My adventures as a cat sitter

[CatSitter86]

Hey.

Thought I'd start a thread for somewhere for me to talk about my cat sitting.

As I look after different cats week by week, there's always plenty of stories and mishaps I have to share.

I'm currently off for the week from my (boring) daytime job, so I've taken on two houses.

One of the cats (Mr Tiddles) is super friendly, loves getting fusses and is just so so laid back. He molts like no-one's business though, so I have to watch what I'm wearing when I visit him.

The other house the cat is very shy. He has a cat flap and the second I walked in today he ran out of it so I haven't had a chance to bond with him. I left him some food, hopefully he goes in at night and has something to eat. I have let the owners know, as they wanted updates and photos, but all I could take a photo of was the food I left out for him. Hopefully he stays in when I do my visit tomorrow.

 

[rubysmama]

Looking forward to reading all about your cat sitting adventures.

And maybe, with the cat parent's permission, of course, you could post some pics of the cats, as well.

 

[Sylvia Jones]

Will be following your thread also. I have thought about doing cat sitting also. Any advice pro or con?

 

[CatSitter86]

Pro... You're literally getting paid to spend time with cats.

Pro... You get to know all different kind of cats, their personalities, their characters... You become a part of their lives.

Con... When a person moves house to an area you can't cover, you never get to see the cat/cats again.

Con... Having to meet new people. I'm not good at meeting new people, so I struggle with the first meet, I get nervous. I've been doi g cat sitting for 3 and a half years now and I still get super nervous though I am getting better.

Pro... You get to see all the different way eople do things with their cats and pick up tips. Different litter (I do actually have a fave), the different food, different toys.

Con... Cat flaps are NOT my friend. I prefer inside cats. Or at least cats I let out when I am there and wait for them to return. Cat flaps are worrying for a cat sitter. Means the cat can go out at anytime and get hurt. My anxiety works over time.

Pro... I've become the regular cat sitter to quite a lot of my clients. It's so easy to communicate with them now. It's a nice feeling that people feel they can trust you with not only their cat but their home too.

Con... Keys. Collecting keys. Most my clients drop them off for me now, which is great. One of my clients has even left a key with me permanently and just books me. I haven't seen that client in 2 years, she could literally walk past me in the street and I wouldn't know her. Her cats though, I could pick them out of a line-up of a hundred cats. Some clients I have to go to to pick up the key which is time consuming.

Pro... (and this is a more personal one I guess) I'm looking at buying a house in a few years time l, so cat sitting is letting me explore different areas of the city I love in. Where is most cay friendly, where has nice neighbourhoods, close to certain places.


I'll probably think of some more and type them up when I do.

 

[CatSitter86]

This is a cat I'm looking after at the moment. His name is Mr Tiddles. He is such an affectionate cat. I do two visits Morning and Evening. On the Morning I feed him then let him out for the day, when I arrive on the evening I have to shout him a few times and he comes running in for food.

He is such a chilled out dude. Loves fusses.

 

[rubysmama]

What a cutie pie. Love the heart shape on his chin!

 

[Sylvia Jones]

It sounds like you have a great job! Thanks so much for sharing

 

[GreyLady]

I really enjoy reading your pros and cons post and seeing Mr. Tiddles. He looks like a cat in my neighbood I call "Mr. Tux" So cute!

 

[Tik cat's mum]

What a great idea I'll be looking forward to your updates. And especially love Mr Tiddles.

 

[CatSitter86]

Can't show a photo of the other cat I'm looking after because, once again, he was nowhere to be found when I did my visit.

This is what I mean about cat flaps, because he can come and go as he pleases it means I'm not guaranteed to see him when I visit. So I arrived and he wasn't in, though his food had been eaten and his litter had been used, so I know he's alive and well... But I'd much rather actually see him.

I've of course kept the owners updated. They've said maybe if I shake his dry food and shout him he might come within my sight, so will try this tomorrow. Otherwise the best I can do as a cat sitter is refill his food and water and clean his litter tray. I stay for a bit to see if he comes in while I'm there but no point me hanging about if he's off adventuring somewhere.

