With all the recent rain and atmospheric rivers, San Diego’s flower season is in full bloom and sure to be more beautiful than ever!
Some flowers, however, are best to keep out of your home altogether. Unfortunately, a few years ago, I saw firsthand how deadly Lilies (pictured) can be to our beloved felines as they took the life of a team member’s kitty, Fred.
Springtime Safety: Keep Your Cat Away from Poisonous Plants
According to the FDA, “The entire lily plant is toxic: the stem, leaves, flowers, pollen, and even the water in a vase. Eating just a small amount of a leaf or flower petal, licking a few pollen grains off its fur while grooming, or drinking the water from the vase can cause a cat to develop fatal kidney failure in less than 3 days.” This is known as Lily Toxicity in cats.
Whenever I see Lillies in the store, I contemplate putting up a big “Buyer Beware” sign…FOR CAT-FREE HOMES ONLY! Given our adoration for every Slinky Cat in our care, our kitty caregiving team protocol during this time of year is to immediately move dangerous flowers and plants from inside the house to an outdoor patio table. We recognize not all kitties take to flowers and plants, but when you are not home, this is the safest protocol we can follow to keep our Slinky Cats safe. In addition, we will clean the counters and floors of any pollen or leaves.
Lilies are just one of many dangerous spring flowers and plants for cats. Chewy has a great infographic and blog about other toxic plants. https://be.chewy.com/which-plants-are-poisonous-to-cats-a-complete-guide/
If your cat has nibbled on a flower or plant, and you are unsure whether it may be toxic, call your emergency vet, the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435. Please note the poison hotlines often charge a fee, but they may be life-saving in the moment.
The Benefits of Working as a Team at Slinky Cat at Home
On a more pawsitive note, I am happy to announce that Slinky Cat at Home is growing by leaps and bounds. We are now a team of 5 kitty caregivers, plus my daughter, Marina (almost 17!), whom many of you know. One thing is for sure, we all share a genuine love of CATS. So you can rest assured that everyone on the team has been well vetted, insured, and trained to speak and care for cats in our special Slinky Cat way. Every time. Every Visit.
We truly love what we do and want your cats to have Peace of Mind every time you travel so that you will too. New clients can expect two kitty caregivers at every meet and greet. Current clients can request a meet and greet thru your client portal, or we can facetime, or you can give the OK for the current kitty caregiver to bring a backup kitty caregiver to meet the kitties on a first visit. Slinky Cat at Home sees cats every day, 365 days a year. By working more as a team, our ameowzing kitty caregivers (including myself) will have specific days off during the week. We believe the kitties recognize us, know us, and, more often than not, choose us. In working as a team, we, too, learn who is the preferred kitty caregiver for your cats!
Checks and Venmo Payments Now Made to SLINKY CAT LLC
As of April 1st, 2023, Slinky Cat is now a Limited Liability Company, Slinky Cat LLC! This is a big step for the company and necessary to sustain our growth and taxes (or non-taxes). You will only see minor changes on the bottom of every invoice, such as:
- Checks should now be written to SLINKY CAT LLC
- VENMO should now be paid to @SlinkyCat (QR code will be on invoice)
- Payment via your TimeToPet portal will have no change and is still the easiest way for you to pay
Get Ready for Your Summer Vacation – Book Your Kitties Staycation Now
Just for fun, please let us know where you’re traveling next!??? Off to see the record-breaking spring snowmass in CA? International travel plans over the summer?
Be sure to book your kitties’ staycation when you confirm your airline tickets. Simply click this link: https://www.timetopet.com/portal/slinkycats
Get Rewarded! Slinky Cat’s Referral Program
Did you know that Slinky Cat at Home offers a referral fee equal to one free 30-minute drop-in kitty care service? That’s a $35 value in appreciation for our gratitude to welcome your cat-loving friends and family to Slinky Cat. It truly is an honor to be invited to your beautiful homes to care for your fantastic felines.
Share Your Meowza Moment – Leave a Google Review for Slinky Cat at Home
And if you are a new client and have ever thought, “Meowza! Slinky Cat at Home is amazing. My cat looked so happy in your care!” Please share that thought with the world on Google here: https://g.page/SlinkyCatAtHome/review
Google reviews help more cat families find loving cat care while they travel, and help us sustain and grow our business. We are furr-ever grateful for your reviews!
Happy Spring, and we will see your purrbabies soon!
Hugs and Purrs,
Carmen
and the Slinky Cat Team;
Stephanie, Hannah, Tori, Tammy, Audrey, and Marina