Cat sitter in Nantes, Gaëlle will take care of your cats while you are away

“Their gaze calms me. “Surrounded by Looping, 8, and Never, 5, Gaëlle Moinard talks with stars in her eyes about her special relationship with cats.

This lover of tomcats has become cat sitter in 2015 after a change in working life. Dismissed for financial reasons, the former administrative secretary created her own cat sitting business : The pillows by Gaëlle. The success is dazzling for the self-employed, as evidenced by the 137 reviews left on Google and an average score of five stars.

Meeting a passionate person and discovering a thriving profession.

“I’ve already seen tumors on cats”

After her retraining, Gaëlle began training to learn the basics of her job as an “animal nanny”. “I started by keeping dogs and cats, then, when I became more financially secure, I devoted myself to cats in 2017”, explains the self-employed person.

Today, Lucéenne travel on the roads of the metropolis of Nantes (Loire-Atlantique) to visit the resident cats. A visit usually lasts 30 minutes, even an hour for some of them. During her rounds, she plays with the cat, gives it medicine or takes it to the vet if necessary. “My priority is the cat’s safety and well-being, and to create an environment where he feels good,” says Gaëlle.

I have seen tumors on cats before. It is always difficult to break the news to the client who is on holiday, but in the end the cat is saved. It’s super rewarding for me. People thank me for saving their cat’s life.

Thanks to cat behaviorist training in June 2020, the professional can recognize an animal’s distress signals depending on posture and gesture. Gaëlle also helps cat owners, for example by advising them not to install the waste next to the washing machine. “The cat can get scared, and then it stays in a place where it doesn’t want to relieve itself,” adds the specialist.

“Since February last year, I have finished for the month of August”

From an early age, Gaëlle grew up with dogs, horses and cats. However, the love of cats at first sight only took hold when the resident of Sainte-Luce-sur-Loire owned her first cat when she was 18 years old.

“Cats are fascinating and independent, they are magnificent creatures,” says the cat sitter. A love literally drawn on her skin with one of her tattoos. Passionate, Gaëlle can experience intensive days by realizing 16 visits per day.

The success of his business guarantees him a busy schedule, especially within school holiday period. “Since February last year, I have finished for the month of August,” says Gaëlle. A calendar that could sometimes cause problems with loved ones. “I don’t have a holiday in the summer, neither for Christmas nor New Year, but you have to make sacrifices when your job is your passion”, admits the young woman.

A loyal clientele

“From year to year I finish earlier and earlier,” smiles Gaëlle. La Lucéenne recognizes this: it can count on a loyal clientele. “In order not to disturb their loved ones, my clients call me because they know I will spend time with their cat when a relative doesn’t necessarily have time,” she says.

If Gaëlle rubs shoulders with cats on a daily basis, she is ties to cat owners. A rewarding experience for her. “In addition to loving cats, you have to be empathetic with customers. »

When we met in mid-June, Gaëlle had just learned the death of one of the cats which she had kept for five years. The young woman was one listening ear for the mistress of the deceased cat. “She spent the evening talking about her cat, which she had just euthanized. I talked to her because I know the pain she is in, she needed to talk to someone who loves cats and understands her. »

Guided by her passion, Gaëlle Moinard wants to continue taking care of her favorite felines and vows to “live like a cat” for a few more years.

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