Fingers crossed I see him during my visit tomorrow (the owners only have me visiting him once a day).

 

[CatSitter86]

(oh and BTW, my profile photo is of another cat I look after, her name is Enya. I LOVE the photo I took of her, so thought I'd use it)

She is a doll. She absolutely adores drinking water from the tap. The second I do my visit she's straight to the kitchen sink waiting for me to turn it on. She puts her head underneath the water and everything. Her eyes are so bright and she loves to pose for the camera.

She's an example of one of my 'cons' I mentioned earlier. Her owner has moved away, meaning I won't get to see her again.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hmmm, too bad you aren't in Denver

 

[Silver Crazy]

Hmmm, too bad you aren't in Denver

Or Australia..lol
Great Idea for a thread..cant wait to hear some stories.

 

[CatSitter86]

Just did my last visit to Mr Tiddles.

In a night I have to lock (shut the door) him in their living room (with his food, water and litter tray) and for the past two Mornings when I've gone in the door has been open and he comes toddling downstairs.

I deffo make sure that door is locked, so he's worked a way of opening it, the lil devil. I hope he hasn't caused chaos upstairs. I'd go and look but I don't like to go into rooms I've not been told I can, especially someone's bedroom. So hopefully he's just gone up to sleep on a bed (I was told he sleeps with the 17 year old daughter on a night, so guessing he's just gone in there and slept).

I'll soon find out when the owners return and message me asking what the hell has gone on upstairs.

 

[CatSitter86]

Also, another (kinda) Con... Don't get into it for the money. Its not great pay. I do it for a bit of extra cash to add to my Month but its deffo not something I could give my day job up for.

As it stands I get booked through a site, the site takes a percentage of the money I make. I've been with them for over 3 years. I'm actually in the process of trying to set up my own business, cut out the 'middle man' as it were. I won't make great money but I like the idea of me being the only person they (clients) have to deal with. Plus, it'd be kinda cool to be a lil business woman

 

[Silver Crazy]

I'm actually in the process and trying to set up my own business, cut out the 'middle man' as it were. I won't make great money but I like the idea of me being the only person they (clients) have to deal with. Plus, it'd be kinda cool to be a lil business woman

Go for it..you never know..big things start small.

 

[CatSitter86]

Go for it..you never know..big things start small.

That's true. It's quite scare but exciting at the same time.

Just waiting to sort my logo and then need to get liability insurance and business cards and blah blah.

I think once I get business cards, it'll feel more real.

 

[di and bob]

I don't think I could take having the cats being allowed outside. I have had too many to bury, even the ones who had gone years safely. The worst thing would be having to call a cat parent and giving them the news, I really don't know if they would understand.....The best thing is meeting all those cats, how glorious! I envy you that!

 

[CatSitter86]

I don't think I could take having the cats being allowed outside. I have had too many to bury, even the ones who had gone years safely. The worst thing would be having to call a cat parent and giving them the news, I really don't know if they would understand.....The best thing is meeting all those cats, how glorious! I envy you that!

Yeah, I much rather look after inside cats. Less chance of injury and they can't go missing. Luckily I'd say 90% of the cats I look after are indoor cats, thank god.

 

[CatSitter86]

So I went and visited the 'shy cat' again today, I managed to see him this time, he was in one of the bedrooms. He popped his head out and meowed at me.

I rushed downstairs to get the laser pen to try entise him out but by time I got back up to hi. He had disappeared. I was like "huh?, no way he is that speedy he's ran out without me noticing", obviously I didn't go in the room to see, as I've not been told I can go in that bedroom.

I messaged the owner. They said that bedroom door was shut, so he's found a way to get in. Also, he likes to hide under the duvet. I asked her that when I next visit I hear him upstairs again can I enter the room. To look for him, she said yeah.

So hears to my next visit. Hopefully I'll finally get to spend time with him.