Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 27, 1993 TAG: 9306240075
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By KAREN L. DAVIS SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Unless you can take your pet with you, your only other options are to board it at a kennel or vet's office or to recruit a pet sitter.
Most veterinary clinics will board cats, dogs, birds and the occasional iguana, but boarding kennels traditionally have been the domain of dogs - until recently.
With the April opening of the Kitty Kennel Bed and Breakfast, cats now have equal representation. The kennel at 7210 Branico Road in Southwest Roanoke County is exclusively for cats.
Owner and operator Jane Holmgren said she began "looking for something slower-paced and with less pressure" when she got word recently that her computer job at Dominion Bankshares was going to be eliminated.
The kitty kennel idea came to her while on vacation with her husband, John.
"I had boarded my dogs in the past but left my cats at home with plenty of food and water," she said. "Whenever I boarded my cats at the vet's, they would come home a nervous wreck from being near the barking dogs."
She reasoned that a kennel designed for cats might fill a need.
Her husband, a commercial pilot who does some construction on the side, fully supported her idea. He spent a year building the gray cinder block kennel in his spare time.
The kennel holds up to 30 felines in a quiet, sunny, air-conditioned room. Skylights and windows supply natural lighting. Fluorescent lights stay on until the last late-night check.
Sometimes, Holmgren says she leaves a radio turned on to an "easy-listening" station to soothe the cats.
Cats stay in large plastic air freight units - 40 inches by 27 by 30 - big and sturdy enough to ship a German shepherd in. Each unit has a shelf in the back that serves as a "sleeping loft."
Holmgren said the shelf gives the cat a sense of security by allowing it to feel like it's hiding aloft, getting off the ground and out of danger, so to speak.
Cats get let out of the units at least once a day to climb and play in large, indoor exercise cages equipped with cat toys and scratching posts.
Holmgren said she will brush and comb cats daily and administer medications at the owner's request.
Owners also may bring their cat's favorite toy or bedding and supply any special food or treats.
For kitty litter, she uses her own mixture of peat moss, sterilized soil and sand that she recycles through a compost pile, then puts back into the flower gardens around the kennel.
Holmgren said she began using the special mixture for her three cats after she observed that they liked her flower beds better than their commercial litter.
To be eligible for boarding, cats must have all their shots current and be flea-free. If Holmgren finds fleas on a cat, she will bathe it for an extra $10.
Boarding fees are $7 per day for one cat. She offers discounts for longer stays, as well as for boarding more than one cat. For more information, call Kitty Kennel at 989-7636.
For pet lovers who have several types of pets or who don't like leaving them pets in unfamiliar surroundings when they travel, hiring a pet sitter may be the best option.
Pets left at home generally experience less stress over their owner's absence. They also avoid exposure to illness from other animals.
Critter Sitters, a family operation run by Sandy Sizemore of Roanoke and her daughter, Fran, will care for your pets in your home, plus make your house look lived in while you're away.
"We'll water the plants, bring in the mail and newspapers, adjust the draperies and lights. We'll even take the dog to its regular grooming appointment, if that's what the owner requests," said Sandy Sizemore.
The staff is bonded and insured, Sizemore said, and references are available.
She said most of her customers are people who have a multiple-pet household, often with more than one species.
"We've kept horses, goats, iguanas, fish, exotic turtles, lots of birds, you name it. We haven't kept a snake yet, although we've had inquiries."
Fees are based on the number and types of pets and the number of visits desired per day. First-time customers get a 10 percent discount.
For a dog, the base rate for one daily visit is $9 per day. For two visits a day, the fee is the base plus half, or $13.50. And for each additional animal in the household, add $1. If you have just a cat, one daily visit is $7.
Sizemore said she makes a reasonable effort to follow the pet's customary exercise and diet routines.
"If the dog is used to being walked at 8 o'clock in the morning, I do the best I can to be there close to that time," she said.
And because Fran is a certified veterinary assistant, Critter Sitters also gives medicine, vitamins and other special care.
To arrange for pet-sitting service, call 427-0494. A Critter Sitter will visit your home before you leave to meet your pets, discuss the arrangements, receive instructions, pick up the key and get a contract signed. During holidays and summer months, please allow at least a week's notice before your trip.
by CNB