Hello! My name is Jen.
I'm a web developer taking a break from corporate work and being around animals gives me so much joy. I live in Yorkville and am happy to serve communities on the Bloor and Yonge line! Cats, dogs, pigs, raccoons... I love all animals.
I'm a cat-adopter of three years--despite wanting to have a cat all along, I travelled a lot in my early twenties and wanted to ensure I was settled and financially capable to give them the best life. Adopting a cat was lifechanging, and I recall the first time I left them with a friend to cat sit I worried for hours like a parent leaving their kid at a sleepover. Before I adopted my cat, I lived with many roommates who had cats and dogs, and cat sat for neighbors and friends since my teens. I have lived with nervous, older cats and dogs, and also lived with cats that have litterbox issues. To me animals are companions and I'm not as much of an owner than a "human" to them. Every animal has their own personality and can feel our energy and emotions, and I hope to provide them with company and comfort!
Schedule
I am most available for house visits between the hours of 12-8pm.
Cat sitting
Each of my cat sitting house visits last around 30 minutes and includes:
Water changing (who likes stale water? not I!)
Litter scooping and changing
Food replenishment
If they are shy, I will sit around to get them comfortable with me
Plentiful pets, snuggles and hugs
Play time, if they feel like it. We can have fun with a cardboard box, a paper bag, or a bouncy ball.
I have a couple cat wands that I will let them play with under supervision!
I have character references from previous cat sitting, dog walking, and pet-owning roommates if you are curious!
Dogwalking
I am best with small and medium dogs.
Other fun facts
I do this because I need more physical activity and visiting a furry friend is the best motivation. I've increased my daily stepcount by walking to and from house visits.
I can administer medicine to cats and dogs, and can clip nails for cats.
I "trained" my cat to sit and jump with a clicker. He will also go into his carrier. Instead of jumping in their air however, they stand on their hind legs.
My friends and I used research and user testing methods to create a sound sampler app for cats called tiddl, which is on the App Store now. Any questions, just ask!
Jen was an extremely attentive and communicative sitter that went above and beyond for our pets. We booked her to house sit and take care of our three cats and one small dog. We really wanted someone in the house as much as possible because one of our cats is very ill and needs a lot of medication twice a day. Jen gave us frequent updates and even agreed to Uber to our vet during her stay to make sure our cat got the fluids she needs periodically from our vet. It was such a comfort to get updates throughout the day on how everyone was doing. It was also so useful to have someone with our cat most of the day so we could keep a close watch on her from far away. She was great at giving our cat medicine and making sure she ate as much as possible. She took amazing care of the other three as well, keeping us updated on their moods, energy levels, bathroom habits, and appetite. It can be hard to have to travel at all with pets, but it's particularly difficult when you have a sick pet. Jen definitely helped us worry less because we knew someone was with our cat and keeping a close eye on her. I would recommend Jen to anyone, but particularly if you have pets that are ill or have very specific needs. It can be difficult to find such an attentive sitter who can handle complex directions with multiple pets, but Jen handled all of it with zero problems.
Jen checked in on our two cats while we were away for ten days. She was thoughtful and accommodating, and took great care of our cats. We got detailed updates with photos every day and I had no doubt that we had left our pets in good hands. We could enjoy our time away knowing that our cats were being well looked after. I would absolutely recommend Jen to anyone looking for a pet sitter. I only wish that Pawshake had a tipping option because Jen really went out of her way to accommodate us, and I would have like to have been able to tip to show our appreciation.
Medicine administering with oral syringe (had to do that with my own cat)
Nail clipping for cats