Petsitters ???

[laura1959]

Hello as you may of seen in a recent post ,i am having no luck in getting a cattery over christmas,like to know if anyone have used petsitters ?? and your views ?? i am not sure at all at present.

[sarie]

I'm in the process of taking on a cat sitter as my cat requires twice daily medication and I travel every couple of months. I can't put him in a cattery because he's not up to date with his vaccinations and can't be vaccinated anymore due to a heart condition. He would also never cope with the stress of a cattery now and it could push him into heart failure so he has to stay at home if I'm away.

After doing some research there are some very professional sitters out there - many are licensed and have been doing it for a number of years so you can trust that you're not just taking on some stranger who fancies themselves as a cat lover to take care of things.
Do your homework on any cat sitters you're considering though - ask for testimonials. Any good cat sitter will be prepared to come to meet you and your cats before any appointments are made for sitting too.

The cat sitter I'm dealing with is absolutely wonderful - she's been doing it as a business for over 20 years and she has dozens of very happy clients and cats of her own. She's been to the house for a coffee and met my two cats and we've gone over their routine and their needs. She's coming out again later this week to meet them again and further familiarise herself with everything. They like her so I take that as a good sign as they're a good judge of character!

It can be an expensive option but over the christmas period you'll likely find catteries are expensive anyway. My sitter charges £9 per visit but if you can get away with one visit a day then that's not too horrific. In my case she'll have to come twice daily due to the meds my cat needs so that bumps the price up for me but ordinarily, once a day would probably be fine for most cats! I'd guess it'll cost quite a bit more in London though, I live in Edinburgh, so it's worth shopping around to get a feel for the going rate as well as find the right person for the job.
Cats are much happier in their own home, even when you're not there, so if you can find a good sitter then it's a much better alternative to a cattery imo

[Crewella]

I've used a petsitter once, a few years back, and I was very happy with the service - I've been able to get friends to come in since then, which is why I've only done it the once. My gang were all pretty shy and wouldn't have appreciated a stranger trying to pet them, so all I needed was someone to come in once a day to feed, do litter trays and make sure they were OK for the week I was away. I did check references and the lady I used had been recommended to me.

[laura1959]

I'm in the process of taking on a cat sitter as my cat requires twice daily medication and I travel every couple of months. I can't put him in a cattery because he's not up to date with his vaccinations and can't be vaccinated anymore due to a heart condition. He would also never cope with the stress of a cattery now and it could push him into heart failure so he has to stay at home if I'm away.

After doing some research there are some very professional sitters out there - many are licensed and have been doing it for a number of years so you can trust that you're not just taking on some stranger who fancies themselves as a cat lover to take care of things.
Do your homework on any cat sitters you're considering though - ask for testimonials. Any good cat sitter will be prepared to come to meet you and your cats before any appointments are made for sitting too.

The cat sitter I'm dealing with is absolutely wonderful - she's been doing it as a business for over 20 years and she has dozens of very happy clients and cats of her own. She's been to the house for a coffee and met my two cats and we've gone over their routine and their needs. She's coming out again later this week to meet them again and further familiarise herself with everything. They like her so I take that as a good sign as they're a good judge of character!

It can be an expensive option but over the christmas period you'll likely find catteries are expensive anyway. My sitter charges £9 per visit but if you can get away with one visit a day then that's not too horrific. In my case she'll have to come twice daily due to the meds my cat needs so that bumps the price up for me but ordinarily, once a day would probably be fine for most cats! I'd guess it'll cost quite a bit more in London though, I live in Edinburgh, so it's worth shopping around to get a feel for the going rate as well as find the right person for the job.
Cats are much happier in their own home, even when you're not there, so if you can find a good sitter then it's a much better alternative to a cattery imo

mine would be more just coming in and feeding and changing the litter tray as my two cats go out now all the time ,still a bit unsure but thanks for your view .

[meriad]

I've always used a cat sitter for various reasons. I'm lucky that I have a fantastic neighbour who comes in and deals with my lot so I know they're in good hands when I'm away. But before I knew my neighbour I used a company called Animals at Home. They are police checked and professional

I'm also just checking with a friend of mine who lives in London to give me the name of two cat sitting companies she reached out to last year; once I hear back from her I'll let you know if you want me to? She - same as you - was quite dubious about the whole lot; but having used the company once would use them again if she had to

[laura1959]

I've used a petsitter once, a few years back, and I was very happy with the service - I've been able to get friends to come in since then, which is why I've only done it the once. My gang were all pretty shy and wouldn't have appreciated a stranger trying to pet them, so all I needed was someone to come in once a day to feed, do litter trays and make sure they were OK for the week I was away. I did check references and the lady I used had been recommended to me.

this is what i am worried about my two are still very shy and have only had contact with myself and my boyfriend ,and not sure i want a stranger going in my house ,but at present am desperate and getting upset as i dont know what else to do.

