Isabelle B.
Isabelle B.
Contact Isabelle B.
Highlights
Pet care experience
Cat care w/ Vancouver’s #1 CatLady!
Hi there! You've come to the right place if you are searching for cat care in Vancouver! I currently offer drop-in visits or pet/house-sitting services in your home. (Sorry, no dogs or other animals! My expertise is tailored to cats only). 🐾Why book me as your cat sitter: I deeply understand the stress and worry that comes with finding a cat sitter while travelling. Pets are family, and any misgivings about their safety can ruin a vacation. Your furbaby’s wellbeing is your greatest priority — I promise, when I accept a booking, it becomes mine too! For this reason, I’m quite selective about the bookings I take on; my goal is to exceed the expectations that you have for your kitties’ care, therefore if I cannot commit 100% of my time, energy and love to your kitties for any reason whatsoever, I will be transparent with you so that we can both make a fully informed decision if we wish to move forward with the booking or not! :) Have a look through the following information and feel free to reach out with any questions, or to chat to see if we would be a good fit! 🐾Why I'm on Rover: I started fostering cats with VOKRA (the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association) during Covid, and fell in love with it. Five years and over 50 fostered cats later, I can't imagine my life without some kitties in it, keeping me company. It feels empty here without at least one purring little ball of fluff to hang out with. I started doing Rover in between fosters when I didn't immediately want to jump into another 2-3+ monthlong fostering commitment, yet still wanted some kitty cuddle time. I'm also semi-retired (shout out to the "FIRE" community!) with no kids, so I have a lot of free time. My main focus right now is doing jobs that I genuinely love and make my soul happy. Hanging out with kitties takes the top spot! 🐾My experience: I have had the privilege of fostering over 50 kitties with VOKRA so far. From this experience I have developed a well-rounded knowledge base of best practices in cat health, behaviour, and safety. The VOKRA team has some of the top cat experts and volunteers in Vancouver, and I’ve been lucky to have them as my mentors. 🐾A sitter you can trust: I understand it's scary leaving a beloved kitty in the hands of someone new. I like to send at least 1-2 photo or video updates of kitty per day, but if you prefer more check ins and/or video calls, this is completely fine! I'm also totally okay with nanny/pet cams if I'm doing drop-in visits at your home (although I do appreciate a head's up that these are in use!) :) Another thing that sets me apart from other sitters is that for a previous nurse gig at the Vancouver City Jail; I had to pass a gruelling interview with the VPD and a “Civilian Security Screen” to work there…MUCH more detailed and intensive than your average criminal background check! 🐾Fun facts about me: -I'm a big Lord of the Rings nerd. Every new year I watch the Extended Edition Trilogy Marathon at the Rio! -I've donated blood 25 times (love those free cookies). -Our childhood cat growing up was called Minette, which is French for "Kitty". My love for cats started with her and the 16 wonderful years we shared together. -My favourite country I've travelled to is Mongolia. -My deepest ambition that I have yet to fulfill is to get called up for Jury Duty someday.
Cat care experience
Isabelle also cares for cats. Learn about their cat-specific care experience.
Qualifications
Ratings and reviews
This was our first time using rover, and we couldn’t have had a better experience with Izzy. We felt so at ease that our kitty, Billie, was being well taken care of! Izzy kept us updated every day, and we could tell from photos and videos how relaxed and happy Billie was. We would 1000% recommend, as we definitely plan to have Izzy back when we go on vacation next :)
Your pets may never want to come home because Izzy will take amazing care of them. She is so sweet and caring and we loved the great communication and photos.
Izzy was so WONDERFUL!! From the first moment we met she was bubbly and kind and my kitten warmed right up to her! Her updates were consistent and detailed, our girls looked so happy in all the photos and videos, and she left our home tidy. What else could I ask for?! Thank you Izzy!! I will be reaching out again in the future, you are a star.
Izzy is a wonderful cat sitter and is a complete expert with my two cats. She follows instructions exactly and always provides excellent updates. Our 2 cats have very different personalities, but Izzy is excellent at making them both feel happy and comfortable!
Izzy has watched my cat Maude a number of times now. She’s always very communicative and responsible. It’s clear that she knows what she’s doing, and that she cares for the welfare of the cats she’s watching. I feel confident leaving Maude and my home in her care.
We are so grateful to have found Izzy, she’s incredible with our two cats. One of our cats is very timid but Izzy carefully and thoughtfully built trust with her while we were away. Izzy also sent lots of updates about the cats and we were really pleased with how she handled everything. Thank you Izzy!
Calendar and availability
Schedule
I am a Registered Nurse that works a weekly hybrid schedule, part-time hours (1-2 days at the hospital, 1 day virtually from home). I have no children and no other pets so I have lots of capacity and time to care for your sweet furbabies!
Where your pet will stay
Home characteristics
Safety, trust & environment
I am currently offering house-sitting and drop-in services for cats. Vancouver residents only please (Mount Pleasant neighbourhood preferred!) I typically like to conduct my 30 minute drop-in visits as follows: 1. Safety and comfort check - 5 minutes. (For example, what’s the temperature in the apartment? Get eyes on kitties; are they in any distress? Any “dingleberries” present on long haired kitties, or other health/wellbeing concerns I need to prioritize addressing?). 2. Change water bowls and provide food as instructed by owner - 5 minutes 3. Freshen up litter boxes - 5 minutes 4. Tidy up any messes - 5 minutes (any poop streaks on carpets? Sweep or vacuum bits of litter that might have wandered) 5. Playtime! - 5 minutes 6. Take photos of kitties and write up a quick Rover Card - 2 or 3 minutes 7. Final checks before leaving! Kitties look happy? All taps turned off? I didn’t leave any hazards behind me? (Windows open? Doors opens?) - 2 or 3 minutes. What I cannot offer for any client: Cats will be indoors only and I cannot walk kitties or use any outdoor harnesses due to risk of escape. I will also not chase or push the cat to interact with me - if they are shy; I will follow their lead and go at their personal pace and allow them to lead the interaction on their own terms; I will not force an anxious cat to come out of their hiding spot, pick them up, pet them, or play with them. For these cats, I prefer to build trust slowly by sitting and speaking calmly and quietly nearby; letting them make the first move when they are ready, and rewarding with treats when they do!
A typical day
If house-sitting: I provide at least 30 minutes (but usually much more!) of active playtime with kitties (chasing balls, wand toys, etc). I do not use my hands as toys, to prevent the kitty developing bad nipping habits. The rest of the time, I love to read, snuggle, and watch TV with kitty! I will assist with ongoing tricks and behaviour training as requested, and will provide brushing + nail trimming if requested. I am happy to have the kitties sleep with me at night, or, I can also keep them locked out of the bedroom if requested, based on the owner’s preference to best mimic their routine. I am extra conscious about cat safety, and I do a "Safety Meeting" and look for the cat's location before using the washer, dryer or dishwasher. I am conscious of keeping screen doors/windows/other escape routes closed.