Cat sitter

[Doyouthinktheyknow]

I’m trying to avoid a cattery for Dcat so have arranged twice daily visits while we go away for one night only over Christmas. We lost my brother this year and we all need to be together at Christmas hence us needing to travel.

This is okay isn’t it? I feel terrible about it.

She has never been left overnight since we adopted her as an adult 3 years ago.

We’ve left her all day but nothing more. When we go away, adult ds looks after her. She’s such a needy little fluffball but taking her with us would be so much more distressing for her!

I’m just so worried about her but she hates going anywhere, she was distressed in the rescue before we got her. I think this is the best option.

Is this what other people do?

Picture for cat tax.

Yeah, she'll be ok. Remember to leave a light on

She is a beauty.

I've never used a cattery either. We either have a cat sitter come in or we take the cats with us. But for one night I don't think the journey is worth the stress. One night really isn't that long to be home alone. I think she will be happy with her cat sitter visits.

It's absolutely fine.

I'm a cat sitter myself and leave my own cats with a sitter when we go away 🥰 mine have twice daily visits but I know plenty of people who only have one visit a day.

She has a sweet little face

We have regularly gone away for 2 weeks in the summer and had a cat sitter come in twice a day. We have wee cameras we use when we're away (one in the hall facing the cat flap and one in the kitchen looking at the food bowls) and we can check the cats have been coming and going ok.

She’ll be fine, even if she’s annoyed. I have a terrific cat sitter who visits twice a day when I’m on holiday, spends half an hour at a time feeding and playing with my cat & sends videos.

I wonder if you can make a decent living doing this (sorry if I'm de-railing) but I have a condition that makes me really unemployable- but i could do this, and I think I would love it, I love cats a lot

I’m cat sitting atm, gorgeous cat, it’s a two week sit not paid, I get free accommodation and the owner has a happy cat 😊

The problem is that it's not regular work - unless you do other things on top then you won't make much money, or consistent money.

You also have to be incredibly reliable - showing up no matter how unwell or exhausted you might feel.

Maybe Google some pet sitter sites & see what people charge per hour in different areas? I found mine through word of mouth but also a lot of people are on these sites & build up their reputations through positive reviews.

And yes to the pp who mentioned reliability - bookings absolutely have to be set in stone.

My condition is non-24 sleep wake syndrome. So I would need a job that lets me show up whenever I want each day/ night (preferably night) I guess with the right settings, like feeding bowl timers, if they just wanted me to turn up at 1 am and play with their cat for an hour it could work. But yeah I get people don't want or need that hassle

Thanks so much everyone for the reassurance. She is so pampered and rules us completely, it’s hard not to feel guilty for even contemplating it!

We would have got her a friend but she hates other cats and the rescue we got her from found the same so she’s an only cat for her sake😻

I would have loved someone who could stay but it’s a big ask over Christmas.

She will be very grumpy on our return but we will leave lights and radios on and she can have free range of our bedrooms.

@Doyouthinktheyknow yeah expect the "I'm not talking to you hoomum" for at least a few days Lol. Mine always used to give me big fuss then ignore me for days 🫣 she is absolutely gorgeous though 🤩💐♥️

yeah, cats really do let you know when they're mad at you don't they lol

Mine knew she was meant to be cross with me but kept forgetting, then remembering again 😹

I don't think that would work for pet visits - people want twice daily at roughly the same times so their cats can be fed on a schedule.

Even with timed feeders, people don't want their pets' routines to be too out of whack with visitors coming in at odd times of the day.

That's really funny. They're such funny little creatures.
Thanks for the advice, @coffeesaveslives

No worries @Namechangetotalkaboutmysleepingpillsproblem - you could get lucky and have someone who just wants you to check their cat is alive and well and top up the dry food, but in my experience 95% of people want two visits a day (breakfast and evening meal).

She's gorgeous ❤️ and she will be fine. We were away for the weekend are ours are now super affectionate - they worried about us!

Tbh I think my girl would be delighted if someone dropped in around 4am to play with her, but then she’d expect the same from me when I got back!

Yes, I get that whenever dh and I go away! And we leave her with ds2 normally who is her second favourite person, I’m the favourite😜 DH is about level with the postman😜🤣

@Doyouthinktheyknow i feel sorry for your husband 😻😂

🤣🤣
The sad thing is he is the one that generally feeds dcat but it means nothing! She only goes anywhere near him when she’s hungry😻

That's a shame lol. I've got 2 cats. One's my little cuddle baby, the other one loves my son the most. He cries when he leaves for school. I do most of the feeding, and all the litter tray cleaning