Cats and Hamsters
Pet care in your own home. Limited home boarding for hamsters, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, etc
Pet care in your own home. Limited home boarding for hamsters, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, etc
I am a Certified Professional Pet Sitter (CPPS), trained in pet first aid & CPR, Fear Free Certified, and am bonded and insured. I've had hamsters for three decades and cats for two decades. I was named one of the Top Five Finalists for 2021 Pet Sitter of the Year.
Before starting my pet sitting business in 2016 to have more flexibility for my family, I was an administrative assistant and executive assistant. I worked in universities, luxury retail, medical and research offices. Professionalism and excellence is important to me, and I bring that experience with me, along with attention to detail, communication skills, maturity, discretion, and responsibility.
I understand that it can be stressful leaving your home and pet with someone else while you are away. My job is to minimize stress for both human client and pet client. I am easily reachable via email or mobile. One example of the care I put into my business is that I always put on a clean pair of socks every time when entering a client's home, to ensure no damage or outside dirt enters the home. I send daily reports with pictures. I minimize posting client photos, usually only posting on the reviews page of my website. I select client photos to include as little of the property as possible, and disable gps location markers on client pictures that I post on my website, to protect my clients' privacy.
I love cats and small furry animals, and would love to cuddle yours! (Or not, if they aren't a cuddler.) If your cat hides, that's ok - I will give them their space, but will sit near them and talk softly or sing songs during our time together. I have a car and will drive. In addition to taking care of your cat during my visit - food, water, tidying litter box, spot cleaning vomit and accidents, brushing, nail trimming, playing, daily email/text reports with pictures - I can collect mail/newspapers, water houseplants, and move curtains and waste containers on designated days to help keep your home secure. In the winter, there will be foot prints going in and out of your walkway.
I have experience: pilling a cat, applying topical medication to a cat's eye lid and ear, administering an insulin injection to a cat, coaxing diabetic cats to eat, giving subcutaneous fluids to a cat, administering oral medication to a hamster, applying topical medication to a hamster (ointment). I can use my own grooming tools (cleaned and disinfected after each client) or your own.
I also board hamsters and small furry animals in my home on top of a tall, sturdy shelf. Maximum capacity is 3 hamster guests, to ensure a high level of service. Client provides all supplies - cage, bedding, food, toys - and I can provide occasional hamster-friendly fresh treats like unsalted stove-popped popcorn, vegetables, raisins, and unsalted peanuts. Weekly cage cleaning. Daily cat-free play time, daily reports with pictures. In addition to hamsters, I have experience boarding hedgehogs, guinea pigs, chinchillas, mice. New all-inclusive boarding option for Guinea pigs.
Prices are all posted on my website, with no added charges for things like nail trimming. The first step is to schedule a registration meeting, where I meet you and your pets virtually and go over their routine and needs. Everything is on my website. Pick me!
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"Cats and Hamsters provided a professional and incredibly reassuring experience for something that is always a little stressful (leaving your pets alone!)
Rachel was kind, professional, and very thorough; she made sure she knew our cats' routine in and out before our appointment. She was always available for questions, and is full of great advice for any situation that may arise while you are away. She sent daily detailed updates (with photos!), and is great with all pet personalities; she even got our very shy cat to come out of hiding for her. I never worried about our cats while they were in her care. If you are even remotely considering an in-home pet sitting service, Cats and Hamsters is worth it for the peace of mind!"
—Bea Imrie
"Rachel recently looked after our cat Wilder for 10 days, and we can honestly say without any embellishment that Rachel's approach, professionalism, and competency were to the highest standard we've seen - she is nothing short of amazing! She was also incredibly flexible in being able to accommodate us on very short notice (we had to fly out of province for a family emergency), but without compromising her standards or integrity; and most importantly, the care and attention she provided to our cat.
Regarding the service itself, the best testament we can provide is that we came home to a well-adjusted, calm, stimulated, well-groomed (nails trimmed multiple times!), and happy animal. She sent us beautiful pictures daily, and even taught him a few tricks! She also cared for the plants and kept the house in order, going beyond what we expected.
Truly, Rachel is a gem and a consummate professional, who is so valuable to the Montreal pet-owing community. We feel a large measure of relief and tranquility in knowing that we can trust someone fully to care for our pet the next time we are away.
Thank you again Rachel!!"
—Alby Richard
"Rachel has taken care of our cats, Caillou and Flanelle, twice so far, and it’s been a very positive experience. Our cats are quite old and have special needs, so we do worry about them when we leave. But we now always feel comfortable going away for the weekend knowing that Rachel will come visit. She’s professional, very quick to reply, knowledgeable and she’s gentle with our pets. We appreciate the daily photos and descriptions.. and the nail clipping too! :) We will reach out to Rachel again and recommend her services to other pet lovers without hesitation.
Thanks for everything, Rachel!"
—Maryse B
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