How much to offer for cat sitting?

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 05/01/2025 14:56

I’ve been cat sitting for my neighbour’s two cats since 19 December. I’m not living there. He gave me a box of Untamed cat food (?) so I think £250 sounds amazing.

Favouritefruits · 05/01/2025 18:48

My niece stayed at my house and I paid her £50 a day, I thought that was a bit on the low side to be honest. A good cattery would be at least £40 a day for two cats I think it’s a bit mean not paying her that amount for the extra care they would be getting.

EmpressaurusKitty · 05/01/2025 18:50

QuickScroller · 05/01/2025 14:52

I’m going away for two weeks and 5 days. I have two indoor cats (Thelma & Louise) who will be 3 years old by then. They’re allowed outside in my cat-proofed garden. One of them is very playful and needs lots of playtime, while the other is really affectionate but a bit anxious.
Normally, I board them at a cattery, but Thelma really struggled when I left her there for 10 days last summer. She over-groomed and developed hot spots on her neck, and she’s still on a daily steroid for one that’s taking a long time to heal. This made me feel awful, and I really don’t want to put her through that again.
I’m considering asking a local friend (who lives about 10 minutes away and has a car) to stay at my house while I’m gone. I’d like to ask her to stay on alternate nights or every night if she wanted, but she’d still need to come over on the days she doesn’t stay to feed them. I’m planning to offer £250 for the two weeks, but I’m not sure if that’s a fair amount. Would you consider that enough for the effort involved? I don’t want to take the P. Just to note, she lives with her parents and doesn’t have kids, so I thought she might enjoy the space. Would love to hear your thoughts!

Would you also offer a supermarket delivery for while she’s staying?

Editing to apologise for accidentally quoting the OP.

WompWompBoom · 05/01/2025 18:50

I think £250 sounds fab, but do a food shop first too so she's all stocked.

My Neighbours son (who's now 20) looks after my boys, he watches my TV and eats the snacks and feeds/plays with the cats and I give him £100 for two weeks.

Original poster

QuickScroller · 05/01/2025 20:06

Favouritefruits · 05/01/2025 18:48

My niece stayed at my house and I paid her £50 a day, I thought that was a bit on the low side to be honest. A good cattery would be at least £40 a day for two cats I think it’s a bit mean not paying her that amount for the extra care they would be getting.

My cattery is £18 a day for 2 cats. That’s the standard rate in my area

OP posts:

Original poster

QuickScroller · 05/01/2025 20:06

EmpressaurusKitty · 05/01/2025 18:50

Would you also offer a supermarket delivery for while she’s staying?

Editing to apologise for accidentally quoting the OP.

Edited

Show quote history

She has cat sit before for 2 days for my Mum & my mum left essentials like bread & milk etc but she went home every day for tea with her parents. I’d probably leave loads of treats & snacks & also a takeaway voucher like Just eat

OP posts:

Caspianberg · 05/01/2025 20:11

We use trusted house sitters. It’s around £100 for a years membership and then you don’t pay anything extra. It’s a mutual exchange where people want to stay on your area to explore and in exchange pet sit. You can pick people with previous reviews.

So I think £250 is generous if you want a friend doing it and don’t think you need to pay more

MiniLeopardInTheHouse · 05/01/2025 21:36

Two weeks and 5 days is nearly 3 weeks, OP. That is an awful lot to ask of a friend. Personally, I would pay her at least the money you would save by not using the cattery, so that is £342. If she tries to turn the money down, I would insist on paying her. From what you said, it's not about you saving money, is it, it's about your cats being happier and in their home environment. It's true that she might like the space and change of scene, but she would still be doing you a huge favour. It's also a big responsibility to take on someone's pets and home for nearly 3 weeks.

Whinge · 05/01/2025 21:43

I agree with@MiniLeopardInTheHouse It's a incredibly long time to cat and house sit, and I think the minimum you should be offering is the cost of the cattery.

Gabitule · 05/01/2025 22:26

I think £250 is a generous amount, especially if catsitting is not an inconvenience for her and if she enjoys being at your house.
A close friend pays me around £100 plus some snacks to catsit her 2 cats for 1-2 weeks. In the summer I also have to water her vegetable garden every day if it doesn’t rain. When I started catsitting for her I was doing it as a favour (as the cats are very needy and would hate a cattery) and considered the money a generous gift, but lately I started to feel taken advantage of. I often have to go to the office from her place and pay for travel (which cost more than from my place). I also don’t drive and I have to buy food in her village shop which is quite expensive. I should also say that my friend has lots of money so could easily afford to pay more. Hearing that you are planning to offer £250 to your friend made me reflect on some things…

winterdarkness · 05/01/2025 22:31

I've just finished 2 weeks of cat sitting for a friend. One visit a day in the morning for about an hour. Some days I stayed longer but that's because I wanted to.

He's given me wine worth about £120

He's given the evening sitter the same. She did the same as me.

So as you have only one sitter and there are two cats, I think £250 is fair

Inspirationfailure · 05/01/2025 22:37

I’d say it depends on the balance - her doing you a favour versus her actually wanting a break from her parents to stay at yours. £250 is fair if the balance falls somewhere in between.

VenusClapTrap · 05/01/2025 22:49

I’m a professional cat sitter and I charge £12 a day (two visits), so I think you’re about right.