Are you a cat owner and need to hire a sitter? Here are some tips and basic information for hiring a trustworthy individual to care for your pet. No matter if you are going on vacation, a work trip, or there is an emergency, there are professionals available to help you out. First, be sure to write down all important information pertaining to your cat. This includes medical needs, the veterinarian office, food preferences, training and house rules, and any other necessary information. It is expected that you have a conversation with the sitter before trusting them with your pet beforehand, but always remember to write down the name and number of your vet’s office just in case.
Some cats will be easy to care for, and others will be difficult. Disclose the behavior of your cat beforehand, and be sure that the individual caring for your pet will be able to handle specific tasks. Below lists other information to consider before hiring a cat sitter.
Experience: For some cat owners, there is no problem calling over the neighbor to feed their pet and then leave. Some owners will even have their friends check in once or twice a day, which is absolutely fine if that fits your pet’s needs. However, some owners are unable to do this or their cat needs more attention than others. So, be sure to ask the sitter about their specific experience (ask for a resume) and what type of needs that are used to dealing with.
Medical Attention: If your cat is elderly or disabled in certain ways, a simple cat sitter may simply not be enough. Depending on the condition of your pet, you may need to hire a more experienced professional with a veterinary license. Or, you may want to consider letting your cat stay in a facility. As previously mentioned, leave all necessary medical information with the sitter even if your cat is in perfect shape. Emergencies and accidents do happen!
Meet with the Individual: Before hiring a cat sitter from a recruitment website or any other resource that is not tied to a veterinary office, try to meet with the individual in person or on the phone. It is best to meet with the sitter in person, just so you can see how they bond with your cat and ask them all the necessary questions. If this is not possible, then be extra thorough on a phone or zoom call.
License and Insurance: This is not absolutely necessary depending on the needs of your cat, but ask if the individual has a veterinary license and proper insurance. Ask your vet if they have veterinary nurses that are able to leave the office for house calls. This will be the most dependent and knowledgeable resource.
Connections: If you are not working with a veterinary office to find a cat sitter, then just be sure to find a trustworthy resource. Be extra careful about posting advertisements on sites like Craigslist, and instead search for pet-sitting professionals that either work with a qualified company or are connected to a reliable website.