Cat-sitting

[Charlotte T (thepawfessionals)]

I've got 4 cats in one household to look after in June - all with outdoor access 24/7 - I'll be tearing my hair out LOL!!

Aww bless you!!!  My IDEAL situation when I have the cats is that they're out during the day and in at night until early the next morning.  That way I know they're safe during what can sometimes be a very long dark period especially during the winter, but of course this isn't always what people want!!

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I think this is really hard.

I have four cats who have 24/7 outdoor access but two of them dont like other people and one gets so stressed when she sees a third one of mine she runs and hides.

I keep very strange hours and so do my cats 

Franta just had breakfast about an hour ago cos he sleeps most of morning and sometimes all afternoon. Misa and Sasa are used to me not getting up till about 1030 and Ducha hardly ever comes down stairs.

I am sure a strange person in my house would scare Misa and Sasa so much they would stay away until they left. The birmans would quickly develop a human as something to be sat on 24/7 and start up all their whining if a human decided that this was not appropriate 

Cats dont like their purrrrrrsonal routine being re-organized as I found with Misa last weekend and the stress of me moving things in the study made his tummy upset. So I guess I gonna be doing this to the cats for a long time 

[Gillian Harvey]

This only applies if the cats are allowed in during the day    When I was catsitting for my neigbours, they don't have a catflap, so poor puss is out all day until they come home.

Thats what used to happen with this cat before they put the cat flap in - but that was what he was used to (he's a very independent, single minded cat!) - in that instance, he was always waiting for me to come in the evening - he loves his food! and then he would be indoors all evening and night until I came in the morning to feed and let him out. There were some times when he didnt particularly want to go out, if the weather was really horrible - and his owners said if he wanted to stay in that was fine, but now he's got the flap I don't have to worry if he's stuck in or stuck out at least LOL!

It doesn't stop us worrying when maybe said cat doesn't appear when it should

but now with the long intro meeting I do, said puddy tat knows who I am when I come back anyway.

Exactly! and its natural to worry about our charges - like they were our own really.

Thats what I do - make a home visit some time before they go away, for me to meet the cats, and for cats and owners to meet me. I've got 4 cats in one household to look after in June - all with outdoor access 24/7 - I'll be tearing my hair out LOL!!

[Ela]

So would I. I always advise people that we are an animals only voice, also it is an offence no to allow an animal to be in pain. perhaps you should print out a copy of the animal welfare bill and hand it to the owner

I don't think you can always tell. All food may be gone but that could have been 1 cat greedy or another cat coming in the cat flap. Also I personally like to see the cats to ensure there are no problems. Last year I was caring for a family’s cats Supper time all were well, next morning one had a terrible eye and had to be rushed to the vets immediately. Had that cat been out, goodness knows what may have happened. I also receive numerous calls from people who have lost cats while they are away and a friend, neighbour, or cat carer has been going twice a day but the care have been allowed indoor/outdoor access. Some of the cats have returned within a couple of days of its 'family returning home, sadly many more are never to be seen again.

I know if I have responsibilty for catsif I donlt see them twice a day I would not rest at night.

[clarenmax]

Surely the whole point of being a cat sitter (I'm a professional dog walker/cat carer) is that people's cats get to spend their time as they normally would if mum and dad were there.  It doesn't stop us worrying when maybe said cat doesn't appear when it should but there are so many ways you can tell if he/she's been in even if there are 2 cats in the house

This only applies if the cats are allowed in during the day    When I was catsitting for my neigbours, they don't have a catflap, so poor puss is out all day until they come home.

In my opinion, that was a receipe for the cat to run away, as it was shut out all day, and its usual humans had gone away too, that's why I was so worried in that instance.

I think if the cat has access to the house its obviously better, as you can see that food has been eaten, tray used etc.

[puddypaws]

I look after my daughters cats when she is away and one of them loves to be fussed and chatted to.  The other one waits for his food and then looks at me as if to say "well what are you hanging around for - I've got my food, now clear off"

[Charlotte T (thepawfessionals)]

Hi Gillian

I agree!  Surely the whole point of being a cat sitter (I'm a professional dog walker/cat carer) is that people's cats get to spend their time as they normally would if mum and dad were there.  It doesn't stop us worrying when maybe said cat doesn't appear when it should but there are so many ways you can tell if he/she's been in even if there are 2 cats in the house ... that comes with experience of the cats.  I know when 2 of my clients have had trouble with next doors cat coming through the flap as Moggin is just totally freaked out which is completely different from how she normally acts.

I think when I first started up I used to ask if people could keep their cats in for the first day just so that I could make sure they knew who I was but now with the long intro meeting I do, said puddy tat knows who I am when I come back anyway.

[Ela]

Oops replied  on wrong topic.

[Gillian Harvey]

Whilst there another cat appeared, and I thought it was theirs so I was coaxing it in for food.  When my friend came back from her holidays she told me the other cat I'd been feeding was one of the neighbours cats and now she couldn't get rid of it   

Dat is funny Dawn LOL! 