[Themogfather]

If you locate some one know especially a friend or neighbour you can introduce them to your cats over time while your present . Then get them to pop in when your out so they get used to it.

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

Laura, we use petsitters all the time. There are several reputable companies, including Animal Aunts which we use. Your vet may also have details of some of the nurses who do it as well. I quite understand your anxieties. When we were new to all this (not that long ago) I was in a panic about exactly this as I knew that we had no option but to go away to my parents' several weekends a year. Once I discovered just how many folk out there who do pet sitting, I realised that my anxieties were quite unnecessary. We tend to have Aunts who stay overnight, but if you just need two visits a day that's even easier to get them to fit in. The only issue we had last new year was that we had a live in sitter who also was doing visits to other pets so I didn't feel that she spent as much time living in with our guys as I would have liked, but she wasn't deceitful about it, it was just that I would have preferred a dedicated live in sitter, not just morning and evening feeds and then up and out first thing in the morning. As a result, we now use Animal Aunts which are quite expensive but you get a dedicated Aunt who doesn't have any other clients whilst they are staying with your animals. We have been very lucky in the aunts we have had from them but I wouldn't hesitate to complain if I wasn't happy about anything. With an independent sitter there is less accountability. We did have an issue early on when we used our vet nurse who wouldn't update us more than once a day, but I've learned now that if we use her, that the cats are absolutely fine and there's no need for me to irritate her by nagging for contact. On the other hand, with Animal Aunts, since they are under contract with the agency, I feel quite confident saying that I need twice a day feedback.

So please don't worry. I know how alarming it is, because whilst my parents accept that we have commitments to our cats, they wouldn't accept not being able to go to see them because of the cats as at all reasonable, so it was vital that we found a variety of workable solutions so that we were never caught out. If we really were stuck then we have looked after our neighbour's cat with twice/thrice daily visits, so I wouldn't be afraid to ask her, but one of ours needs twice daily injections and our two girls like a lot of one on one attention, so having a dedicated sitter is an excellent option for us.

[meriad]

Laura, I heard back from my friend and this is who she used: http://www.cats-whiskers.info/index.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; not sure if they cover where you live but they may be able to recommend a good company

[meriad]

and this is another one my friend reached out to but they were overbooked so couldn't fit her in. So can't give a personal recommendation on them, but their reviews are good
http://www.catcarelondon.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Crewella]

this is what i am worried about my two are still very shy and have only had contact with myself and my boyfriend ,and not sure i want a stranger going in my house ,but at present am desperate and getting upset as i dont know what else to do.

I wasn't keen either, but (like you) we were running out of options, and I do think the cats were happier in their own home than they would have been at a cattery, even with a stranger popping in. I did keep them locked in all week, as I was worried they might not come home with a stranger having been in the house.

It's not ideal, but sometimes you do have to go away - can't be helped. With all my concerns, I didn't regret using a petsitter. Hope that helps.

[greenkitty]

One of my cats can't be vaccinated so a cattery isn't an option for us, I had a cat sitter come in twice a day to do the furry chores plus medication who has some complex medication requirements. She also opened and closed the curtains, put a security light on in the evening, picked up the mail and put the bins out!!

And she sent me an email everyday telling me how everyone was doing

TBH I wouldn't hesitate in going down this route again, I had the peace of mind of knowing my furries were in their home environment and the house had movement in it too.

[sarie]

Laura - yeah my sitter is just going to come in and feed the boys, change their litter and in my case give Harvey is medication. She's not a live in sitter and she doesn't stick around for long (30 minutes) and if for some reason my cats didn't want her company she won't bother or upset them; if they do want her company she'll give them some fuss while she's there though!
Although Harvey will have to tolerate her regardless as his meds aren't optional... but ordinarily a pet sitter will perform a basic service, if instructed, where they literally just pop in and feed your cats and handle the litter. In my case I've also asked her to open and close curtains, pop lights on and she's going to water my plants and handle my mail too. Very cool service
And as with Greenkitty she's offered to send me updates daily if I want them, especially as Harvey needs medicating and she knows I'm nervous about it.

