... to not take bookings from this client in future?

[ImJustMadAboutSaffron]

I posted this yesterday but it wasn't read:

I have a small pet sitting business and normally send photographs of the animals to the owners - not every single visit, but several during the course of the pet sitting assignment, but I do message them every day to let them know everything is fine. This always works well. Most don't expect photos or videos and are grateful to see them when they do get them.

One customer has gone away today, fed the animals before they left, and I have been round this evening. It was around 9.30 as I had an evening meeting and had to travel on public transport which is only every half hour after 7pm, and then pick up my car. I'd already had a message asking if everything was OK and replied that yes it was, but I hadn't taken photographs this evening.

I received a message back asking for photographs tomorrow. I've looked after these animals before, and was asked for photos of each of them, possibly if they were eating. When I sent this I was asked for videos. It's very time-consuming and these are shy animals that hide, and I'm going to scare them hunting them down for photo opportunities like paparazzi.

They also have a webcam targeted on the areas the animals go, so they can see they are safe, happy, eating etc, that the food has gone.

Do you think it is anxiety over the pets, or is it that they can't actually believe I've been to feed them if I don't send pictures every single time? I feel unnerved to have it demanded of me. What do you think?

Update today:

I said that I would see them around 5.45. At 7pm I received a text from one of the owners chasing up, asking if everything was OK, and if I had been. I replied when I saw it, about 20 minutes later, that yes it was, and I hadn't replied immediately because I was at a yoga class. I took photographs and sent them on and told them I had also taken the dustbin out for them, and that the animals were fine, eating well and happy.

They come back, asking me to agree on when they can expect to receive an update for the rest of the week, as they would prefer knowing exactly when to check WhatsApp rather than constantly checking.

I asked them if there is a specific time they want me to call (bearing in mind I have a life!)

I received this:

Could you please visit them at 6? On Saturday, could you please come between 12-1 pm? In both cases, can you please send an update and pics straightaway? Thank you. Have a nice evening.

I've decided that I will no longer accept bookings from them. As I will see at least one of the couple professionally, though, my plan is to be on holiday/fully booked up in future - also bearing in mind the possibility of negative reviews.

I feel policed, not trusted, and very anxious. This is not how it should be! I don't have this with other clients, and I'm not having it with these, either.

Am I unreasonable or are they?

How exactly could I have "cared" more for these pets other than wash their bowls and give them food and water and make sure the litter tray was emptied and replenished? They don't want to be played with or given attention. They are scared of strangers. I did the food, water, litter tray, took in the post, checked the house was OK, checked where both animals were, put Dreamies down, snapped a quick picture and they ran off again.

What else exactly do you think I could have done to "care" more for this particular brace of cats?

How exactly could I have "cared" more for these pets other than wash their bowls and give them food and water and make sure the litter tray was emptied and replenished? They don't want to be played with or given attention. They are scared of strangers. I did the food, water, litter tray, took in the post, checked the house was OK, checked where both animals were, put Dreamies down, snapped a quick picture and they ran off again.

You should stay and sit with them, speak to them, offer reassurance with your presence, not rush in and out. That's not what you're being paid for.

I sit for a cat who buried herself under the duvet and shivered in fear the first time I met her. But I still sat with her, let her sniff me, offered her my hand, put dreamies out for her etc.

Nowadays I can even stroke her but that's because I put the time in to get to know her and that's what I'd expect if I paid a professional to care for my own cats.

If I wanted someone to just feed and sort their litter I'd either pay less (£9.50 a visit is really expensive, especially if you just dash in and out), or ask family to pop in for me.

"master and servant" tone? They are paying you to do a job, i don't really get why the tone was bad.

In any case: my feeling is that you haven't grasped that it's the inconsistency that they're not loving.

And to them they have hired you as a pet feeder - it is absolutely not of interest to them that it's a side-gig for you. What they expect is a service. And obviously their expectations and your service aren't aligned.

All you need to do is give them a list of things you will and won't do, with as pp mentioned either a bog-standard or premium service and charge accordingly. Asking for pictures seems over the top, but we are all different, aren't we? charge them for photos on a "if i can't see them i can't take a photo" basis and stop worrying about it.

@coffeecupsandfairylights I don't "dash in and out" on a regular basis. I did on this occasion with these animals. They ran away and hid. I could have been there until midnight and they might have come out for food, but I don't know. That would have cost a lot more than £9.50.

I cannot stay and sit with them and speak to them when they run off and hide and I don't even know where they are in the house. I do not feel comfortable hunting them down again, going around someone's house, when I have already seen they have been fed and watered.

One of my cats is very shy. I expect the petsitter to go in, feed them, change the water and clean out the litter tray. We also have a pet cam, so I can see the cats on it. There's no way I'd expect the petsitter to run around trying to get photos or videos of the cats. That's utterly bonkers!