Well, the little fella was there this morning, and this evening - he, very rudely I thought, ate his food this evening and went straight out the cat flap, while I'd been all prepared to spend a bit of 'quality' time with him LOL!

He would go demented if he was shut indoors for a week with just me for company for a few hours a day, it would be soooo stressfull for him! - even if he DOES give me heart failure if he's not there when I arrive!!

[Rosella moggy]

We cat sit for neighbours 3 for about 6 weeks a year on and off but all 3 came sort of via us so we know them all pretty well. All allowed 24/7 outdoor access. Until recently they used to erect a gazebo every year for the cats in addition to access to house of course. This year they have built a very grand shed (referred to as the summer house, it has armchairs, carpet  ) with electricity/heating and of course a catflap installed 

Catsitting involves me feeding am, OH sitting with them for an hour at lunchtime and about 1/2 hour in evening and me going over later for evening feed and clean up.   Never really had any problems (except last summer when their  neighbours' poor cat Zimmy caused havoc) altho Cody's twin "Red" goes awol on occasion but never for a whole day

Neighbours catsit for us too of course altho not sure how long they sit with them as they are very busy workwise but they make up for it on the fresh fish and chicken front 

[Angiew]

i cat sat for a neighbour once - she never asked me again.

I'd go round and watch telly for ages a) to ensure I saw the cat and it seemed healthy and b) to give it some company.

I don't know what she thought I was up to if anyone mentioned it to her.

I think its too much responsibility if they go out.

[clarenmax]

I agreed to feed my neighbours cat last year when they went away, and I have to say, never again.

I did ask them to keep her indoors for the week, but they said they didn't want to upset her routine by keeping her in. 

The first 2 days were fine, but the 3rd morning she didn't turn up (she's in during the day and out at night  ), so I left her food outside as I had to go to work.  She didn't turn up in the evening either, so I was really worried.  She had been about as someone else had seen her, but the fact that she hadn't actually come home was too much for me to bear.  She sauntered in the next day without a care in the world, little minx.

They asked me again a few months ago, but I said that unless they would keep both of them in (there's 2 now), I didn't want to do it as it was such a worry.

[Ela]

the cats are indoors only during my absence, it must be soooo stressful for you not to be able to find them ...

We do cat care and if people want their cats to be indoor/outdoor at this time then I am afraid I don't take the job. I did once in a two cat household, one cat was always there and the other I hardly saw, it was too much stress. When I have a responsibility for cats I like to ensure I see them twice a day to make sure all is well.

[Mark]

I had the problem the other way round. My cat-feeder in London once nearly worried the life out of me. She is excellent but this one time, we got to Genoa and phoned to check things were OK (She didn't mind me phoning her every day  ) she said there was a "Small problem" and that she had mislaid my door keys  but not to worry as she was sure they would turn up  . There was just Kylie then and she had a flap, also the feeder said there was plenty of food & water - It didn't stop us panicking and we had decided that if the keys hadn't turned up by the morning, we would go home. Luckily she found them  - She wasn't well at the time and it wasn't the norm - we never had any other problems with her all the other times we used her - I felt bad for her as well as she must have been frantic 

[blackcat]

If I have the cat-sitter in, the cats are indoors only during my absence, it must be soooo stressful for you not to be able to find them ...

[Dawn (DiddyDawn)]

What a little monkey    I remember a couple of years ago looking after my friends cats, 2 were identical and unless they were both in together, I didn't know who had been in and who didn't .  In the week I was there, only once were the two of them in at the same time  I was on pins the whole time as I wasn't 100% they were both still around. Whilst there another cat appeared, and I thought it was theirs so I was coaxing it in for food.  When my friend came back from her holidays she told me the other cat I'd been feeding was one of the neighbours cats and now she couldn't get rid of it   

[Gillian Harvey]

Started latest cat sitting assignment on Sat evening for a week. The cat is near on a year old now and the first time I looked after him he didnt have a cat flap - he was out all day till I went in the evening, then in overnight (same routine as he usually has). The second time a cat flap had been fitted - but it was a magnetic one and poor chap couldnt work out how to use it - I watched him one time, and he was putting his paws up in front of him and scrabbling away - completely blocking the magnet! So it was back to usual out during day in at night.

This time, the magnet has been removed, flap is flapping freely and he goes in and out as he pleases all the time. This evening he wasnt there when I turned up - so got busy getting his food dished up, washed up the other bowls, felt sure he would appear at any moment. Then went into the garden, called him - nothing. Sat around a bit more, went and rattled his dish, called him again - starting to panic now!! Over an hour - nothing. I was remembering all those times years ago when I would be calling my cats and one didnt come and feeling that sense of forboding.

Finally after hour and half I spot him in the garden - just sauntering up the path with not a care in the world - and theres me nearly tearing my hair out!  Boy, was I pleased to see him though LOL! As if I didnt have plenty at home to worry about LOL!