to study.

I’ve heard estimates of more than 3 million compulsive hoarders in the US. Not taking into account Canada and other parts of the world where this is also a growing problem.

The three types that Dr. Patronek identifies are: Rescue hoarders, exploitive hoarders and overwhelmed caregiver hoarders. And they come in all genders, income levels, races, and cultures.

The secretiveness of animal hoarders makes them difficult to study. Despite that, Dr. Patronek was able to put together an analysis of 54 hoarding cases documented through various animal rescue organizations.

THIS IS WHAT THEY FOUND

76% were female

46% were 60 years or older

50% were single

59% of hoarding cases were repeat investigations

The recidivism rate is the scariest thing of all. Many hoarders move on to repeat this behavior.

This is concerning to those of us who love animals and are interested in preventing this kind of animal cruelty from happening.

The most frequent species hoarded were cats, dogs, farm animals and birds.

He also put the possible number of animal hoarding cases at somewhere between 700 and 2000 cases per year in the USA. But I’ve read higher estimates from other studies.

So, when you figure in Canada and other areas around the world, you can see the numbers are staggering.

The expense of intervention when these severe cases are discovered is extremely high. Overwhelming local shelters, like the one where I volunteered for years.

The animals rescued from these situations are frequently sick and unsocialized.

So back to my story from years ago.

A woman I will call Janice, not her real name, contacted me. She said she ran an animal rescue and was looking for cat care when she went to hospital for a medical procedure.

I was just starting out in business and involved in cat rescue myself. So, I wanted to help her as much as I could.

Our conversations were friendly. But she wouldn’t tell me exactly how many cats she had. She told me the number varied due to adoptions and intake.

In hindsight, I now recognize her reluctance to be upfront as the first red flag.

She also wouldn’t let me come to her house for a visit. She was getting new floors put in and wanted to wait until everything was in order. Second red flag.

Janice said she was worried about getting help. She told me she had “a few more” cats in her house than the city allows, and was afraid she would be turned in. Third red flag.

As someone with foster cats myself, the story seemed plausible.

She needed cat care twice a day while she was in the hospital for a week. Then another week during her recovery.

I spoke with Janice over the phone several times before we met. We talked about our mutual love of cats and exchanged stories about the cats we had cared for.

BY THE TIME SHE ALLOWED ME TO SEE THE CATS, I HAD PRETTY MUCH AGREED TO DO THE JOB FOR HER

Since my business was new and not busy, I could afford the time.

I still didn’t know exactly how many cats she had.

When I arrived, I found a very normal looking home.  All seemed well both inside and out.

I was expecting to see maybe a dozen cats.

As I walked through the house, more cats appeared. There were cats in every room. I counted approximately 22. I worried about the cats’ stress level living in the same space together.

But the house was relatively clean and organized so I was not overly alarmed. There was no overpowering smell.

Their fur was brushed and healthy. There was medication for those that needed it. And all the cats were adults who were spayed/neutered and vaccinated.

The cats were not fighting.  But of course, we know that cats are very good at hiding their stress.

There were clean litter boxes in appropriate places throughout. Everything seemed so organized and in control.

I asked Janice about litter disposal. She had a friend who came once a week to take the litter to the landfill.

The garage where the used litter was kept, was completely empty except for one garbage bag in the corner, as the friend had just done a pickup the day before.

While I was concerned about the number of cats, I was still buying the story they were being fostered for the purpose of adoption.

The cats I could see were in healthy and clean condition.

Janice even had a small outdoor enclosure so the cats could have access to fresh air.

But cats are notorious for hiding stress. And there were undoubtably cats in that house that I couldn’t see probably hiding from us and the other cats.

I had no idea that Janice was not adopting these cats out to good homes. Or that she had no intention of doing so. Even if someone suitable showed interest in one.

She believed that she was the only one who could care for them. A classic trait of someone who hoards animals.

I know that now.

As you’ll see, this experience completely changed my policies for my cat sitting business.

ANIMAL RESCUE GROUPS HAVE LEARNED HOW CATS SHOULD BE HOUSED TO MAXIMIZE THEIR WELLBEING

Great improvement in cat care has been done due to new research in cat health and behavior.

But the study of the hoarders themselves was largely neglected for a long time. Dr. Petronek’s research suggests a strong tendency of hoarders to alienate friends and family.

While Janice had people around her when I was hired, it was obvious that she’d isolated herself from everyone who tried to intervene in the end.

Hoarders are typically suspicious of others. They shut people out of their lives, concealing details of their situation. All in fear of being reported to authorities.

They strongly believe they are helping the cats and no one else can look after them. They won’t tell you the number of animals they have. And they often don’t know themselves.

There is no doubt in my mind that Janice loved these cats and believed she was giving them the best chance.

HOARDING: A MENTAL ILLNESS HIGHLY RESISTANT TO REASON

You can not simply talk someone out of a mental illness.

A search of YouTube produces a long list of videos showing horrendous examples of extreme animal hoarding.

