Written by Linda Johnson, Staff Writer at the Liberal and published in the March 25, 2003 edition.
Being boarded at the kennel is extremely stressful, Ms Bodegom said.
"They have their spots, the toys they play with and the things they do," she said. "They all have their little routines and they don't want to break them."
Ms Bodegom is perfectly suited to her job. She has always had a way with cats, bringing out the more social instincts of even the most reclusive felines.
"I think you have to be a cat person. If you don't like them, they sense it. And cats know I love cats," she said with a laugh. "They all have different personalities. And it's interesting, too, when there's more than one, seeing how they interact. I love it."
Even when their devoted owners have to go away, you can see in their eyes they would rather stay at home than crash at the local kennel.
That's why Kimberly Bodegom, a Richmond Hill resident and self-described cat person, began her own cat babysitting business last year.
With each client, she always makes a first visit to see where the cat eats and sleeps, where the kitty litter is and to get to know the cat's routine. She keeps a log of her visits, which owners receive on their return. It records how the cat is acting, what she's done to let the cat know there's a human presence around and how long she has spent visiting with the cat.
The added advantage of a pet-sitter, she said, is it makes the house look lived in. For customers who wish, she will also take in the mail and newspapers or water the plants.
The fees are reasonable and are based on the number of visits, so it doesn't matter how many cats are in the home.
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"It's just to let them know someone is looking after them," she said, even though the owners are away. "They're still an important part of the family."