It's a very good option if you can't find a cattery that will take them and in London I should imagine there are a number of trustworthy sitter services out there. In fact based on the replies here I can tell there are plenty I hope you find a solution you're happy with, I certainly wouldn't rule out a sitter.

[laura1959]

Laura, we use petsitters all the time. There are several reputable companies, including Animal Aunts which we use. Your vet may also have details of some of the nurses who do it as well. I quite understand your anxieties. When we were new to all this (not that long ago) I was in a panic about exactly this as I knew that we had no option but to go away to my parents' several weekends a year. Once I discovered just how many folk out there who do pet sitting, I realised that my anxieties were quite unnecessary. We tend to have Aunts who stay overnight, but if you just need two visits a day that's even easier to get them to fit in. The only issue we had last new year was that we had a live in sitter who also was doing visits to other pets so I didn't feel that she spent as much time living in with our guys as I would have liked, but she wasn't deceitful about it, it was just that I would have preferred a dedicated live in sitter, not just morning and evening feeds and then up and out first thing in the morning. As a result, we now use Animal Aunts which are quite expensive but you get a dedicated Aunt who doesn't have any other clients whilst they are staying with your animals. We have been very lucky in the aunts we have had from them but I wouldn't hesitate to complain if I wasn't happy about anything. With an independent sitter there is less accountability. We did have an issue early on when we used our vet nurse who wouldn't update us more than once a day, but I've learned now that if we use her, that the cats are absolutely fine and there's no need for me to irritate her by nagging for contact. On the other hand, with Animal Aunts, since they are under contract with the agency, I feel quite confident saying that I need twice a day feedback.

So please don't worry. I know how alarming it is, because whilst my parents accept that we have commitments to our cats, they wouldn't accept not being able to go to see them because of the cats as at all reasonable, so it was vital that we found a variety of workable solutions so that we were never caught out. If we really were stuck then we have looked after our neighbour's cat with twice/thrice daily visits, so I wouldn't be afraid to ask her, but one of ours needs twice daily injections and our two girls like a lot of one on one attention, so having a dedicated sitter is an excellent option for us.

i joined a website called holidog.com that obviously deal with dogs and cats ,but still not sure,with these groups do you generally pay after ?? my worry is that they would actually call twice a day and feed and change litter tray and i am also worried how cats would react too,i have tried catteries ,vets for information and help but not getting anywhere ,never thought i would have this trouble.

[laura1959]

If you locate some one know especially a friend or neighbour you can introduce them to your cats over time while your present . Then get them to pop in when your out so they get used to it.

dont have any friends or family that live near by i wish i did.

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

Laura, if you use a reputable pet sitter then these worries will be unfounded! I would personally avoid anything that looked amateurish, which may not be fair, but I'd rather pay more and know that I didn't have to worry if they were turning up or not. Our Aunties meet the cats once before they make an official visit so the cats meet them in my presence.

[laura1959]

Laura, if you use a reputable pet sitter then these worries will be unfounded! I would personally avoid anything that looked amateurish, which may not be fair, but I'd rather pay more and know that I didn't have to worry if they were turning up or not. Our Aunties meet the cats once before they make an official visit so the cats meet them in my presence.

is this animal aunts i not sure they cover london ,i have join a group called holidog.com but like i say not sure still .my cats are rescue cats and still a bit timid.though i obviously want to get something sorted out soon i just feel lost .

[sarie]

Personally I'd be more inclined to look at the proper services, like those suggested by meriad.
Holidog is just a search engine for finding random people who've registered to pet sit on the site. From doing a quick search on there myself it turned up a list of complete randoms from teenagers who want to make a bit of money on the side to elderly people who're lonely and want the pet sit for companionship. These people are not professionals, they're not licensed and they're not police checked and I personally wouldn't want them in my home or anywhere near my cats, especially when I'm not there.

You really need to look at a professional sitting service, especially if your cats are timid and particularly if you're worried about the whole pet sitting thing!
The proper services use trained professionals who are there to do a job visiting your cats and taking care of their food and litter requirements - they're not there because they fancy a cuddle with someone elses pet and they won't impose their needs on your cats. If your cats are shy and want to hide while they're there then it won't be a problem.
To be honest I think you need to take a deep breath as it sounds like you're overthinking all of this and getting yourself stressed out unnecessarily.

If you can't use a cattery because they're full and you have nobody nearby who can help you then your best option is a professional pet sitting service. If you use a professional service then it's no different to putting them in a cattery except that someone comes to them in their own home instead of them going to someone at a cattery.

http://www.catcarelondon.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - these suggested by Meriad seem very professional from their site so it would be worth giving them a call.

