Choosing the right sitter for your cat can be a daunting task, as there are so many agencies and pet sitting websites. So do plenty of research before booking a cat sitter for your cat. Remember that this person will need to be reliable and trustworthy for your cat and your home whilst you are away. Finding a cat sitter you can rely on to care for your cat, and someone who knows what to do in the case of an emergency.
Do your research when searching for a cat sitter
Do plenty of research when searching for a cat sitter, find the best cat sitter for you and your cat. There are many agencies for cat sitters, so make sure you read reviews to ensure they are trustworthy. Look for qualified people, such as vet nurses or animal care professionals, it is always good to find someone with lots of experience and first aid trained.
Look for websites that offer just cat sitting services, these cat sitters will be most experienced and serious about cat care. Look for independent cat sitters, who run their business solely to provide the best cat services in your area.
Ask for recommendations from your community
The best way to find someone reliable, it to ask friends and family if they have any one that they recommend. Speak to cat owners in your local area and ask them who they use as their cat sitter. There are usually local cat sitters that have a good reputation, so do discuss these sitters with your friends.
Visit your local vets, groomers or pet shops to ask about sitters in your area, these are normally a good source of information and will be able to recommend someone to you.
Ask for references
When choosing your cat sitter you can always ask for references. A good cat sitter will be able to provide you with references, so do not be scared to ask for this type of information. Ask to see confirmation of insurance so if anything goes wrong, such as your cat sitter losing your door keys, these replacements will be covered by the sitters insurance.
Research website Reviews
Research your cat sitters reviews, a good cat sitter will have reviews on their websites. If your cat sitter is with an agency website, there should still be a review section. You can also look up reviews on social media platforms such as Facebook, visit business pages on these platforms and see what type of feedback the cat sitter is getting. There also may be reviews on advertising platforms such as yelp, yell or google.
Google Search local cat sitters
To find out what cat sitters are in your area you can do a google search. A list of cat sitters will be listed and you can visit their websites and read what services they offer in your area. You can read about each sitter and read what qualifications they have and how much experience they have in pet care. You can pick out a couple of cat sitters that stand out to you to help you make your choice.
what qualifications does your cat sitter have?
When choosing a cat sitter do look out for a sitter with qualifications. A sitter with animal first aid or animal care qualifications will have paid to do these courses, and have invested in themselves to provide an excellent service.
There are many people providing a cat sitting services and some agencies where anyone can sign up to be a cat sitter, so they may have little or no experience of cat care so do your research carefully. You will need to feel secure that your cat sitter would understand what to do if your cat became poorly or would have experience in cat behaviour if, for example, your cat went missing. It would be advisable to employ a cat sitter with qualifications.
Pricing, what am I willing to pay?
When it comes to pricing there will be many people that will go with the cheapest option. Do work a budget that you wish to pay, and find a sitter in your budget. It would be better to pay a little extra knowing that you have a good reliable cat sitter, these sitters often do extra jobs such as putting your bins out, bringing in post and watering plants. Often cat sitters that have a lot of experience or hold vet nurses qualifications will be a little more expensive, but you can be more relaxed on your break knowing your cat is with someone experienced in pet care.
Do not ask a friends, family or neighbours to look after your cat because it is a cheaper option, it is better to book a professional cat sitter.
Meet your Sitter before your trip
Ask your cat sitter to visit your home and meet yourself and your cat. This will give you an opportunity to get to know your cat sitter before you leave for your break. Have a list of questions you would like to ask, so you can discuss your cat and discuss prices.
You could possibly meet a couple of different cat sitters and then decide after which one you would feel most happy to leave your cats with and who you feel is most suitable. A good cat sitter would be willing to meet up with you before your break and discuss any issues and to answer any questions you have.
Choose the cat sitter you like best
When choosing your cat sitter go with the person you feel most comfortable with. You do not have to use a cat sitter that your friends and family use if you have any doubts with that sitter. Choose someone who is open with you and is great with your cat, remember this person will be in charge of your cat and your home whilst you are away. You need trust in this person so follow your intuition, so choose who is right for you.
Back up plan if things so wrong
Do have a back up cat sitter if for some reason your cat sitter is unavailable. If your cat sitter is ill or is in an accident and can not look after your cat, then you will need a back up. Many cat sitters do have an emergency plan in place if they are taken ill, so do discuss this with your cat sitter.
If for any reason your cat sitter can not get to your cat, do have an emergency plan, such as a friend or neighbour that would pop in to check your cat.
Book in advance with your cat sitter
When you have decided which cat sitter you will use, make sure your book your dates as soon as possible. There will be times in the year that your cat sitter maybe fully booked, so do book in advance. Discuss any up coming breaks with your cat sitter, they will then be able to hold those dates for you to prevent being let down at the last minute.
A good cat sitter that will keep in contact with you when you are away, they will send updates and photos of your cat to give you piece of mind and reassurance that your cat is happy and safe.
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