Michelle Adams, Founder of Chatty Cats Care

Kristen Petrie [00:00:00]

You've tuned in to the community cats podcast. Ready? Let's go!

Stacy LeBaron [00:00:08]

Welcome to the community cats podcast. I am your host, Stacy LeBaron. I've been involved helping homeless cats for over 20 years with the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society. The goal of this podcast is to expose you to amazing people who are improving the lives of cats. I hope these interviews will help you learn how you can turn your passion or cats into action. 

Today, we're speaking with Michelle Adams. Michelle is the founder of Chatty Cats Care, a cat sitting company based in London, United Kingdom. They are made up of 15 pet sitters or cat sitters. They work and care for a variety of cats while owners are away, such as blind cats, three-legged cats, and diabetic cats, to name a few. Michelle has always been passionate about cats and has grown up with them her entire life since she was born. Her current cat Jerry is 21 years old, which is a hundred in cat years. He is very loved and spoiled and cared for at her home in London. She also has a podcast called the Catmaste Chronicles, which is about well being and cat owners. They interview a variety of inspirational guests to talk about their businesses, sports, creative careers, and best of all cats as a business. She has a strong focus on ethical and environmentally friendly products, and she is currently planning, and designing, cat themed eco-friendly products for humans. Welcome to the show, Michelle.

Michelle Adams [00:01:34]

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Stacy  [00:01:37]

Yeah, so it sounds like you are involved in a lot of different components out in London. So, my first question to you is, how did you get to be passionate about cats?

Michelle [00:01:48]

Wow, it started a long time ago. Like you've mentioned in the introduction, I've been around cats since I can remember, probably from the moment I was born maybe. So cats have always been a part of my family. I love them so much. I get so much from them and I hope they get, you know, a lot from me too. My grandma owned cats first. And that's how I really started to love and engage them, just like a family member, really, and I didn't actually get my first cat until I was around, I want to say 13-14 years old. That was my very own first cat. So, yeah, it was amazing. I was ecstatic and so happy. So that's where it kind of all started, and then I inherited my grandma's cat, Jerry, when she passed away, and we've had him ever since. 

Stacy [00:02:47]

And it seems like, you know, a cat care organization that you have, we call them pet sitters here in the United States, but I guess we would say cat sitters or that kind of thing, but it seems like you have an interest in helping support, what we would call maybe special needs cats; so the blind cats, three-legged kitties, diabetic cats. It sounds like you must have experience in giving meds and that kind of thing. So, you sort of are above and beyond your standard cat sitter. 

Michelle [00:03:16] 

Oh, absolutely. I've always been passionate about cats that are rescue cats, you know, cats, that are usually ignored or not the pretty beautiful cats, you know, that you might see on advertisements or cat food boxes. I love the cats that are just strays or just look a bit raggedy, to be honest. I love helping cats. And yes, like you said, I kind of learned on the job, really, in regard to administering medication. I learned through the clients. I did a lot of reading, a lot of YouTube watching, research, and I kind of just built it up from there and I went on to rescue some cats I actually found in Greece. They were very sick, poorly, street cats. And while I was there, I was on a residency program. We found these cats and I thought I can't just leave them. I really want to help them. I want to do something and there's a huge problem with stray cats in many European countries, especially Greece because you may know, Greece is kind of overrun by cats, really. They call it the cat island. 

So I really wanted to do something, so to cut a long story short. I managed to get the cats on a neutering program. So three out of four of them were neutered. I fed them every day that I was there, which was a month, and just to get them healthy and to get them a little bit fatter before I left. So they had a better chance of survival, and after doing that, it felt amazing. And I really would love to kind of continue that as well. So, although we do look after, you know, clients’ cats, rescuing cats abroad is something that I'm also very passionate about and would love to kind of look into more in the future. 

Stacy [00:05:10]   

That's fantastic, and that's great, and I'm going to hold you to that one, Michelle. So yeah, I've spoken to a couple of cat sitters over the years that I've had this podcast, and many of them have also talked about their role in educating their clients sort of about community cats and, you know, how to handle it If there's a cat that's in their backyard. What to do? Do you provide those kinds of advisory services to your clients? 

Michelle [00:05:37] 

What I would say on the podcast really, is it’s an amazing kind of tool for the clients to listen to you because we have on, like yourself, a lot of guests who have that experience, so I wouldn't call myself a cat expert, but I do talk to a lot of people on the show who know so much about rescuing cats -- how to rescue cats; and I would definitely refer my clients on to listen to the podcast. Also, if anybody ever reaches out to me, personally, for any questions, and I know we've covered that in an episode, then I kind of steer them towards that direction, but I do try to give as much advice as I can as well. 