Animal Aunts cover loads of areas and regions too so it wouldn't hurt to call them too. You won't get any answers to your questions until you call some of them and speak to them yourself.

I was pretty nervous about speaking to my cat sitter at first as I wasn't sure what to expect but she put my mind completely at ease and I have every faith that she's professional and will provide the same standard of care as any cattery - in fact better as they're safe in their own home and she can take care of their personal needs as there isn't a pen full of other cats

You'll sort something out; just try to relax and take a logical approach to finding a solution rather than panicking

[laura1959]

Personally I'd be more inclined to look at the proper services, like those suggested by meriad.
Holidog is just a search engine for finding random people who've registered to pet sit on the site. From doing a quick search on there myself it turned up a list of complete randoms from teenagers who want to make a bit of money on the side to elderly people who're lonely and want the pet sit for companionship. These people are not professionals, they're not licensed and they're not police checked and I personally wouldn't want them in my home or anywhere near my cats, especially when I'm not there.

You really need to look at a professional sitting service, especially if your cats are timid and particularly if you're worried about the whole pet sitting thing!
The proper services use trained professionals who are there to do a job visiting your cats and taking care of their food and litter requirements - they're not there because they fancy a cuddle with someone elses pet and they won't impose their needs on your cats. If your cats are shy and want to hide while they're there then it won't be a problem.
To be honest I think you need to take a deep breath as it sounds like you're overthinking all of this and getting yourself stressed out unnecessarily.

If you can't use a cattery because they're full and you have nobody nearby who can help you then your best option is a professional pet sitting service. If you use a professional service then it's no different to putting them in a cattery except that someone comes to them in their own home instead of them going to someone at a cattery.

http://www.catcarelondon.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - these suggested by Meriad seem very professional from their site so it would be worth giving them a call.

Animal Aunts cover loads of areas and regions too so it wouldn't hurt to call them too. You won't get any answers to your questions until you call some of them and speak to them yourself.

I was pretty nervous about speaking to my cat sitter at first as I wasn't sure what to expect but she put my mind completely at ease and I have every faith that she's professional and will provide the same standard of care as any cattery - in fact better as they're safe in their own home and she can take care of their personal needs as there isn't a pen full of other cats

You'll sort something out; just try to relax and take a logical approach to finding a solution rather than panicking

thank you i will look into this now ,i have also emailed a few vets for anymore possible catteries in my area. thanks again for all your help.fingers crossed for me i am getting very stressed .

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

http://www.animalaunts.co.uk/pet-sittin ... tAodVw0ACw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is Animal Aunts, Laura. Yes, they cover London. We are in SW London. What a shame we are on opposite sides of London otherwise it would have been resolved within a few quick email exchanges!

[sarie]

Good luck Laura, I'm sure you'll sort something out Animal Aunts look great too Sarah! They even travel abroad!!

[laura1959]

Personally I'd be more inclined to look at the proper services, like those suggested by meriad.
Holidog is just a search engine for finding random people who've registered to pet sit on the site. From doing a quick search on there myself it turned up a list of complete randoms from teenagers who want to make a bit of money on the side to elderly people who're lonely and want the pet sit for companionship. These people are not professionals, they're not licensed and they're not police checked and I personally wouldn't want them in my home or anywhere near my cats, especially when I'm not there.

You really need to look at a professional sitting service, especially if your cats are timid and particularly if you're worried about the whole pet sitting thing!
The proper services use trained professionals who are there to do a job visiting your cats and taking care of their food and litter requirements - they're not there because they fancy a cuddle with someone elses pet and they won't impose their needs on your cats. If your cats are shy and want to hide while they're there then it won't be a problem.
To be honest I think you need to take a deep breath as it sounds like you're overthinking all of this and getting yourself stressed out unnecessarily.

If you can't use a cattery because they're full and you have nobody nearby who can help you then your best option is a professional pet sitting service. If you use a professional service then it's no different to putting them in a cattery except that someone comes to them in their own home instead of them going to someone at a cattery.

http://www.catcarelondon.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - these suggested by Meriad seem very professional from their site so it would be worth giving them a call.

Animal Aunts cover loads of areas and regions too so it wouldn't hurt to call them too. You won't get any answers to your questions until you call some of them and speak to them yourself.

I was pretty nervous about speaking to my cat sitter at first as I wasn't sure what to expect but she put my mind completely at ease and I have every faith that she's professional and will provide the same standard of care as any cattery - in fact better as they're safe in their own home and she can take care of their personal needs as there isn't a pen full of other cats

You'll sort something out; just try to relax and take a logical approach to finding a solution rather than panicking

just for the record i am not elderly haha ,but know what your saying and have taken all your infor on board thank you.

