Cat sitting London

[PhilippaAlice]

Can anyone recommend cat sitters in London? How much do they typically cost? Or some kind of home stay where people stay for free in your home in exchange for looking after your pet?
Thanks

We use catinaflat.com

Housesitters.co.uk A friend used them and was happy with her sitters, it's free so worth a look. I'd store any high value items / documentation away from the home for the duration. She reckons older women make the best/ most conscientious sitters.

We also used catinaflat. We had an absolutely lovely cat sitter. She came in to feed the cats twice a day, and sent photos or videos. They were very happy in her care.

Just looked up catinaflat. How much do they charge? I could not find this information on their website.

And how are sitters vetted? Again, I could not find this information. There is a reference to insured sitters, but without clarification.

Not many reviews, and those I could find include some very bad ones. Also, one sitter saying she only had a perfunctory telephone interview before being offered sits.

Does anyone else have experience with them?

I'm a cat sitter in London for my friend!

Have you no friends elsewhere that may fancy a weekend/week/fortnight holiday in London?

@FlowerArranger where are you? Our cat sitter covered SE1, SE11 and SE17.

*@MrsSchadenfreude.... Thanks, but I'm afraid I'm the other side of LO don. As a matter of interest, how much does your sitter charge, and how often does she call?

I think my sitter (local to me so no good for you) costs 12 quid a day for one visit and 20 for two. She is pretty good though, tidies the post, puts the bins out, cleans up any accidents, washes the bowls, spoils the cats with Dreamies, and we always find a huge ball of fluff in the bin from where she’s given them a much needed brush.

It might be worth asking your local vet if they have anyone they could recommend. Our sitter gave her vet as a reference.

We set up a neighbourhood cat feeding circle in our immediate area of London (via the local residents’ association newsletter). You just send an email out with dates & someone in the circle is usually available. We all do it for free (with gifts to say thanks!). Well worth doing if you are enough to have an active association round your way..

lucky enough

I started using Trusted House Sitters a few years ago.

You advertise you, your pets, your home and your dates.

It's international, people from all over the world will apply to sit. You just choose who you like best!

For me it has been brilliant. Look it up.

Let me know if you want any other tips/advice.

Meant to say - you pay a yearly subscription, so does the sitter. That's it. It's about £70-80.