Stacy [00:06:18] 

So for those of us that aren't really familiar with the cat world in London, you know, what's it like for cats there? 

Michelle [00:06:26]

It's pretty good, to be honest. It's really good, actually. I'm gonna say that it's rare that you really see a stray cat. I mean, that there are, there must be, but I personally don't really come across them that much. I mean, all of the cats that I kind of walk past in the street, you can tell they come from like a loving home and that they’re well fed. Their coats are really good and healthy. So I'd say they live a pretty good life, and to be honest, as a cat sitter going into some of the client's homes. Ah, wow, they have like bespoke furniture for the cats and they have all the best food. So it's pretty good. Pretty good. 

Stacy [00:07:07] 

Are there any issues around conflicts with like birds and cats? And now that's a Hot Topic here in the United States. And I didn't know if that was an issue that spoken about much over in the United Kingdom. 

Michelle [00:07:20] 

I wouldn't say that it's really spoken about much. I think people just understand and know that cats are hunters and we kind of expect them to bring a gift as most people call it, which could either be maybe a rodent or bird or frog, depending on whatever prey they can kind of get their hands on. But I wouldn't say that I've had it really discussed much as like an issue. People just kind of just, I guess embrace it really, that that's just a part of feline behavior. 

Stacy [00:07:54] 

So tell me a little bit about your podcast, the Catmaste Chronicles. How long have you been doing it? And, you know, you mentioned a little bit about the guests that you've had on the show, but maybe share with us, you know, a couple of guests that come to mind more specifically. 

Michelle [00:08:08] 

So it's a passion project of mine I started during the lockdown in London because my pet sitting business was, well, I guess it stopped because nobody was going on holiday and nobody could kind of leave. So I wanted to do something to keep it alive. I mean, I have my Instagram and I post quite a lot of the cats that we look after, but because I hadn't had a cat to look after in, you know, maybe a few weeks, I hadn't really had any recent content. So I thought I need to do something that keeps alive. 

I listen to a lot of podcasts anyway, and I really, I enjoyed podcasts a lot, so I thought this is something I really want to do and there's so much that I want to talk about and sometimes with, you know, not all of my friends are actually cat lovers. So when I'm talking about cats them, they're like, yeah, that's nice, but they're not really interested. So I really wanted to talk to other people who I knew would be interested about cats. So, yeah, I started it from there, really. 

I like, I love, yoga as well, by the way, I try to do it as often as I can, but I haven't been able to do some recently. So that's where the name Catmaste came from. Namaste is the phrase used usually at the end of a yoga class. And I really love like the meaning behind it. So I wanted to kind of play on the words with cats and namaste. So I came up with Catmaste. And then, yeah, it started from there, really. 

I've reached out to a few of my clients who I knew were, you know, really inspirational or knowledgeable about cats. So, I have one client who she's actually a pet sitter in Abu Dhabi in the UAE, and I was actually supposed to go to pet sit there this year in July, but because of the lockdown I wasn't able to get over there, but she actually just started a project rescuing street cats in Abu Dhabi and there's a huge problem in the UAE and there isn't a lot of education when it comes to felines and even dogs, sadly. So she kind of took it upon herself, used her own money to rescue cats, take them to a nearby vet, pay for the neutering, get them back to good health, pay for any medication and then get them adopted or fostered. So she's been doing that for quite a long time and I thought it was just such an amazing and inspiring story and the fact that she was just doing this, just because she loves cats so much. I thought, wow, I want more people to hear about this, and I would love more people to support it. 

Well, so, I interviewed her, she's on the podcast as well. And her name is Aisha Hussain and the charity is called Feline Friends International. They don't just support cats in the UAE. Somebody else is the co-founder of that charity that they're setting up and is actually based in Canada. So they rescue cats in Canada as well. So it's an international project. So I'm actually going to be raising some money for them with some of the ethical products that I am about to launch, but I'll speak about that, I'm sure we'll get on to that a bit later. 

Stacy [00:11:15] 

 

It's fascinating, really interesting. And as you say, inspirational guests, I mean what an inspiration she is. And yeah, you're talking about Greece, UAE. It's amazing what's happening all around the world for cats, and we have so much work to do, but it's great that some things are happening for them. That's for sure.

