I’m Marlene, born and raised in the Bay Area. I didn’t really grow up with animals, so when the opportunity came up to pet sit for some coffeehouse regulars whenever they were out of town, I was game–except I didn’t have the appreciation for cats that I do now. Shortly after getting my first apartment, the universe blessed me with the best first cat, and the rest, as they say, is history! From then on, if there was a cat around, I was trying to win kitty over.
And let’s be real, because I know we’re all thinking it…cats are the best jerks. They are unapologetic, ridiculously cute and cuddly one minute, and then reminding you that there’s still a wild beast inside the next. No doubt, I want to be a cat in my next life! I don’t have to work or worry about how ridiculous rent and gas prices are. The food is always flowing, I get to spend my days lounging around in the sun, no bad weather or predators to worry about, I get to cuddle on my terms, and there’s a box a go to the bathroom in and it magically cleans itself. (After getting a Litter Robot, the running joke was that our cat’s toilet is more expensive than ours!) And everyone thinks I’m cute!
Besides caring for friends’ cats and our own, I’ve done in-home pet sitting, connecting with people who would let you stay at their house in exchange for caring for their animals. I mostly staycationed at people’s homes around different parts of the Bay. I loved getting to explore different places, and getting to spend a lot of QT with kitties was a huge plus.
After over a decade of working as a health care professional, I was able to retire early by way of financial independence. I now fill my days with a few gigs that actually bring me joy while still being of service and bringing joy to others. In addition to helping my husband with his business, I started teaching yoga again, and now, thanks to The Comforted Kitty, I get to meet and hang out with all the kitties! I love meeting their humans too. I consider it a great honor to be trusted to care for people’s homes and pets, and I love being able to give people some peace of mind while they’re away.
When I’m not working, I’m probably hiking, going to the beach, taking care of my indoor jungle of house plants, listening to music or a podcast, reading a book, watching a movies, or hanging out with family or friends.
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