Dan and Dave's Country Inn
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Read more testimonials from Dan and Dave's clients at Insiderpages.com 
"Gadget's" Story
The Cat Whisperer. That is what
we call Denise Eberle at our house and among our friends.
We met Denise when we had a problem with our cat, Gadget.
She had the tip of her tail guillotined by a bedroom door that was blown shut by high winds. We called our regular vet
who said that they couldn’t do anything for us until Monday. This was on Saturday. We called the Cat Hospital
of Clayton, where Denise worked, and explained the situation. She said that it was imperative that Gadget be seen and
treated at once.
After we experienced the responsible and professional care they provided, we changed veterinarian's
for both of our cats.
Gadget is an interesting cat. We got her at the Berkeley Humane Society after she had
been abandoned there. She was sick, and as we figured out later, probably feral. She would not let us touch her,
she would bat and hiss if you even got near her, and getting her to the vet for regular treatment took heroic effort and lots
of scratches and worse forms of acting out on Gadget’s part.
We all kept to ourselves and decided to live and
let live. Her only comfort was our other cat, Gizmo, who tolerated having another cat in the house.
Things
changed when we had a baby and moved, in the course of about 2 years. Gadget got more and more reclusive, and then we
notice that she was over grooming and scratching herself to the point of creating large wounds on her neck and chest.
We took her in to be seen and she was so combative that she needed to be anesthetized to be treated. Of course that
didn’t solve the problem of how were we going to get her medicine in her and the ointment on the wound. She simply
would not let us help her. Denise recommended that we put an E-Collar (cone) around her neck and keep her isolated in
a room so that she would not be able to hurt herself further. This actually did the trick in helping heal the wound,
but didn’t help her attitude towards us. Or our attitude towards her, for that matter.
During this
time we had her rear claws removed, figuring since her
front claws were already out (after she scratched our baby’s
face, I normally don’t approve of claw removal!) she wouldn’t be able to injure herself anymore.
That
was true. For a short time. After about 6 months, we noticed that she was developing another wound from over grooming
at the base of her tail. It was growing bigger and bigger and we were at our wit’s end. My husband thought
that we had done all we could do, and that even if she healed up from this after a lot of veterinary care and medical bills,
she would just continue injuring herself. We were at the point of having her euthanized, and I called Denise for advice.
I have never met anyone who knows more about caring for cats and interpreting their behavior than Denise, and
I knew she was Gadget’s last hope.
And she was. She urged me not to have her euthanized and asked me
if she could try to help her. She knew we had financial restrictions and asked only for expenses, i.e. ointment and cat food.
So, I took Gadget up to where Denise lives, along with a menagerie of other animals, including about 8 or 9 other cats
and dropped her off. Denise would give me regular updates about Gadget’s progress. The first milestone was
healing up her tail. And then the real miracles started happening. Denise would tell me that Gadget let her pet
her. And then, that Gadget would come up to her and step into her lap. And then that Gadget would sleep on the
bed with her. I was astonished that she was able to “tame” this wild cat and actually tease out a very sweet,
but fragile personality.
I had mixed feelings when Denise brought her back home after a few months. I felt
obligated to try and take care of her, but I also felt guilty because I knew she wouldn’t get the kind of attention
and understanding that she could get from Denise. But Denise thought it was best to try and reintroduce her to her home,
and told me that if it didn’t work out, she would take care of Gadget permanently if I could sponsor her. That
sounded like the best option to me, at the time.
It was a tender moment when Denise said “good-bye”
to Gadget, and I could see that the two of them had developed a strong bond. We all had tears in our eyes as they said
their goodbyes.
I didn’t think it would work. I thought I would be dropping Gadget off back at Denise’s
doorstep within a month. That was almost 9 months ago. Since Denise worked with Gadget, she is affectionate, comes
up to be petted (insists on it, actually!), and loves to play with my 5 year old son. She is a different cat.
No, she will never be a lap cat and not occasionally hiss and bat at us, but now we see her behavior differently. We
see her differently, because Denise educated us as much as she healed and “tamed” Gadget.
The Cat Whisperer.
That is what we call Denise.
Donna S.
Concord, CA
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| sweet girl ready to go home |
(2006) I visited my friend Gadget a year after she
left my house. I walked into her home to find her laying peacefully on the couch with her feline housemate Gizmo. When I approached
her she didnt run or flinch. She allowed me to just sit down beside her and pet her. It was a truely warming experience to
see her so comfortable and at ease. She later went to play chase around the house with her human little brother. He was not
chasing her, she was chasing him! . It was a wonderful sight and I'll never forget her.
12/31/07 my friend Gadget has passed on - Donna called me on New Years eve to say
Gadget was not breathing well. We found a vet that had time to see her. But sadly, we were not able to bring her home. It
was presumpted she had cancer. Donna graciously allowed me to be present for the Euthenasia and be there to comfort my old
feline friend in her passing. We found blessing in knowing she had a great last 2 years being able to be a calm and happy
housecat that was part of the family circle. Donna allowed me to bury Gadget in my mothers garden. Times are still
stopped to chat with her and tell her about my day.
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| Redd |
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| soaking up the sun rays while watching the guinea pigs outside |
(via email 1/7/08)
Hi Denise, Thanks for taking great care
of our cat Redd over the holidays! When I came to pick up Redd after our trip I could see that he was completely relaxed.