--Start mid-roll advertising—

 

Stacy  [00:11:55]

 

Celebrating the welfare of all cats, the international Cat Association, also known as TICA, is the world's largest feline genetic registry and is the number one registry of household pet cats and kittens. TICA was the first, and now, the world's largest registry to allow household cats of unknown ancestry to compete for the same titles and awards as pedigreed cats. Whether you adopt or shop, TICA is the one-stop shop for all things feline. TICA is more than 65,000 members and clients in 104 countries who all speak the language of cat lover by helping make an impact on the health and welfare of all cats. Members and clients serve to educate and foster spay/neuter awareness in their local communities and are active volunteers at local animal shelters and animal outreach programs. TICA takes an active role in numerous citizen advisory groups to foster legislation to aid the health and welfare of all cats. To learn more about TICA go to www.tica.org/. 

 

By now you know how powerful the Doobert software platform is facilitating everything from transport to fostering with just a few clicks, but did you know that the team at Doobert also provides consulting and custom software development for your organization's needs? The team at Doobert has extensive experience in website design SEO, strategies, mobile application development, and even advanced capabilities involving integration to social media and text messaging, big or small. The team at Doobert can do it all and because Doobert operates as a social enterprise, all of the revenue from their consulting services goes back into developing even more Innovative and life-saving solutions for animal rescues around the world. So if you are planning to increase your digital presence online through a new website or some SEO strategies, or if your organization is looking for an experienced web development team to support your operations, look no further than the team at Doobert. Reach out to Chris today at chris@doobert.com and he'd be glad to discuss what you're trying to accomplish and how they can help. 

Say goodbye to scooping. Say hello to a better litter box. Introducing Kitty Sift, the eco-friendly waterproof litter box, made of recycled cardboard. Just lift, sift and reuse. See it on Amazon or go to kittysift.com and use coupon code PODCAST for 15% off.

--End mid-roll advertising—

 

Stacy [00:14:13]

Well, before we jump into your business and other business endeavors that you're doing, I want to talk about Jerry for a little bit. So it sounds like Jerry was your grandmother's cat and then you adopted him after she passed away. What's Jerry's personality like? 

Michelle [00:14:30]   

Ah, Jerry. He is so funny. Literally, even my friends who are not cat lovers, they love him because he's just one of a kind. So Jerry is very old and it's impressive how old he is. I mean, I'm sure there are many cats in their twenties. But yeah, he's, he was 21 this year. He looks very good for his age. He's quite frail now, he's very light. He's very deaf, and a little bit blind, but he looks great. I mean, he looks, he looks really good. He came into my life when I was around, I was a,round nine years old. I'm 32 now. So that's just impressive in itself. Like the fact that he's been around since I was 9 years old. I just can't even get my head around it because I hadn't met another cat that age before. So, I just; so I look at him all the time, like in amazement. Like wow, you're still fighting fit and I love that. It kind of encourages me and motivates me a lot actually. So he is a man of luxury. He's a gentleman, but he can be a little bit of a scaredy cat as well. So he does venture out a little bit. We have like a communal garden near my home and he will venture out to the garden and kind of sniff around the plants. And maybe eat some grass, but then, you know, if somebody comes in and disturbs him, he'll kind of run back in quickly. So he isn't really a confident cat. He doesn't really like children too much but he's very, very gentle. He's never bitten or scratched. He's always been gentle. I think that's why I kind of love him so much because I remember my grandma's previous cat was a little bit vicious at times, and he would scratch and bite occasionally, but Jerry has never done that despite anything. Despite, you know, if any person has picked him up beyond his will, he's never really been like that. And even with the vets, you know, a lot of cats don't like the vets, but he has always been such a calm and patient care and even the vet comments, you know that he's a wonderful and remarkable cat. He makes me emotional. Sometimes, when I think about him, and I really dread so, you know, the day that he has to pass on, but I've loved every moment of my time with him and still am enjoying it. So he's really changed my life and I've always loved cats, but he definitely made me love cats even more, really. 

Stacy [00:17:15] 

That’s fantastic. And I had the honor of having had two cats in my life that have made it to 20. 

Michelle [00:17:21] 

Wow. 

Stacy [00:17:22] 

And yeah, so it's, it is definitely, you know, tough when their time comes, but it's really wonderful to have them in our lives for that long. It's tremendous and I hope he makes it. We have a woman actually in the town next door to our town here in Vermont. Her cat’s 26. 

Michelle [00:17:43] 

Wow, okay, amazing!

Stacy [00:17:45] 

Yep, so there’s still hope. There's hope that he had been with you for quite a few years longer. So, that would be nice. Yeah, so do you want to take a few minutes to share with us about some of the other business activities that you have going on? 

