It’s amazing how many of my cat-loving clients in Newton and Hesston didn’t travel much before hiring Blue Skies because of the difficulties they had with arranging cat sitters in the past.
As a pet sitter, I think the majority of professional cat sitters are both caring and hardworking. I am in several professional groups with these pet sitters that live all around the world! Here’s a few things professional cat sitters can agree will make your time away as peaceful as possible back at home…
For your cat…
1) Ensure that there will be enough food, litter, and medication while you are gone. If you receive your cat’s medication by mail, be sure to order well in advance of your departure date in case there is a shipping snafu. If your cat has an unusual feeding routine, such as raw food, it may be beneficial to pre-bag each meal.
2) Leave instructions for your cat’s food and medication, with instructions concerning the times of day they should be given.
3) Many cats have special hiding spots. Your cat sitter will want to check on them if they don’t want to come out, so be sure to leave a list of these places.
4) With your instructions, be sure to list your preferred veterinarian and let your cat’s doctor know you will be gone and who can bring your cat in during your absence. It is helpful to list at least one Newton or Hesston veterinarian in case of a time sensitive emergency.
5) Is your cat chipped? Be sure this information has been updated so that you can be contacted if your cat (especially outdoor cats) get lost.
For your home…
6) Let concerned neighbors know someone may be coming to your home while you aren’t there. Most professional pet sitters have well-marked business vehicles so there’s no confusion about who’s a friend and who’s Mr. Burglar.
7) Ask a friend or family member if you can leave their information as an emergency contact for your cat sitter. Although rarely needed, your cat sitter may need to be able to contact someone if you will be difficult to reach during a time sensitive home or cat emergency.
8) Leave detailed instructions about any house needs, such as sinks that leak if not turned off just so or which plants need to be watered. Also note if any lights are on timers or if you’d like lights or radio rotated by your cat sitter.
9) Alarm system? Be sure to leave your cat sitter instructions! Many alarm companies people use in Newton allow you to set additional codes, so you can give one to your sitter that you can later remove or so you can know who is entering your home when.
10) Shut doors to any part of the house you don’t want your cat sitter or your cats to visit during your absence. If you have a shy cat, your cat sitter may be crawling around to check on their well-being. On that note, make sure your cat isn’t locked in any of those areas when you close them off.
11) Although surveillance cameras are pretty common in Newton and Hesston homes, now, and never a problem for professional pet sitters, discuss with your cat sitter if they are in any “private” places – especially if you have requested that your cat sitter spend the night at your home and they will be using a bedroom or bathroom you have placed a camera in. If your cameras have a 2-way audio feature, be sure to let your sitter know you may reach out to them that way.
Ideally, your cat sitter should have a paper form or online software that lets you input and update all of this information. We adopted online software with a phone app option a while ago so all of our clients are able to contact us, update home and pet care information, as well as view and change scheduling anywhere – anytime!
