Through sitting, volunteering, and taking care of my own feline and small pet friends, my passion has become providing animals with enrichment to help them avoid boredom during their everyday lives—and especially when their guardians are away. I grew up with many animals, including birds and dogs, but I came into cat sitting quite by accident, initially taking care of my housemate's fifteen-year-old cat while he was away on tour with his band for periods up to over a month! I fell in love with cats, and expanded to sitting for another two cats belonging to a friend, and it has grown from there. I have sat for cats with a wide variety of temperaments, from shy to aggressive to playful to clingy, and I love them all! Also by accident, I wound up with two white mice being re-homed by another housemate. Since that time, I have expanded my knowledge of cat and small animal care through self-education and by volunteering. I volunteer at an adoption center in Oakland that focuses on cats that are traditionally deemed hard to place, such as seniors, former feral cats and kittens, and cats with complex medical needs. There, I have helped socialize and offer enrichment through games to many cats, ranging from tiny kittens to mature adults, from outgoing and friendly to extremely shy. I am always seeking to learn more about animal care and behavior. I also expanded my mouse pair into a colony of six, after doing research into their social nature. My most recent venture has been into feral pigeon rescue!