Every cat owner knows the curious responsibility of ‘owning’ or at least befriending Kitty Kats. It’s less a pet owner relationship but more a tolerance of benign tolerance on their part.  Regardless, from time to time if we have cats at home, we will need a cat sitter at home to feed our cats.

The housesitters for cats that we find need vetting, interviewing and then introducing to our feline friends. There are various ways to go about finding cat sitters. Here are 10 top tips for cat sitting and for finding cat sitters for the Kitty cats in our lives.

Finding the ideal petsitter

We all want to find the ideal petsitter.  It goes without saying that the person we are looking for is the Mary Poppins of the petsitting world. We want the ultimate cat sitter who has read all the cat sitting tips available and cared for a wide range of cats.

But where do you go to search for such pet sitting services?

Keeping cats

Ginger cats – Orange cat or Ginger?

When you were deciding on what kind of cat you might get you might have looked on a website like Cat-world.com for research. That is assuming you actually chosen your cat, rather than it choosing you which as we know happens more often than we care to admit.

Choosing a cat sitter for when you need catsitting

The good thing is you can choose your cat sitter. And make sure you choose a catsitter who has experience housesitting for cats. A combination of house and petsitting is increasingly common and so these type of sitters are readily available.

The top cat petsitting tips

– Top 10 tips for cat sitting-

Tips for cat sitting part 1

Finding the best live in cat sitter

1. Find cat sitters for your felines

If you are used to finding suitable sitters for your cats, then read on to number 5, that’s when the specifics cat sitting tips start. If you are new to cat sitting and house sitting then read all the way through. We offer you a beginners guide to finding great catsitters for your feline charges. And we tell you what other things these live in cat and house sitters can do for you while they are in residence.

So top tip # 1 is find cat sitters for your pets. And to research your cat sitter you may well choose to look on a pet sitting and house sitting website.  This is always a great place to start your search for a live in pet sitters.

2. Prepare details of your cat sitting assignment

Pet owner’s tips –

It is always advisable to write down the important details of your cat sitting job. These details are essential for a pet sitter to understand more about your cat, their feeding routines and what looks like their normal cat routine.

Pet sitter’s tips –

Make sure you understand the actual brief, and what the pet owners wants you to do. make sure you know where the pet food is kept. Where the cat brushes are located, because for a long haired ginger tabby cat or any long haired feline for that matter, there is nothing worse than matted hair.

3. Police or housesitter background check

Pet owner’s tips –

Inviting any pet sitter or house sitter or even a baby sitter into your home requires a degree of trust. There are several ways to increase that level of trust and one is by ensuring your sitter has a police or background check. Some pet sitting and house sitting websites offer a housesitter background check. This is usually a combination of ID and police check on the sitter.

Pet sitter’s tips –

If you have not been invited in as cat sitter as a friend, or based on personal references then make sure you have up to date ID and a police and background check to hand. It eliminates any fears the pet owners might have and you will become a trusted pet sitter in their eyes.

4. Does the cat sitter come with pet sitter references?

Pet owner’s tips –

Most pet sitters are experienced and will have references or online reviews if they are a member of a pet sitting or house sitting website. Read the reviews, it will help you learn about them as people and as pet sitters.

Pet sitter’s tips –

Always try to get a written review or reference for your completed cat sitting job. As you build references you will find securing the next cat sitting gig gets easier and easier because people will more easily see your excellent reputation and how clients have rated you.

5. Experience in pet minding and cat sitting

Pet owner’s tips –

If you have a number of cats, or cats with particular needs it is important to note these details in your advert as essential to the assignment. For example, if you have a cat that needs medication, it is important that the catsitter has cat sitting experience. Often cat medicine is administered through a tube and you need to know how to do that.

Pet sitter’s tips –

If you have really good experience of caring for a wide variety of cats in different states of health then describe that in your pet and house sitter profile.  This cat sitting experience is vital to communicate to ensure you secure the best variety of jobs. If you have experience caring for a sick cat then is important to note the details for future reference.

