My adventures as a cat sitter

[di and bob]

Oh how exciting, I hope so too! It is a start!

 

[klunick]

I was taking care of two dogs once and didn't realize they had a cat. I was never told and never saw one. I ended up shutting it inside a room because it was a hoarded mess and I didn't want the dogs getting in there. Owner came back and informed me that the cat was in that room (I think only a day) but luckily it was the room with a litter box and an auto feeder. I popped my head in before shutting the door and I swear I never saw any of those things it was so cluttered. I did feel bad though. Had I known about the cat, I would have tried to interact with it when the dogs were outside.

 

[CatSitter86]

I was taking care of two dogs once and didn't realize they had a cat. I was never told and never saw one. I ended up shutting it inside a room because it was a hoarded mess and I didn't want the dogs getting in there. Owner came back and informed me that the cat was in that room (I think only a day) but luckily it was the room with a litter box and an auto feeder. I popped my head in before shutting the door and I swear I never saw any of those things it was so cluttered. I did feel bad though. Had I known about the cat, I would have tried to interact with it when the dogs were outside.

That's a bit weird that they never even mentioned they had a cat

 

[CatSitter86]

I looked after two cats. They were regulars but the owner has since moved, so will never see them again.

They were the double of each other (if i can hunt out a photo I took of them both together you'd see how much). One was super cuddly and friendly and the other would just hide all the time.

So one day i couldn't find the shy one, so i kept going from room to room looking for her, her sister kept following me so every time i though I had found her i realised it was the other one. I soon had to lock the friendly one in the livingroom so I would stop thinking I had found the shy one.

Aaawwww, man. I miss those two girl so much.

 

[klunick]

That's a bit weird that they never even mentioned they had a cat

The whole family is a little weird so not too surprising.

 

[CatSitter86]

Still not seen 'shy cat' this was my fourth day visiting and I've seen him for the whoel of 5 seconds.

Luckily his humans have a cat cam in the living room and have seen him come in and out of the house, so he is about.

Comes to something though when the people paying me to look after their cay are seeing more of him than what I actually am.

 

[Sylvia Jones]

So since u have scooped many a litter box What is your favorite litter?

 

[CatSitter86]

So since u have scooped many a litter box What is your favorite litter?

I don't know the name of it by hand but I'm cat sitting there next Week so will get the actual name of it and post it.

Though I'll try my best to describe it. It's like a dark grey sand type litter, when cats pee or poop onto it it clunks up and you just use the scooper as a sieve to get it out. It's super easy to clean and because its a sand kinda texture it's quite (and this is going to sound super weird) calming to run the scooper though. A bit like one of those sand zen gardens you can get.

It covers the smells really well and very easy to sweep up too. With it being so fine, it comes off the cats paws pretty easy, so they don't trek it through the house so much.

Will get the actual name for next week.

My least favourite (and again don't know the name but there's diff brands I guess) is the white gravel type ones. Kinda small stones. They get everywhere and rely on the cats to bury their business more. They change the littlest of colour when peed on but not enough where you can tell the cat has peed, so is difficult to know where to scoop sometimes. The little white gravel will get stuck in between the scooper gaps too, super annoying. I feel like you need to use a lot of it to fill the tray too, where as the gray sand type one can be used very little and still do it's job.

 

[CatSitter86]

Well this is the most I've seen of 'shy cat' over the last week I've been looking after him. This was through the kitchen window. He ran away shortly after. Oh well.

View attachment DSC_2572.JPG

 

[CatSitter86]

I spoke earlier in the thread about the two girls I looked after that looked the double of each other. These were the two.

 

[jefferd18]

Well this is the most I've seen of 'shy cat' over the last week I've been looking after him. This was through the kitchen window. He ran away shortly after. Oh well.

View attachment 350171

See, this is what I would have a hard time with in regards to cat sitting. That cat would be on my watch, my responsibility, and yet he is allowed to roam anywhere he wants, thus upping the odds of something happening to him. He is beautiful, but you shouldn't have to rely on a camera to know if he is still alive.

 

[CatSitter86]

See, this is what I would have a hard time with in regards to cat sitting. That cat would be on my watch, my responsibility, and yet he is allowed to roam anywhere he wants, thus upping the odds of something happening to him. He is beautiful, but you shouldn't have to rely on a camera to know if he is still alive.

I kinda agree but at the same time if the cat is an outdoor cat, it wouldn't feel right keeping it in for the 10 days I'm looking after him, that'd just make him upset and change his behaviour for when his humans come home.

