I went to school for biology and chemistry, and I currently work in the molecular diagnostics industry. I love my job and have genuinely the most incredible team, but I want to try and do law school. Outside of work, my biggest joy is reading (and reading to Slate, my cat, she’s partial to trying to sit on the book), leather-care, gardening (apartment-style), and exploring nature (bonus: finding good climbing trees). Slate, my cat, has been with me for about 6 years after I rescued her from a really bad home. She’s 8 years old and I like telling people she smokes on the balcony when I’m not home. Slate doesn’t like sharing me with people or pets (it took her 6 months to accept my partner), and she gets annoyed when I bring home rescued kittens. I have fostered three kittens: Cora, who I found in a Walmart parking lot with paralyzed back legs, she needed a lot of care and attention but after 6 months she was able to regain function and feeling of almost 80% of her legs!; Kolache-Jack, who I found under my car and needed a kolache (for luring) and a carjack (for car lifting) to get to him; and finally Potato, who I fostered at the request of a friend’s mother that was fostering the whole litter but Potato struggled with chronic eye infections and needed more attention. I cannot explain why her name was Potato, but you’d understand if you met her. You would love all these kittens if you met them. Slate, however, would be mad at me the entire time she had to share me, and alternated between being sweet and grooming the kittens, to lying entirely on top of them where they can’t escape (she’s a big girl), to screaming at them if they were cuddling with me too long. As soon as the kittens found their forever homes, Slate would immediately forgive me and allow me to cuddle with her. So for her sake I try to not bring home creatures unless under exceptional circumstances. Regarding pet care, I didn’t start to foster kittens until I had my own apartment, and I had spent several years building my connection with my cat (or else she really wouldn’t have forgiven me for bringing in another cat). For pet-sitting, besides several stints for friends and family throughout my life, my first professional gig was in college and it was house/dog-sitting for a couple that you immediately know their girls are their whole world. I watched them for weeks at a time, took them to vet appointments, made sure they adhered to a very meticulous diet/exercise/medical schedule, I charged very little money because I was just excited to spend time with sweet pups in a cozy home instead of my tiny dorm, I only started accepting more money when they specifically asked if they could pay me more. I’ve been dog sitting for that couple for more than 12 years now, and care/cared for their girls through their late stages in life and all the changes in medication and routine (one of the girls, towards the end, had severe arthritis in her paws and before every walk she’d get baby socks on all four paws, and a gentle massage before and after.) They just recently added a rescue pup to their family and we have dinner plans so I can meet her 🤭 For cats, those are usually day visits, and usually for coworkers. When I have a friend watching my cat for me, depending on how long I’m out, I specifically request at least one overnight stay because I know Slate doesn’t like being alone for more than a day. Wow okay thanks for reading all of this. Anyways I love animals, and I love people that love and are good to animals.