– Tips for cat sitting part 2

The cat sitting brief and delivering to that brief

Once you have chosen your cat sitting house and pet sitter it is important to give them enough information and support so they can do a great job. Most of these steps are fairly standard, however, you need to go through them to make sure both pet sitter and pet owner are fully briefed and ready.

A live in pet sitter

Having a live in cat sitter is a great alternative to a cattery. Often catsitters are also cheaper as a cattery alternative.

6. Meet and greet for pet and sitter to meet in person

Pet owner’s tips –

Meeting the pet cats is important if at all possible before the catsitting assignment begins. This is important for many reasons, but most essentially if medication is needed, or you are away a long time and you are asking a long term house sitter to care for your cats.

Pet sitter’s tips –

Try to meet the pets so they can get used to your smell and presence in the home. This is especially important if you are a live in pet and housesitter caring for the cats in their own home.

7. Detail the routines in your written cat sitting brief

Pet owner’s tips –

Make sure you give all the information you need to share. State the obvious, and write down your ideal timings for the feeding routines, then the water must be changed, if you want the feeding area cleaned regularly, what medications are needed and specifically when.  All these details may seem obvious to you but to a new person learning your home and pet care routies this is important information.

Pet sitter’s tips –

If you have a set of questions that you usually produce for a pet owner then make sure you ask all the questions. Write down the answers so you can manage the pet routines easily and safely in the owner’s absence.

8. Provide sufficient food and other pet supplies for the cat minder

Pet owner’s tips –

Make sure you count exactly how many days you will be absent and provide sufficient food, appropriate snacks and cat litter for the catsitter to use. It is also a good idea to leave a kitty budget in case the petsitter needs to buy anything you have forgotten while you are away.

Pet sitter’s tips –

Learn the foods and snacks the pets like most, so that you are ready for if supplies run out. Also, and however obvious this sounds it does happen, make sure you know where the food is kept!

– Tips for cat sitting part 3 – Managing a sick cat or a cat that has just given birth

9.  Local Vet details and insurance details to hand

• Pet owner’s tips – Details of the local vet’s surgery are essential. Make sure you leave these details and if necessary show the sitter where the vet is located.  Let the vet know you are going away and give the sitter’s name in case they need to call. Make sure that any pet insurance arrangement you have will cover any likely incidents that may occur in your absence.
• Cat sitter’s tips – While it is unlikely that anything will happen necessitating a trip to the vet’s it is a good idea to be ready. Have the contact information to hand. Make sure you know where the kitty travel basket is kept in case you need to take the cat to the surgery.

10. Communications while the pet owner is away

And finally both cat owner and catsitter should discuss how often and in which ways they both are happy communicating. This is one of the most important tips for catsitting for both parties. It will be useful for the pet owner to receive the occasional report. And the catsitter will also need an open channel of communications as a just in case something goes wrong. They can then consult and discuss the best next steps.

Tips for cat sitting and cat owners

Whether you are a cat owner or a cat sitter these are essential cat pet care tips. Read them and digest the information. Pet sitting and pet care is a serious responsibility and cats in particular may need a little careful observation and engagement to ensure their well being.

Before you commission your next local catsitters, think about all your options. As a petowner you have many costs to cope with and decisions to make. There may be some alternatives that are more affordable and work better for you and your cats.

JOIN HOUSESIT MATCH

Join Housesitmatch.com a professional service that offers access to help you find free checked live in petsitters and housesitters, for a moderate annual fee. These petsitters will help you keep pets at home safely and happy in their daily routine.

FURTHER READING ON KEEPING CATS AND TIPS FOR CATSITTING –

Housesit Match on Cat-sitting

Tips for cat sitting – Top 10 

Why keep pets at home with petsitters

Sick cat – The main signs to look out for

Live with cats? How to cat proof your home