He loves the outdoors and as much it annoys me I'm not getting to bond with him, at least I know he's well and he's eating the food I'm leaving out for him. Also, it helps that he's such a shy cat, means he won't go running out at cars or go near people or places he doesn't know, less chance of any harm coming to him.

I'm not a fan of the whole 'him going out and me never seeing him' thing because the whole reason I'm a cat sitter is so can spend time with cats and I've literally spent no time with this one.

 

[catlover73]

Even some indoor cats can take a long time to interact with a cat sitter. Until recently my senior gal Starbuck always hid from my cat sitter. My cat sitter worked with us to learn Starbuck's hiding spots and would check in on her. Starbuck did not want to interact with anyone but us. My cat sitter is also a good friend and she has her own shy cats I never see when I am at her house. My other 3 cats all interact with her and want attention. Starbuck loves to hang out on my desk behind my computer monitor. One day my cat sitter was coming up stairs to fill the fountain in our master bathroom. Starbuck poked her head out from behind the monitor and meowed at her. My friend sat down at my desk and just let Starbuck decide what she wanted to do next. She came out and asked for pets. My friend canceled plans to hang out and pet Starbuck for over an hour on my desk. Starbuck no longer hides at all from friend. My friend has plenty of experience with shy cats and simply let Starbuck decide when she was ready for attention. It took 10 years for this to happen. Starbuck also has stopped hiding from other guests. She even let some of our guests pet her now. She no longer hides under the bed any time someone else is in our home. I am glad you are at least able to see the outdoor kitty.

 

[CatSitter86]

My first ever cat sitting gig was about 3 and a half years ago now. It was a 3 Yr old cat (Sylvester) and a 6 month old kitten (Dexter). Dexter was all about wanting to play and have attention but Sylvester did not want to know me.

I would have to push the bowl towards him and step away just so he would walk to the bowl and eat he would see me and run behind the couch or under the table. Every time I'd visit he would just run away. I would bit by bit let him see me interact with his little brother, so he seen I was a friend not foe. He'd still stay away from me but at least sit and watch rather than run.

They then moved house... And it's weird, it's like they got a whole different cat. 3 and a half years later I still look after these boys. Dexter is too cool to be seen with me now and just wants food or to go outsode so he can cry to come back in again (he's super annoying, attitude like a teenager)... But Sylvester... Maaaaaan Sylvester.

He loves his fusses, enjoys playing with the lazer pen, will come sit next to me and be stroked for ages. He is such a sweetheart now, I absolutely adore him. I know you're not supposed to have favourites and as a cat sitter I really shouldn't... But I do... And he's one of them (I have two faves). To see him go from a cat that wouldn't come anywhere near me to being so affectionate is such a joy.

Let me hunt out some photos of my boy Sylvester, you'll see just how loveable he is now.

 

[CatSitter86]

Here we are having an afternoon sandwich together (though he wasn't happy I wouldn't share it)

 

[CatSitter86]

This is one of my favourite photos of him. He was waking me up in the morning for food. Giving me the 'look how cute I am, come feed me' look.

 

[CatSitter86]

Visited 'shy cat' again today, no sighting once again. I did however get to spend some time out front with one of the neighbours cats. He was very friendly and let me pet him and play with him.

Yep. I was being paid to look after one cat but instead spent time with another one. Ha ha. 'Least this one wanted to be around me.

 

[jefferd18]

Here we are having an afternoon sandwich together (though he wasn't happy I wouldn't share it)

View attachment 350386

He's really neat looking- I love tabby cats. He kinda of looks like Jeff in the sandwich photo but not in the second one. Weird how different their looks can be.

 

[CatSitter86]

OMG, guys. I got to actually spend time with the shy cat today (name is Charlie). I did an earlier visit than normal (due to my work schedule).

I went upstairs into one of the bedrooms (with permission) and I heard a meow... So I knew he was in there. I shut the door (so he wouldn't run out straight away) and pulled the duvet up where he was hiding. He then meowed at me and ran towards the door, when he seen it was closed he hid. I sat and called his name... He slowly moved towards me...

He then let me stroke him. Then he became super friendly and wanted fusses. I spent ages with him giving him cuddles and playing with the laser pen. I fed him and I thought after his food he'd run out his cat flap but he didn't, he stayed and got more fusses and even came sat on my lap for a bit.

I managed to get videos and photos to send to his humans to let them know he finally came near me. They were pleased.

Gutted my last visit tomorrow as I feel I'm just getting him to come out his shell.

 

[Furballsmom]

But it happened, and bless your heart for sharing that with us !