mamma mia!

Just over a year ago, I unexpectedly fell into cat-sitting.

If you'd told me then I'd do it again, let alone that after a year I'd have regular kitteh clients and had cat-sat ten kittehs across five homes, I'd probably have laughed in your face.

And yet, this month, I'll spend just under two weeks with my eleventh kitteh client in the sixth home.

I'm looking forward to becoming better acquainted with Lottie, the kitteh master of my long-time Flickr friend, Sarah.

Lottie is a black cat with a sweet nature, and we seemed to take to each other well during our first meet and greet last week. I'll pop in to see her again this week before becoming her temporary companion.

I'll also return to be the ever-obedient servant of Lily, Sammy and Poppy later in the month. I think there have been only two months since December 2021 that I've not served those three kitteh masters faithfully. They are already pencilled in for December this year or January next year (or a bit of both).

And so, I finally set up a profile on CatInAFlat. Who would ever have thought my Top 8 (well, 10 actually) would be made up of cool cats? Tom never saw that coming...

Though I'm already booked out for most of October with overnight stays, I'm open to once or twice daily visits locally around those. (I think it's wrong to have affairs with other kittehs during my overnight stays. Lottie, Lily, Sammy and Poppy will smell other kittehs on me).

And I'm open to meeting more kittehs locally and further afield from November.

If you or anyone you know needs a cat-sitter, feel free to hit me up here or via my CatInAFlat profile. There's plenty of information on my profile but slide into my DMs if you have further questions.

I'll also sort out getting a police check done later this month, and I can provide references on request from those I've cat-sat for before.

Meanwhile, please enjoy this adorabubble portrait I took of Mia whilst we sheltered from one of the UK heatwaves this summer.

cat in a lap

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 13 November 2021].}

Shiloh photo-bombing another self-portrait shoot back in September on my last day of cat-sitting her and Susie in West London.

ca(p)tivated

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 17 September 2021].}

So, the cat's out of the bag...

The new side hustle I somehow fell into is cat-sitting! :o

For anyone who's known me more than a few years, I've never previously been a cat person. I was always a dog person.

But, over the past I-don't-know-how-many-years, the idea of cats has stopped repulsing me. I've realised I'm an "animal person". Not just a dog person.

So, when friends asked if I'd be willing to cat-sit for them for almost three weeks - even though I'd never met their feline companions - my first questions were:

• Will your home make a photogenic backdrop for self-portraits, and are you okay with me sharing your home on the internets?

• Can I bring my iMac as I don't currently have a laptop?

• Are you okay with me disappearing for four days as I already have time out of town booked during that period?

• Will it cost me anything?

The answers to all those questions were more than satisfactory, so I ventured across to West London at the beginning of September to meet my potential gaolers.

Not only were the kittehs cute and friendly - I bonded immediately with Susie, who's apparently the most hesitant with strangers (not pictured; this is Shiloh). But I fell in love with the house.

The colour schemes and decor. The abundance of bookshelves and bookcases. The furnishings. The hidden doorways (literally, not figuratively). The decorations. EVERYTHING.

My only real struggle since relocating almost a week ago was getting in front of the camera again. Which is largely due to my weight (pun intended).

But I'm tackling that - mentally and emotionally - and from the one shoot I've done so far, I have a selection of photos that don't offend me. I'm hoping to do more tomorrow and at the beginning of next week. And to share more with you.

I just need to be gentle with myself.

I'm also dealing with some worrying family medical news from Australia. And some unexpected flat stuff. And, obviously, having to continue to pick up client work.

But the kittehs help.

They 'meow' and make Mogwai-like sounds at me when they're ready for breakfast (and they've realised that won't be at 5:00, so they're patient for when I'm actually awake).

They make me laugh at their tap-drinking antics even though I can't entertain those antics for long.

And I haven't killed any fish yet.

And I've had the pleasure of giving friends a grand tour of this lovely haven I'm in until the end of the month.

If anyone wants to remind me how squatters' rights work... ;)

Or, if you have a photogenic mansion/house/flat/caravan/van and a pet or pets you need looking after while you go on holiday, DM me.

I'm open to payment in photo ops, pet love and booze ;) (Money's also good).

Also, for you folk who thought I'd struggle with collaborating artistically with cats: Shiloh joined me on the couch of her own volition. Without any real coaxing and, definitely, no kitteh treats. The beeping of my self-timer was all she needed to focus her laser-sharp gaze for this portrait :)