Hi, I'm Brooke. I live in Cambridge, Minnesota, about an hour north of Minneapolis, in a 1948 story-and-a-half with my husband Caleb, a golden rescue mutt named Hank, and Mabel, a gray tabby who has never once let the dog sit in her chair.
Three days a week I work as a client-care coordinator at a small-animal vet clinic one town over. I've spent more than a decade on the clinic side of the counter, first in the kennels and then at the front desk, so I've watched a lot of people get handed estimates they weren't ready for. In November 2022 we were those people, and that's a big part of why this blog exists.
What you'll find here
- Dog Life: walks, trails, lake days and everyday life with a 68-pound golden mutt.
- Cat Corner: living with (and working for) a senior indoor cat.
- Vet Bills & Insurance: what our pets' care actually costs, our pet insurance claims and how we save for the vet bills nobody plans.
- Food & Treats: what goes in the bowls, what it costs and the treats we make at home.
- Gear We Actually Use: leashes, beds, litter, booties and the stuff that didn't make it.
- Cozy Home With Pets: old floors, muddy springs, long winters and keeping the house nice anyway.
A few honest notes
I work at a vet clinic, but I'm not a veterinarian or a vet tech, and I'm not a licensed insurance agent or financial advisor. When I share what we pay or what we decided for Hank and Mabel, it's our experience, not advice for your pet. Please take health questions to your own vet.
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I'd love to hear from you: hello@kibbleandcozy.com.