Can I Trust My Cat Sitter? How to Book a Trustworthy Cat Sitter

Finding a trustworthy cat sitter is undoubtedly at the forefront of your mind whenever you’re planning a trip away from your kitty. It’s normal to have a lot of questions about the cat sitting process. You may even consider boarding your cat instead. After all, how do you know you can trust a cat sitter with your precious fur ball? Not to worry, Cat in a Flat is here to put your mind at ease. Read on to learn more about booking a pet sitter with us and how we make it easy to know if you can trust your cat sitter. 

What is cat sitting? 

When you book a cat sitter, you are paying them to come into your home to look after your kitty while you’re away. Cats hate change and moving your kitty to a temporary location (such as a friend’s home or a cat boarding facility) can be incredibly stressful for your feline. This is why it’s best to let your fur friend stay in the comfort of their home and have the care come to them! Booking a cat sitter is also a more affordable option than boarding your cat. Furthermore, your friends or family may not be able or willing to provide the level of professional, specialized care a cat sitter does. 

What type of cat sitter do I need?

The type of cat sitter you hire will depend on you and your kitty’s unique needs. All our sitters offer bespoke cat sitting services which can be tailored to your feline’s specific requirements. The two primary types of trusted cat sitting services we offer are: 

1. Daily visits

With this option, you book a cat sitter for a once or twice daily drop-in visit. Your cat sitter will come to your home to refill your feline’s food and water bowls, clean the litter tray, and spend time playing with and cuddling them. Generally, each visit can last from 20-40 minutes. The time will vary depending on your cat’s breed, personality, and needs. 

2. Overnight stay / House-sitting

When you book a cat sitter for an overnight stay this means they will spend the night in your home. If your kitty is elderly, sick, or tends to get anxious while you’re away, this may be the right option for you. House-sitting covers all the same service of a daily drop-in. It also includes other services such as watering your plants, taking in your mail, and making your home look occupied. 

How do I find a cat sitter I can trust?

There’s nothing worse than feeling stressed about your kitty’s care while you’re away on a trip. Luckily, booking a cat sitter through Cat in a Flat is easy. Follow these simple steps to find a cat sitter you can trust:

Search for local cat sitters

Simply enter your postcode, the start and end dates for when you’ll be away, and hit the ‘Search’ button. You’ll immediately see a list of cat sitter profiles in your area. Convenient location pins will show you how far they are from you, and each profile clearly lists individual rates. Simple and straight-forward! 

See what services sitters offer

Not all cat sitters offer the same services. For example, if you have a sick cat, you will need to hire a sitter who has experience giving medicine to felines. Likewise, if you need extra services such as plant care while you are away, you’ll want to hire a sitter who will perform these tasks. Check your potential cat sitter’s profile to see what services they offer. You can also reach out to them directly using the messaging option! NEVER hire a cat sitter under the assumption they will provide specialized care or perform additional tasks. Always check with them first. 

Read reviews

A great way to know if you’re booking a cat sitter you can trust is by reading the reviews left on their profile. Our system is completely transparent. This means you can see honest reviews and check how often a potential sitter has been booked and rebooked. Repeat bookings is a sign of an excellent cat sitter. It means other customers have been happy enough with their service to book them multiple times! 

Free meet and greet

Always meet a potential cat sitter before you book them. The free meet and greet is an opportunity for you to suss out the sitter and see how your kitty behaves around them. Look at it as a mini job interview on behalf of your furry cutie! If you’re going to leave your beloved pet in their hands you want to make sure you feel you can trust your cat sitter. You also want to ensure your feline gets along well with them. The free meet and greet is a great time to go through what your kitty’s specific needs are and to arrange the type of care you require.

Remember: If you’re not comfortable with the sitter you are not obligated to hire them, even after the free meet and greet. Do your best not to leave booking a cat sitter until the last minute. Try to start looking several weeks before your trip. This way you’ll have plenty of time to find the right cat sitter for you and Mr Whiskers. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by CatInAFlat – Cat Sitting (@catinaflat)

But how do I know I can trust my cat sitter? 

We get it, the idea of leaving your home and fur baby in the care of a stranger can be nerve-wracking. This information about our cat sitting community should help put you at ease:

• We have a strict selection process. While the Cat in a Flat community is open to anyone who would like to become a cat sitter, this doesn’t mean everyone is suited for the job. We actually accept just 30% of applicants, and only after a strict vetting process.
• Some sitters are police checked. Knowing that a cat sitter has been police checked can often help a paw parent feel more comfortable about the booking process. To protect certain data, we can’t share details of police checks. However, when you search for a cat sitter you’ll find a handy filter option that shows you which cat sitters have submitted a police check to us.
• Built in Customer Service team. That’s right, every single sitter comes with a 24/7 customer support team! This means that anyone who uses the platform—this includes both cat sitters and cat owners. They can contact the Cat in a Flat customer service team if they run into issues at any time. We also have detailed help sections to answer some common questions! 
• Cat in a Flat Guarantee. All confirmed bookings through Cat in a Flat are covered by this comprehensive guarantee. This includes coverage for potential pet injuries, key loss, or certain other emergencies that may come up while you’re away. While it’s highly unlikely anything will go wrong, it’s still nice for you, the fur parent, to know we’ve got you covered! 

Cat in a Flat is so much more than a pet care service. We’re first and foremost a community of people who are passionate about cats. Not only are life-long friendships formed through our cat-loving community, but Cat in a Flat also aims to help you be the best paw parent or cat sitter you can be. Take a peek at our blog to find amazing and informative articles on cat care, feline behaviour, and more!