Finding a cat sitter

mommytobuck

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I want to go on a trip to Europe this spring for about a week and 1/2 the question becomes what to do with the kitty. I don't want to board him, he would lose his mind. So it is cat sitting. But any cat sitter would have to be here for morning dinner and evening dinner and clean out the cat box. Any clue where to find such a thing?
 

Neko-chan's mama

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My first thought is to perhaps call your vet and see if they know of anyone. Also if there's a friend or coworker you trust you could ask them.
 

FeebysOwner

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Another possible way to find a cat sitter is through care.com in the cat section. You can look at profiles of people in your area, contact them, meet with them ahead of time, get their references, run through the routine you want them to carry out, and establish the cost for the services you want. It is always a good idea to have a sitter come to your house a few times before you leave in order for the cat and them to become familiar with one another - and most of the sitters in care.com are more than willing to do so because they know the importance of it. If one of them doesn't agree to do this, move on to the next person that peaked your interest.

Once you do go, leave some of your worn, unwashed clothes in areas that your cat is used to hanging out in so that he has your scent with him in your absence.
 

daftcat75

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I recommend getting a couple of cameras and a couple of smart lights. The cameras will be so you can check in on the furball while you're away; and also to monitor the sitter. You can tell the sitter about your cameras. Don't hire a sitter who isn't comfortable with cameras. Sitters don't always leave the lights the way you or your cats prefer. You can fix the lights with timed routines or in real-time if you notice them on the cameras.

I also recommend hiring your sitter (or auditioning multiple sitters) for one or two training feeds where you are present and can offer feedback in real-time, and several more practice feeds where you are not present. A good sitter will text you when they arrive at your home. A great sitter will include a picture of your cat in that message. Since you're doing practice feeds with a sitter who is okay with cameras, you can watch her on the camera and make sure she's doing everything you expect. Use the practice feeds to iron out any gaps in expectations and protocols so you won't be surprised when you're too far away too do anything about it. It will also help with your own comfort level so you can trust your sitter and enjoy your trip.

There are "Pet Sitter Checklist" templates available for free if you search for them. Make sure your sitter has all contact information for your vet but also for your property manager if you rent and a local emergency contact. If you feed multiple foods, I would put color stickers on the food and on the line item in the feeding instructions. Same with medicines. If your boy takes any medicines or supplements, color code the measuring spoons, the medicine, and the instructions. The practice feeds will help you iron out all of these details BEFORE you leave.
 

neely

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It's a good idea to start looking for a reliable pet sitter now and allow ample time before your European trip this spring. I found our first pet sitter through a co-worker. Perhaps you could talk to other pet owners at your workplace. Our second pet sitter was a referral from a dog owner in our neighborhood. At the time we had a dog and two cats. Maybe other neighbors where you live can be helpful. Both of our pet sitters were word of mouth recommendations. Good luck! :goodluck:
 

marmoset

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If you got the cat from a shelter or rescue I'd call them. Your vet would also be a good source. I would not go with a teen neighbor for a duration of that long. Get a crazy cat-man/ cat lady in there. They will be able to say if there are litter box habit changes, vomit reports, if the animal is eating less than before etc. Shelter workers notice things that well-meaning friends/ family/ neighbors might miss (unless they too are equally involved in animal welfare).

Also they will know who to contact ICE off- hours.
 

Kieka

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I thought my girl wouldn't handle boarding well but when our house was fumigated I had to board her. She actually did really well with it. I brought her two towels from home and a cover bed she could hide in. She was there for a week and no problems (my vet is cat only). I knew that if anything medically went wrong she was in the best place to receive care. I also knew they knew what to watch for in terms of her health and eating. I also didnt have to worry about giving someone a key to my house, if they would come over when they said they would or any of the other questions and worries you might have. I have boarded at one of those upscale pet hotel type places too and even though the vet is less frills, I felt more comfortable and was more confident with the care she received.

So my advice would actually be to reevaluate your perception of boarding because it might be a better choice.
 

betsygee

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If you're on nextdoor.com, you can ask for recommendations from your neighbors.

Our cat sitter comes twice a day. She uses an app called doggylogs so I know when she gets to my house and how long she stays, and sends photos and a short report after every visit.

We took a two week trip last year which is a much longer time than we usually leave the cats, so in addition to the cat sitter coming twice a day, a friend came by during the day a few times as well just to hang out with the kitties and give them a little extra attention.
 

LTS3

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The vet techs at your vet's office may pet sit. Just ask.

Do you have reliable trustworthy relatives, neighbors, co-workers, etc who you can ask?

Boarding isn't bad, really. Just check out places well beforehand. Many boarding places welcome pet owners to visit and ask questions about the services and care offered. I've boarded one of my cats before. He had an entire wall section of multi-level cat condos to himself since it was a quiet time at the boarding place. The few other cats staying had their own separate condos in another area of the room. The boarding place was able to feed the raw food that I provided but not all places do that especially if a cat is on a raw or home cooked diet.
 

echo2075

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I want to go on a trip to Europe this spring for about a week and 1/2 the question becomes what to do with the kitty. I don't want to board him, he would lose his mind. So it is cat sitting. But any cat sitter would have to be here for morning dinner and evening dinner and clean out the cat box. Any clue where to find such a thing?
I've actually left my cats alone for an entire week. I have automatic feeders that spit out food 3 times a day. The feeders have a large container attached for enough food for over two weeks. Got those on Amazon.com.

I leave out extra water bowls and make sure they're topped off before I leave. I use one with a 2 gallon jug attached to it.