Michelle [00:18:00]

Yes, so I didn't expect that my podcast would kind of head in that direction. But so many of the guests that I've had on so far are really passionate about sustainable living having an eco-friendly environment and kind of saving the planet, really, and I'm passionate about that, but I would say, I didn't know, I was a little bit naive and I didn't know, you know, as much as the guests kind of educating me about. So it's amazing. I'm learning so much from having this podcast as well because I speak to so many knowledgeable people. My friend I just interviewed for the podcast quite recently; she's a biochemist. So she told me so much about, you know, what's happening with the planet and biodiversity and growing your own food. So it's fantastic, and I love that the podcast is kind of heading towards that direction, really, and that theme and I love that it’s taking on that theme. And I really want to as a business owner become like, I guess a pioneer for or try to be about sustainable living and being eco-friendly and saving the planet as much as I can. So I thought well, what can I do? What am I doing now? Myself personally. What can I share with others? 

So I try as much as possible to cut down on the use of plastic and I usually take a lot of food with me. So I work as a nanny as well during the day and I'd often take maybe some snacks with me or a sandwich or something like that. And before I just used some, I don't know, a sandwich bag or some tin foil, which we wrap our sandwiches with here, but those things are really bad and damaging for the planet. So I thought what can I what can I use now? So then I discovered beeswax food wraps. So they're, they're amazing. You can wrap all kinds of food with them. You can use them on the go or you can use them for storing things at home and your refrigerator. They're amazing and they're sustainable, they last so long and that they're great for the planet, of course, because you can reuse them so many times and they're not bad for the environment if you decide to recycle. 

So I decided I would love to, to make some of my own, and I decided that I'd love to make some cat-themed beeswax wraps. So I thought, yeah, okay, so I've bought lots of cat-themed material. I'm currently in the process of making my first wraps. So I'd love to try and get them out before Christmas time as well. And I'm actually going to be donating 30% of the proceeds to Feline Friends International, which is the charity that I spoke about earlier who are rescuing the street cats in the UAE and beyond. So I'd really love to help and support them. And if it means that I can get, you know, I share some extra funds to be able to get some cats some medication or to get the website, you know, developed more so that more people can find them. And, and adopt the street cats. I'd love to do anything that would help. So I thought, yeah, that would be the perfect, perfect kind of thing to do really and it's Christmas time. So I guess people are looking for gifts people; love cat themed gifts. So I thought why not try to do this and do it before Christmas? 

Stacy [00:21:34] 

That's great. Excellent idea. Excellent idea. So if folks are interested in finding out more about your work and what you're doing, how could they find you? 

Michelle [00:21:42] 

Yes, so they can find me on Instagram or find the business. It's at Chatty Cats Care. We're also on Facebook at Chatty Cats Care. Or on LinkedIn I'm Michelle Adams. So you can find me on either of those platforms, really, also, on our website, which is www.chattycatscare.co.uk. And this is where you'll also be able to order the beeswax food wraps. 

Stacy [00:22:12] 

And is there anything else you'd like to share with our listeners today?

Michelle [00:22:16] 

I just love to say thank you so much for listening. Thank you so much for caring for cats. And thank you, Stacy for spreading such amazing, you know, news and awareness about cats around the world. It's really inspirational and I love what you're doing.

Stacy [00:22:35] 

Michelle. Thank you so much and thank you for sharing with us today all that you're doing, and the things that you're hearing about with cats all around the world. Thank you so much for agreeing to be a guest on my show, and I hope we'll have you on again in the future. 

Michelle [00:22:47] 

That would be amazing. Thank you so much

Stacy  [00:22:50]

 

That's it for this week. Please head over to Apple podcasts and leave a review. We love to hear what you think and a five-star review really helps others find the show. You can also join the conversation with listeners, cat caretakers, and me on Facebook and Instagram. And don't forget to hit follow or subscribe on Spotify, Apple podcast, Google podcast, YouTube, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss a single show. Thanks for listening and thank you for everything that you do to help create a safe and healthy world for cats.

 

Kristen [00:23:21]

 

The Community Cats Podcast would like to shout out a few of our online event sponsors. Did you attend the United Spay Alliance conference in March? The incredible content and educational opportunity were brought to you in part by Marian's Dream and Humane Network. If you or your organization would like to sponsor content that you care about and that saves feline lives, go to CommunityCatsPodcast.com/sponsor and learn more about how you can turn your passion for cats into action.