Jeez, some massively anxious and over zealous owners here. I go on holiday and leave are cats being fed by a neighbour. Not once do I want or need an update. They get fed and watered and they are fine. No need to hang about. Admittedly I am not paying for this process but even if I was I wouldn’t be so over the top about it. These people already have a webcam! I mean they need to enjoy their bloody holiday and relax! Plus everyone saying the OP is only there for 10 mins and not doing enough, for £9.50 I think that’s more than enough, you forget the petrol and time to get to each house to do the visits needs to be included. £9.50 is nothing and she is doing exactly what I’d asked. Everyone needs to chill out about their pets. If you are all so worried don’t go away!

Do the crazy cat owners on this thread expect daily pictures/videos of their kids when they are at nursery?

They sound really needy. Surely they realise their cats are nervous or shy around strangers and that it will be difficult to send videos and photos without stressing them out? Especially if they have a webcam they can see the cats on! It might only be a 2 minute job to take a photo and send it but it sounds like it's a longer job to track the cats down and get them on camera eating.

I don't think a "pet visitor" is the service they need, they need a house sitter if they want that level of updates.

i don't exp3t updates at all about my animals when I'm away. I assume I would be contacted if something went wrong - I wouldn't leave my animals with someone I didn't trust to be looking after them.

Also, I suspect my shy cat would be really freaked out by a random stranger trying to make friends with him. Better just to leave him be.

The owners sound a PITA. I'd just decline future work from them.

In this scenario I think when they're back it's worth doing a quick debrief with the clients to check they're happy with the service - purely to avoid a negative review. Going forward I'd just be too busy to take on any future requests for pet sitting from them.

Well, you asked them if there was a specific time that they wanted you to call...and they replied with a specific time.

I don't see why there is all this angst, there's no way the owners are going to try to book again, they are clearly over-protective yet have the OP rushing in at random times from 5 to 9.30 to chuck food in a bowl and not confirming if she's been or not. Obviously they'll just get someone else next time who can feed on a schedule. Did they suggest they won't pay the full bill OP, is that the real issue?

I used to use a cat sitter when I was away. She would come twice a day and feed the cat. If the cat was awake and showing interest, she would also play with him. Every visit I got a batch of photos and occasionally a video. She also would tell me how he was getting on. To be honest it was a bit much for me, a couple of updates per trip would have been fine but clearly this must have been what people wanted she did this every time. She also always seemed to sound thrilled to be seeing my cat again and all her messages were extremely positive so I really felt he was in safe hands.

Pressed send too soon. I only stopped using her as I moved. To be honest although my cat sitter was a bit full on, she seemed to love looking after my cat and it felt like nothing seemed too much trouble for her. If you were my cat sitter, I don't think I'd be getting the same vibes.

That's fine but in that case I think you need to explain that to clients and charge a lot less than £9.50 🤷🏻‍♀️

When I hire a pet-sitter I expect them to stay a decent amount of time and not just feed them and leave. My cats also run off and hide but I'd still expect the sitter to stay in the house for a while - sit in the room with them etc.

But in that case you'd explain it to the sitter first and tell them it was fine to just put food out and leave, surely?

They suggested nothing and there is no "real issue" other than what I have stated. The full bill is less than £60.

If the cats have the run of the house, I’d also message to say that I wasn’t comfortable going into private areas like bedrooms, bathrooms, upstairs, etc… I would explain that my route went from door to bowls, sink, bin, etc, only.

I think you need to talk to all my other clients then. These are a one off. They do not want me to play with them. They do not want me to stroke them or give them attention. They run off.

I HAVE CONFIRMED THAT I HAVE BEEN! Just not immediately I close the door.

I think you need to talk to all my other clients then. These are a one off. They do not want me to play with them. They do not want me to stroke them or give them attention. They run off

So as the sitter, you need to communicate that with the owners and charge a lesser amount for less work.

Or, if the owners still want to pay the full amount, use the rest of the time to do admin or whatever while sitting with the cats.

My cats also run off and hide but I'd still expect the sitter to stay in the house for a while - sit in the room with them etc.

why would you want your cats to be scared/stressed out?

Because how else are they supposed to get used to a sitter if the sitter doesn't put it any effort to spend time with them?

It won't stress them out to have someone sitting on the sofa while they hide on a bookshelf for fifteen minutes.

In fact, it would encourage mine to come out and investigate and have a sniff - especially if the sitter had food 🤣

If my cats were so nervous that sitting with them wasn't an option, I would explain that to the sitter from the get go and expect to be charged less as I'd be taking up less of their time.

And I say all that as a professional sitter myself 🤷🏻‍♀️

I am slightly astonished that sitters and clients expect daily photos.

We have always had friends feed our cats.
My mums cats might not actually appear all week. The feeder knows they have been in as the food is gone.

My own cat likes ot live in the garden in the summer, so again, may not see him, although if he knows the feeder he might come for a cuddle.

What is the feeder supposed to send? A photo of a bowl of food?

When I am on holiday I am really 100% not interested in getting pictures of my cat eating. Either I trust the sitter or I don't. If they are not going in, I am sure they can fake the photos.

I often do this, quite regularly in fact. Just on this one occasion I was unable to.