I have 3 cats so I leave out around 3 or 4 extra large kitty litter trays (bought from Amazon, about $50 each). My three cats can fill 2 of these extra large trays in 3 days, so leaving 4 trays will give them about 6 days of clean enough dirt. You might need to leave out more, depending on how fast they get full.

I also installed inexpensive cameras so I can watch them from anywhere in the world. Brand name "yi" cameras. About $30 each from Amazon as well. Easy to setup.

Boarding wasn't an option for me. My cats would go crazy being outside of their element, in a unknown place. Also, I hardly get any visitors so any visitors would just spook them. Plus, you don't know what kind of nasty bugs or viruses can be found an boarding places so I wasnt taking any chances.

The only issue was they were on a dry food diet for the whole week. Only one of my cat prefers canned food. She had to suffer a bit.
 

ArchyCat

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I known a local pet sitter. She is bonded. That is something you might look for. Good luck!
 

moxiewild

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Post on Nextdoor and ask for recommendations!

It really isn’t an usual request to ask for a pet sitter to do what you’re wanting whatsoever. The harder part is finding someone trustworthy!

But it’s pretty common to swap out “take the dog for a walk” with “scoop the litterbox and play with/love on kitty”.
 

CityCatMom

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I've used Pawshake in the past and I know Rover is also pretty popular in my area - check out those apps. Also, if you have a neighborhood Facebook group, that is a good place to get local recommendations.
 

javi3

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I want to go on a trip to Europe this spring for about a week and 1/2 the question becomes what to do with the kitty. I don't want to board him, he would lose his mind. So it is cat sitting. But any cat sitter would have to be here for morning dinner and evening dinner and clean out the cat box. Any clue where to find such a thing?
I used to be a petsitter part time before I got my cat. So I'm really particular who I have come into my house and more importantly who's going to be the most loving towards my baby.

I advertised in the "services offered" in the pets section on Craigslist and got quite a few calls. I also saw other petsitting* "ads" there that looked very legit.

Interview on the phone first. See if they're a cat person and really love cats, not just someone who wants easy money. Don't be afraid to ask questions..many questions. I actually loved answering people's questions/concerns. It gave me a sense of pride that I could show my knowledge and care.
Be apprehensive about anyone who resents your questions (unless over the top, or insulting in any way...I didn't like people who were automatically viewing me as a potential criminal/animal meanie, although I still ended up petsitting for them). Just be nice and ask your concerns and any legit petsitter will understand.

Questions to ask:
Will you be sending me a text and photo of my pet when you arrive each time? (If they're overnighters, ask if they will send a pet photo every other day or every 3 days).

How long have you've been doing petsitting? (And get references).

Make sure they won't be bringing anyone else into your home (boyfriend's especially). This stresses your pet, but most importantly they' probably will be more focused on each other and possibly be neglectful to your pet and home. I was totally happy with it being me and a new pet friend... loved it.

Unless a teenager is EXTREMELY responsible, I would consider only adults (and never someone under 16).
Petsitting is a huge responsibility and you want someone who sees it that way. Although many of my jobs went smoothly, there were more than enough times when things would happen. Once, an indoor cat who would bathe the outdoor cat (who would lay in a bed of foxtails) got a foxtail stuck in her throat and had to have emergency surgery...right after In showed up. It involved vet trips, meds, and making sure she didn't hurt herself after the anethesia. The anesthesia confused/made her hyper and she'd continually jump on the bed in circles then wobble across and I'd have to catch her every two minutes for an hour🙀.

Make sure she has her vaccine s/rabies, in case she does need to see vet, or board in an emergency.

Find out what the going rate is , and then after you find someone you trust, tell them up front that you will give a bonus/nice top if the cat is healthy/happy when you get back. Pet sitters don't expect this, but I think it's a good idea.

Never pay the whole $ up front. Pay 1/2 up front (plus money for food and an extra trip for them to go to store if you absolutely can't). Then the rest when you get back. It's always best to have more than enough food/litter/snacks on hand. You can always have an online pet store like Chewy's deliver food/supplies to your house and you pay them through your account.

Give petsitter one key to put on their chain, then another one hidden on your property in a place only you guys know about.
One client had only one key that was on a deck that had slats, and the key nearly slipped through a slat and would've been impossible to retrieve.

Interview them in person and make a copy of their driver's license (after asking them during the phone interview if they wouldn't mind). It shouldn't be a privacy issue like asking for someone's social.

Tell them you have security cameras (except for "their" bedroom/ any bathrooms which is illegal) Even if you don't. Besides this helping to protect you/pet, it's common courtesy to them so they won't run around in a scantily robe etc. (Which I did for weeks before I saw one client's security cameras were on!🤭) It's also good to have cameras in case they've injured themselves at your house. Make sure your homeowners insurance covers an injury to a petsitter on your property. If you have someone spending nights/all day, some homeowner's insurance won't cover an injury if a petsitter has worked over so many hours in one week or month. (You can call your ins .agent to find out). Some small to large petsitting companies have workmans comp for the sitters they hire, but you have to ask. A subcontractor might not be covered.

I wouldn't suggest ever leaving pets alone for more than 2 days. Too many weird things can happen when a pet is stressed and the money you save may not be worth the vet bills in the end.
My mom thought it would be ok to leave her cat in the garage for a week (with food/litter). She came home to a very traumatized cat hiding in the corner and wouldnt even come out for my mom. My mom felt horrible and vowed to never do that again.

Boarding may be ok if there are cat condos, enough space/fish tanks for entertainment lol, and attentive workers.

Good luck!
 
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