Sponsor of the Month: Bastet Cat Care

By Lena DeZutti

AJ Gegenheimer is an Indiana native, hailing from Chesterfield’s North 40 Park campground. She has felt a calling to the care and keeping of cats since her childhood. At the age of 6, she knew she wanted to be a veterinarian, and, at age 16, she discovered the veterinary technician profession. Her pursuit began in earnest in 1987 when she earned her associate’s degree in applied science at Purdue. In 1991, she became a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT), began pet sitting in 1995, and, in 2002, switched from dog and cat care to exclusively looking after cats.

In 2016, Gegenheimer began offering several cat-related care services through her place of business: Bastet Cat Care and Sitting, Inc. Her services include but are not limited to: sitting, nail trims, potty patches, shave downs, litterbox scooping/cleaning, giving medications, fluid therapy, expressing bladders, vet visits, and other cat-related services.

As an RVT, Gegenheimer is also trained to catch potential medical issues in cats before they would normally be noticed. That means she can alert an owner to major medical problems such as diabetes, kidney disease, cardiac disease, etc., and ideally get the animal into treatment sooner.

Cat care is something that Gegenheimer takes very seriously. That becomes even more apparent after learning that her business is named after the Egyptian goddess Bastet, who not only has the head of a cat but is believed to have chiefly been in charge of protecting one’s home, domesticity, and, of course, cats. It’s no wonder that Gegenheimer puts such emphasis on “security and safety for your home” when it comes to your pet’s care. Safety and comfort of your pets are her main concerns every time she takes a sitting assignment. If you are interested in implementing some additional security measures in your home, she recommends alarm systems and cameras as a way of being able to check on your pets remotely. She also stresses the use of proper litterbox cleanliness when it comes to cat health.

“Litterbox care and proper medical care for the kitties is my highest priority,” Gegenheimer said. “So many health issues can be caught early with proper litterbox care and knowing your kitty’s personality and habits.”

She is happy to teach you about cats, their behaviors, and health issues in person and through her social media accounts as well. Gegenheimer’s Facebook page, Bastet Cat Care & Sitting, is updated monthly. She describes her articles as “informative [about] care for both your kitties and home.” Some other articles you will find there cover security measures you can take in your home, cat gift ideas, and litterbox issues. You can also find her on Twitter under the handle @bccs95.

Gegenheimer’s love and care for cats extend to her own fur babies, of which she has two: Zeus (16) and Nelson (13).

She is also close with her niece, who has a rare disease called mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) and is a she prides herself in being a patient advocate to not only raise awareness for MPS but to also be the voice for those who can’t speak.

Gegenheimer serves the west side of Indianapolis, as well as the nearby areas of Avon, Brownsburg, Plainfield, and Zionsville. She is a one-woman operation and is both the founder and owner of Bastet.

AJ Gegenheimer Bastet Cat Care and Sitting 2235 Whitecliff Dr. Indianapolis, IN 46234 (317) 919-1948 BCCS95@Gmail.com Facebook: Bastet Cat Care & Sitting Twitter: @bccs95

BASTET

CAT CARE & SITTING

Accommodating all feline family members including special medical & behavioral needs.

Teaching and Giving Injections, Medication, Nail Trims and Minor Grooming,Vet Transports, Cat Sitting

Owner AJ Gegenheimer, RVT Bonded & Insured with Pet Sitters Association

(317) 919-1948 | bccs95@gmail.com

Serving the westside of Indianapolis, Avon, Brownsburg, Plainfield, Zionsville