We all worry when we have to go away and leave our feline friends behind, so finding the best person to do the job can be a worrying time. Do lots of research before leaving your cat with someone, and make sure it will be the best decision for your cat.
You may wish to ask a neighbour or a friend, maybe this person already knows your cat, and you cat will feel comfortable with this person. This person may live close by and be able to keep a close eye on your cat and property whilst you are away. The down side of asking a neighbour or friend is that they may not understand cat behaviour, or notice symptoms if your cat becomes ill. Also this service will not be covered by insurance if your cat gets ill or your sitter loses your keys. You will need to trust this person and make a judgment whether this person will take responsibility for your cat and your home.
Secondly you can ask for recommendations from other people, ask friends or family if they have a reliable cat sitter that they have used. It is always worth speaking to professionals in your area, such as veterinary practices, pet shops, groomers or rescue centres and ask if they can recommend a well known, reliable cat sitter. These professions normally communicate with each other and have a handful of cat sitters that have a good reputation in the area, so these sitters would come highly regarded.
Search online for a cat sitter, there maybe many listed from small independent sitters to large organisations, so do your research as some of the bigger companies may not have the same person visiting your cat each day. Speak to a few of the companies and get some feedback, look to see if they have good reviews, and check the costings of each sitter. Ask if your sitter will be local and research experience and animal qualifications of the cat sitters, and make sure they are insured and DBS checked. Ask what services they provide and what routines they use, how long to they stay with your cat, ask if you can meet up to discuss your cats routine and choose the person you feel will be best sitter for your cat.
Have a selection of questions to ask the cat sitter, and make sure the cat sitter asks you plenty of questions about your cat, a good cat sitter will answer emails and telephone calls
promptly and should be able to provide you with references. Get your potential cat sitter to meet your cat and see if your cat is comfortable and relaxed, and your sitter shows good understanding of cats behaviour. Choose the cat sitter you feel most comfortable with, sometimes this can be a hard decision but remember it is quality over cost every time.