Animal Rescue groups are shown removing cages of sick and terrified animals. And in the most severe cases, deceased animals are found.

The house owner is often in denial and can even seem downright belligerent. Insisting the animals are cared for when they’re clearly not.

I saw none of that Janice’s home.

I didn’t like that she had so many cats housed together but I didn’t want to leave her without help because I had promised.

Like many cat sitters, I have a strong desire to help people and their cats. Ours is a nurturing profession.

Janice seemed to have many family and friends who could help and was in regular contact with them.

She also had help from another lady who brought her litter, food and other supplies for the cats. At that point, she was able to afford medications and vet care for all the cats.

I’m not sure when it all changed.

As far as the work went, I’ve learned that any job caring for multiple cats is going to take you longer than you think. At any given time, someone could become sick.

Obviously, this was a concern for timing my visits and maintaining cleaning standards to prevent spread of disease to my other cats. For that reason alone, I would turn the job down now.

I got through the two weeks without incident. I got into a comfortable routine of cleaning boxes, changing food and water and giving medications.

But it was time-consuming. I was glad to see it come to an end.

Again, it’s not just the number.

EVEN SOMEONE WITH ONE CAT CAN BE NEGLECTFUL

The question is can the person provide care for the cats in their care, and in Janice’s case, in the foreseeable future? As they get older, what will happen to their cats?

It’s now accepted that animal hoarding is a mental illness produced by both genetic and developmental variables.

Hoarders frequently hold the misbelief that only they can help the cats they’ve acquired. And will demonstrate extreme anxiety at the thought of having their animals removed.

Hoarders do not admit the harm they’re doing and even deny the suffering the animals are enduring.

To the outside observer, the animals are obviously neglected and malnourished. They have fleas, open sores and severe matting.

In rare cases, animals have died in these homes. Astonishingly, this is not recognized by the hoarder.

THESE LIVING CONDITIONS CAN LEAD TO BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS EVEN AFTER THE CATS ARE RESCUED AND REHOMED

A situation that adds huge financial strain to the cat shelters who must scramble to provide care and rehabilitation for them. Most shelters operate at maximum capacity with little resources to take on these large numbers of cats.

None of these signs were present in Janice’s home at the time I worked for her. But I was concerned about the future. How is this situation sustainable? What are things going to look like down the road?

Janice’s house and situation were seemingly under control. But somewhere between the last time I saw her and the raid years later, all had changed.

I hadn’t heard from her in a long time. Although she did call me occasionally to keep in touch.

EVERYTHING SEEMED UNDER CONTROL. BUT IT WASN’T.

Experts in animal hoarding have also found that there’s a difference between types of hoarders

There are hoarders who actively seek and collect more animals, and a type that passively accumulates cats. Passive accumulation is often a slower process. And that’s what I believe occurred in Janice’s case.

Another type of hoarder recognized by researchers is what they call the “exploiter”. This hoarder accumulates animals without empathy for them and doesn’t care about the suffering they cause. These can be found in cases of “backyard” breeders.

As I said before, Janice undoubtedly believed she was doing good for the cats. I know she loved them. But cats need more than love and a desire to help.

In the years since I knew her, she had accumulated a lot more cats. And with her declining health, things spiraled out of control. Thankfully, none of the cats died but it breaks my heart to think of how their living conditions must have deteriorated.

Janice had apparently pushed everyone away. She became ill and had ran out of money to care for the cats.

Heartbroken, I drove past her house. It looked nothing like it once did.

The manicured garden was overgrown. The windows were yellow and the upholstered chair in the window was shredded. The blinds were torn and broken. And the door was boarded up and bore a sign saying, “Condemned.”

Sometimes I wonder, what if I’d called the authorities back then? But I honestly think given the good condition at that time that they wouldn’t have done anything.

Since that time, I have set a limit on the number of cats I will care for in any one house. I must complete a detailed cat care plan for every cat I’ll be caring for before service.

And I require a preliminary meeting to establish if we’re all a good fit.

But what about situations where a client mental state deteriorates over time?  What if each time you come there are more animals?

Where do you draw the line?

IT HELPS TO KEEP IN MIND THE “FIVE FREEDOMS” OF ANIMAL CARE ADOPTED BY MANY ORGANIZATIONS

1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst– there should always be fresh food and water available.

Ask questions and be upfront about the number of cats your policy allows. Don’t be afraid to tell a client when conditions in the home are getting out of control or detrimental to the cats.

Know what your local laws are and identify who exactly needs to be notified in case of hoarding situations.

Be prepared to contact relatives or others known to the client and could help.

We should all look out for our neighbors. And be aware that these situations can crop up anywhere and our ultimate responsibility is to the welfare of cats.

Well, that’s it for this episode.

Let me know if you’ve encountered any situations like this.

If you would like to talk to me about cats and the cat care business, reach out to me at Procatsitter.com, or on Facebook @cathyhamm.

I’m also on Instagram @procatsittercathy.

Until next time,

Happy cat sitting!