Today we celebrate our feline friends for National Cat Day!
Joining our party is Kelly Lapre from On Call Pets. Kelly started On Call Pets fourteen years ago while working for her aunt in the insurance industry, which was not exactly her favorite way to spend her time.
“I was lucky because my aunt let me start the business while also doing work for her as long as I could get everything done,” says Kelly.
“I’ve always been an animal person since I was a young kid and have had several types of animals – from dogs to parrots to bunnies – and they just seem to like me, so it wasn’t hard for me to decide to start my business.”
Kelly’s love of cats has grown stronger and stronger over time.
“It started with a special kind of cat that I call ‘dog-cats.’ People think about cats that hunt birds or are a little bit wild, or they think about cats that just want to be left alone; but when you get to know a lot of them, they kind of remind you of dogs. A lot of them are loyal and trusting, and I’ve fallen in love with them.”
Kelly has found that you never know exactly what you are going to get when you meet a new cat, even based on what their parents say about them. Exhibit A: Jane.
“When I first met Jane’s owners, they said she would never come out, so don’t try to make friends with her. But by the third time I went there, she was my best friend. I think she even got to know the sound of the engine of my car because she would wait for me at the door. Her owners couldn’t believe it until I sent them videos!”
Cat sitting can be full of adventures and kittens provide Kelly and her team with the highest level of entertainment.
“They are so much fun and active, and I love how they are independent even though they are still babies. For example, I had this kitten that I stayed with who was so little but really wanted to get up on the bed with me. He was so determined that he figured out how to climb up the sheets and pulled himself up like he was climbing Mount Everest. I was dying laughing.”
Kelly has a 14-year-old senior cat of her own named Tiny that was given to her by a student who couldn’t keep him. Tiny fits right in with the rest of the family, even playing fetch to earn Kelly’s coveted “dog-cat” status.
Kelly had been hesitant to get on board with PetPocketbook, having been disappointed by other software she had used before. But she has found it different than anything she had tried.
“It’s been the best thing. We used to make some mistakes. A lot of my clients will change things around, and if you’re not really paying attention or you’re busy, it’s easy to make mistakes. Especially when you’re growing and getting so big. In the beginning, I had it all up in my head, and it became impossible to continue to do that.
PetPocketbook has really helped because everything is automated now, so we haven’t made any mistakes, and my clients love it. They love putting in all of the details and pictures of their pets, and they even love to pay online that way. It’s actually made me feel more legitimate and helped us secure clients. It’s really helped us tremendously.”
So whether you love senior cats or kittens, indoor cats or cats that go for walks, or even a “dog-cat”, join Kelly and the rest of our PetPocketbook pack in raising a paw to celebrate National Cat Day!