We felt much better about leaving Redd with you knowing how much you care about pets. Your cat enclosures are the most spacious
I have seen. I am sure Redd enjoyed looking out the window at all the other animals he had never seen before. It was
a very nice touch having pictures of Redd during his stay and adding a picture identity tag to the pet carrier. You definitely
provide the best cat boarding service in the area and your price-for-service is good. Thanks, Steve and
Karen
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| see photo's of Buddy,Sissy,Gracie and Billie on the Guest Page |
(may 2007)
Denise~
It was so nice to receive your card. And what an extra special surprise to get the pictures. That was so thoughtful
of you and confirmed our feelings that we had left our "furbabies" in loving hands.
To see them look so
at home was a wonderful feeling. It took them a couple of minutes to sniff everything and decide "Yup! this is our home
and just the way we left it". Buddy fell asleep in his carrier on the way home. Sissy has been spending lots more time
cruising the house, playing and sleeping in our laps. It seems that she feels more relaxed and at home. All in all, Tim and
I are convinced that Buddy, Sissy, Gracie and Billie are related to you some how and you are now their home away from home.
Thanks again Denise. You are quite a special person. 
Les & Tim
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(July 2007) Hi Denise: Thank you again for
taking such good care of our kitties. When we decided that we would take an extended vacation (3 weeks) in Europe, I
was worried about the care of our 2 indoor cats. I had heard that cat kennels sometimes keep the cats locked in small
cages and rarely let them out. That didn't seem like great existence for three weeks. Then I went to your
web-site and immediately liked what I saw, a play room for the cats to stretch out and play. This would be a vacation
for the cats as well as the family. Getting the email while we were on vacation just
reaffirmed that they were getting the best care possible. I could see that they were both happy and were enjoying their
vacation as well. When we brought them home, they settled in within a few minutes and were content, a sign that they
had been well cared for. You are the first choice, for cat care, in my opinion. Thanks again, Anne Young.
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(Feb
3rd 2007 via email)
Hi Denise, I wanted to write and let you
know how much we all love Wes's Retreat. As soon as we brought it home Wes found his little enclosed retreat
at the bottom of the tree and the other two "WWC" champions went at it on the upper levels. The construction
is beautiful and very sturdy which we need for our little wrestlers. Thank you for showing us around today.
It was a pleasure to meet all your unique animals, and I can tell you really are a true animal lover and wonderful caretaker.
If I ever needed to leave my kitties with anyone, you are the one I would entrust their care to. You have provided such
wonderful homes to so many little critters with no where else to go, it leaves me with a warm heart. We also appreciate
your referrals and advice regarding our unique set of animals. We wish you success in all of your work out
there and will be passing the word about your services! Thanks
again and best of luck, Denise! We'll keep in touch. Pamela, Francisco, Wes, Taquin and Guapo (update Feb. 12th 2007)
Hi Denise, The boys are so cute! They
love their tree, and Guapo has claimed the top. (By the way, Guapo hardly bites at all now, he was so happy to have
the kitty tree...really I'm not kidding, he has been so content since it's arrival!) It's his getaway
up there, the only part of the house that no other kitty has claimed! He plays on it daily and sleeps up there the rest
of the day. He gets very upset when Taquin ventures up there. Wes, believe it or not has been on the first level,
though he loves to go and hide in the bottom, especially to eat his dinner away from the other two (he is doing quite
well these days). Taquin likes to lay on the mid levels and Guapo will jump all over him. They have such
a great time. A very popular spot in our house now. They both love climbing up the main support beam. It's
just like a real tree! The wrapped rope gives ideal traction. We really appreciate your hard
work and great design, and I'm sure in the next year or so when they have it all torn up, we'll need a re-carpet job!
Give a hug to all your critters for us (especialy "Thindy").
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Clayton Pioneer newspaper
article - Feb. 23rd 2007
Denise Eberle One of her clients calls
her the Cat Whisperer for her heroic efforts to transform a wild, feral cat named Gadget into a lovable, family pet that often
demands lap time. Other clients who worked with Denise Eberle at the Cat Hospital of Clayton for the past seven years claim
that she knows the name of every client and their beloved feline. At home or at work, Denise is never far from a menagerie
of critters that define who she is what she does. Her dream of owning her own cat boarding facility
is now a reality. Dan and Dave’s Country Inn opened just a few weeks ago at Denise’s home on a hillside off Marsh
Creek Road. "It was something I always wanted to do," she says. The Country Inn is designed
to make cats feel comfortable and loved while their owners are away, explains Denise, and she’s worked hard to create
a home away from home for the four-legged boarders. Cats enjoy spacious suites each with a bench perch to take in the spectacular
views, soft bedding, extra large litter pans and night lights. There’s even soothing music, kitty-themed videos for
cats who need extra stimulation and bottled water. How about video and photo email for you to check and see just how much
fun Whiskers is having at the Country Inn? Playtime is definitely the cat’s meow, with ramps,
perches, tunnels, toys and cat-friendly furniture. Denise frequently offers her lap for some serious cuddle time, especially
for the senior visitors. One of the special features at Dan and Dave’s is a convenient pick-up and delivery service
for the local Clayton area. "I just want to make things easier for people and their pets." It’s
no surprise that Denise has finally created her own business with the primary focus on the care of cats. From the time she
was 15 years old, Denise has worked with all kinds of animals in boarding kennels, veterinary hospitals, grooming facilities
and pet stores. During her seven-year stint at the Cat Hospital, she rescued many of the cats that are now permanently a part
of her family. She refers to her home as a hobby/sanctuary farm with chickens, rodents, a goose,
goats and a rabbit. However, it’s the cats that have captured her heart. "I have many animals on the little farm,
but I have a great fondness and understanding for cats," Denise says.
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