Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Smith.
Hi Lisa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Long before Westside Pets existed, animals had always been a part of my life. As a kid, I volunteered at local pet stores, dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, and later worked in veterinary hospitals. Life eventually took me in a different direction, and I built a career in the corporate world. But in 2010, when I was laid off from my corporate job, everything came full circle.
For the first time in years, I stopped to ask myself what I truly wanted to spend my time doing. I knew I wanted to build a business around something I genuinely loved, something that wouldn’t feel like “work.” Living in Santa Monica at the time, I remember thinking, What could be better than spending my days walking dogs along the beach path or hiking the Santa Monica Mountains?
And that’s how Westside Pets began in 2011.
In the beginning, I cared for a variety of pets and the business grew quickly, beyond anything I had imagined. Although I loved caring for every animal, cats had always held a special place in my heart. Over time, Westside Pets naturally evolved into a feline-focused business.
Over the years, I also built businesses in health coaching and real estate while continuing to grow Westside Pets. I genuinely enjoyed both because they gave me the opportunity to build relationships and help people in different ways. But throughout it all, cats remained the constant, and I realized I wanted to devote my full attention to the work that had always meant the most to me.
One of the greatest rewards has been the relationships I’ve built with my clients. As those relationships grew, so did the conversations. People weren’t just asking me to care for their cats while they were away. They wanted help understanding them. Why had their cat suddenly stopped using the litter box? Why had a once confident cat become withdrawn? Why were two cats who had always gotten along suddenly struggling to live together?
I’d been answering those kinds of questions for years, but eventually I realized there was an opportunity to help people in a more meaningful way. I decided to make behavior consulting an official part of Westside Pets so I could better support both cats and their people. It felt like a natural evolution of the work I had already been doing for years.
Today, my work includes personalized in-home cat sitting, feline behavior consulting, educational workshops, pet grief support, and my forthcoming book, The Art of Loving Your Cat Well. While those may seem like different parts of my business, they all come from the same place, which is simply to help people better understand their cats.
One thing I really want people to know is that a cat’s behavior is communication. The challenge isn’t changing the behavior. It’s recognizing what they’re trying to tell us.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the hardest parts of this work has always been saying goodbye to the pets I’ve cared for. When you’ve been part of a family’s life for years, those pets become part of your life too. Their loss affects me just as it affects the families who love them. Early on, I realized that grief would always be part of this work. No matter how many times you experience it, saying goodbye never gets easier.
Moving from Southern California up to the Central Coast brought a different kind of goodbye. Leaving behind families and pets I’d known for years wasn’t easy, and starting over in a new area meant earning that same trust all over again. Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know so many wonderful families here in San Luis Obispo County. The sense of community here is something I truly appreciate, and I’m grateful for every client who has welcomed me into their home and trusted me with their beloved pets.
I’m so fortunate to call the beautiful Central Coast home, and I’m excited for what’s ahead as Westside Pets continues to grow here.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At Westside Pets, every cat is treated as an individual. Every cat has their own personality, preferences, and comfort level, and I believe they deserve care that’s tailored specifically to them. Whether I’m providing in-home cat sitting, behavior consulting, or wellness guidance, my goal is always to provide support that’s tailored to the unique needs of cats and their people.
One of the things I’m most proud of is how Westside Pets has grown over the years. What began as a pet sitting business has naturally expanded as my clients looked to me for guidance beyond the visits themselves. Today, I’m able to support families in a variety of ways while staying true to the same personalized approach that has always guided my work.
Above all, I want people to know that when they choose Westside Pets, they’re choosing someone who genuinely cares about their cats as individuals. I’ve never known life without cats. They’ve shaped not only the person I am, but the business I’ve built.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
The next time your cat does something that doesn’t make sense to you, instead of asking, “Why is my cat doing that?” try asking, “What might my cat be trying to tell me?” Sometimes that one small shift changes everything.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://westside-pets.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidepets_slo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidepets2011
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/westside-pets-san-luis-obispo
- Other: https://share.google/5Xs9FnVS5Z1yLwz93