[sarie]

I think you misread... I was saying that people who offer to petsit on Holidogs are often teenagers who want to make some money and old age pensioners who have time to spare and are lonely and want to pet sit for companionship. I wasn't implying you were elderly haha!!

[Nigel]

My mother actually works as a pet sitter sometimes through an agency, and when I was looking to book one earlier this year her advice was to find one where the sitters have been DBS (disclosure and barring service) checked (this replaced the CRB checks), and are also insured.

Any reputable sitter will be more than happy to visit to meet you and your cats, and talk through any questions/concerns you have.

Personally, I'd much prefer this rather than a cattery, as I think my two would hate to leave their home and a sitter would be able to water plants, feed my fish and keep an eye on the place too. I know that my mother takes photos of the pets she sits, and emails them to the owners while they're away, and I think most sitters would be happy to do so as well, which I know would make me feel happier.

[laura1959]

My mother actually works as a pet sitter sometimes through an agency, and when I was looking to book one earlier this year her advice was to find one where the sitters have been DBS (disclosure and barring service) checked (this replaced the CRB checks), and are also insured.

Any reputable sitter will be more than happy to visit to meet you and your cats, and talk through any questions/concerns you have.

Personally, I'd much prefer this rather than a cattery, as I think my two would hate to leave their home and a sitter would be able to water plants, feed my fish and keep an eye on the place too. I know that my mother takes photos of the pets she sits, and emails them to the owners while they're away, and I think most sitters would be happy to do so as well, which I know would make me feel happier.

thanks for your view and ideas ,i have now decided on catcarelondon i have a lady coming round on wednesday for a chat and then i will be booking it up ,this company are police checked and also insured and i am very happy with it ,and like you i think my two rescue cats would be happier staying in there own enviroment with there home comforts .

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

Jolly good! Let us know what you think, Laura.

[laura1959]

Jolly good! Let us know what you think, Laura.

yes i will,if i am happy i will use again at easter , and again when myself and boyfriend go to greece in july 2015 depending on this job situation ,that is fingers crossed. still a bit nervous about leaving them as they are still a bit nervous and shy ,after all i have only had them myself 9 weeks and they where rescue cats and only a year old,some not so nice people let them in a box on a main road with 6 kittens so not a good start,anyway they are happy with me now and are getting settled in nicely now better by the day

[daisynook]

Hope I can offer a little reassurance to people contemplating using a pet sitter. I took on pet sitting, preferably cats, some years ago when personal circumstances in my life did not allow me to take on another cat of my own after I had my last cat put to sleep and I had to spend time away from home myself. The cat sitting enabled me to have cuddles with someone else's cats while earning a bit of cash (not well paid). It fitted in with my other commitments.
The agency I worked for would ring me and ask if I could do a week or two a few weeks hence. I would then go and do a pre-visit to see what was involved both looking after cat or in some cases cats, including giving medication and keeping up with the cats usual routine as well as how much time I needed to spend with the cats. Also anything I needed to know about the home. Then I could let the agency know if I was happy with the situation and owners were happy with me. I made friends with people who used me and they would ask for me on the next occasion.
When I was interviewed for the job in the first place I was CAB checked and had to have two references.
I really enjoyed the time I spent doing this and have kept in touch with friends I made, human and cats!
I would recommend this to anyone worried about leaving their cats going on holiday and owners can ring up so see how things are going while they are away. Cats are happy in their own homes and soon get used to the 'sitter'.

[sarie]

I used my new cat sitter for the first time this weekend just gone. She was fantastic! I got text updates after every visit letting me know how things had gone. One of my cats is on daily medication and the sitter knew how nervous I was about that and she ensured I was notified as soon as his medication was done so I didn't have to worry.
She popped in twice a day and spent 30 minutes with them on each visit sorting out food, meds and litter and giving them some fuss.

I came home to two very happy cats with clean bowls, a clean tray and a clean kitchen (the sitter washed up after herself)! In the past, before my cat had to be medicated, I would just leave a food timer down for my boys if I had to go away for 24 hours or so. Although this worked fine, they were always incredibly clingy when I got home as they'd been lonely. When I'd tried using catteries, even for short periods, they came back ultra stressed.
I can't describe how happy I am with my sitter - it was like I hadn't even been away as the cats were so relaxed

Very happy.. I wish I'd done this sooner!