Cat sitters

A popular alternative to catteries, cat sitters are cat lovers like you who'll stay with your cats whenever you're away. They could be lovely local cat sitters or kind people who have journeyed from afar just to go pet sitting spend time somewhere new with an adorable animal.

For TrustedHousesitters, cat sitting is all about sharing the love of pets. Our cat sitters will never charge to care for a cat, and likewise pet parents will never charge them to stay. It's a special exchange between like-minded people that keeps cats safe while helping each other to travel.

So what does cat sitting actually entail? A cat sitter has a variety of responsibilities, all of which will keep your cat safe and happy while you’re away. Here are some of the most common tasks that both professional and hobby cat sitters carry out:

• Feeding. Anyone pet sitting should provide fresh food and water, as directed by parents.
• Maintaining the litter box. A cat sitter should keep the litter box clean and refreshed while pet parents are out of town.
• Medication administration. Some cat sitters might be confident in giving kitty the medication they need - pet parents should always provide detailed instructions.
• Keeping kitty company. Pet sitting is more than just about providing food and water, it's about keeping pets happy. Cat sitters are also there for playtime, company and of course, genuine love and care for their new kitty pals. Just having someone around can massively reduce pet stress levels.
• House sitting duties. Pet sitting also means keeping the house clean and tidy, watering plants and collecting the mail. Any specific services pet parents have in mind should always be clearly communicated before the sit.

We recommend interviewing cat sitters first to make sure you find the perfect fit. Discuss your pet sitting expectations with them, including information about any medical needs or problems your cat has, how much playtime they need, and whether they're allowed to sleep on the bed. 

You might also want to find someone who's got pet sitting experience with senior care and comfortable with your cat’s specific needs, or is happy to provide daily updates while you’re on vacation. 

The key is to make sure your cat sitter is happy to fulfil your wishes, and remember to write down the instructions so they can provide your feline friend with the very best tailor-made cat care.

This is really a question that only you can answer. Is your cat generally good with new people? 

If possible, try to set up a meeting with the cat sitter first so your furry friend can get to know them, and give more detail on all of your cat’s specific quirks. It might be a good idea to have them arrive a day or two early so there's a bit of overlap and your cat can see that you're comfortable with them. It’s your cat’s home, after all, and having someone new for overnight stays can take a bit of getting used to.

In any case, most cats are more comfortable staying somewhere they know and love, so finding an in-home cat sitter is usually a much better solution than boarding them in a cat boarding facility. 

The 1:1 care of a sitter means your furry friend will get the TLC they need in the comfort of their own home. This is sure to help give you peace of mind and help you to feel comfortable leaving them in the place they love the most - home.

Cats are super independent creatures but they still benefit from the special attention and companionship a pet sitter can give them. Some people have a neighbor pop in for an hour to feed their cats and clean the litter box, but why not choose someone who can keep your cat company all the time? Having a cat sitter means your fur baby has a nice friendly lap to curl up in and they can stay in their own home, plus there will be someone there to help if your cat is injured or unwell.

To provide peace of mind for cat parents, sitter identity is verified and cross-checked using an official government ID. Background checks are also available for our US sitter members (including those kitten and cat sitting), which confirms their National Criminal Records search is clear, there are no county-level policy violations, they aren’t on a sex offender registry or Domestic and Global Terrorist Watchlists, their address history has been completed, and they’re FCRA-compliant.

We're not called TrustedHousesitters for nothing! All of our cat sitters sign up because they're passionate about animals - cat lovers to the core, willing to provide exceptional care. They go through phone/email verification, are background checked, and all have individual profiles where you can check out their past experiences with pet care, read references from previous pet parents they've sat for, and view their pictures. Whether they've got extensive experience with animals or have only sat a few times, it'll be there.

Like anything though, it's always a good idea to be thorough. Spend time to get to know your cat sitter - through video chats, or in person when possible. It's really important to use your own intuition and gut feeling when choosing someone to care for your beloved fur family and don't be afraid to carry on the search if something doesn't feel right for you. The cat sitter you choose should be willing to tend to your pet's unique needs, provide regular updates (if wanted) and give all round great care to your home.

We sure think so! Cats are happier in the comforts of their own home, in their regular routine - and that’s exactly where they’ll stay if you choose to use a TrustedHousesitters pet sitter. 

Here you'll get the chance to choose from genuine, reliable animal lovers - ranging from feline-obsessed cat whisperers with years of cat sitting experience, to sitters who care for animals of all shapes, sizes and species.

The key differences between cat boarding and cat sitting is where your pet stays, and the price you pay for it. 

In a cat boarding facility - or cat kennels - your furry family members stay in a sheltered place amongst multiple other cats, where their basic needs are tended to. Cat kennels charge per visit, which can become expensive for pet parents.

Welcoming trusted cat sitters means keeping kitty in the comfort of the sounds, sights, and smells of home they’re used to, not to mention the routine they know and love. Sitters tend to feline needs around the clock, as well as taking care of the house by watering plants, collecting mail and keeping the place clean. At TrustedHousesitters, pet parents simply pay for one annual membership fee and can welcome as many trusted cat sitters at no extra cost.

Cat boarding can be incredibly anxiety-inducing for pets - being surrounded by other animals and lots of new humans is a lot to take in and can be highly unsettling. That’s why vets agree pets are happier with a trusted cat sitter, where compassionate care is provided in the comfort of your cat’s home.

At TrustedHousesitters, we ask all of our sitters to complete ID verification checks, and all completed are available for pet parents to see on sitter profiles. Our US members can also complete background checks which are completed by Evident - an accredited third-party provider.

Welcoming a sitter for overnight stays and in-home cat sitting can be daunting, which is why we always recommend meeting beforehand (online or in person), so you can get to know the new cat lover in your life. Here you can discuss things like your cat’s special needs, playtime, daily updates, and medication.

You can also read sitter reviews, where pet parents share their thoughts on how well the sitter cared for their home and furry friends.

To find the best cat sitter to provide all the feline care your fur baby needs, simply join TrustedHousesitters with an annual membership. This gives you the freedom to choose from as many sitters from the site as you need, all year round, and at no extra cost. 

Once part of the community, you can connect with house sitters (and borderline cat whisperers alike!) to genuinely care for your feline’s well being, as well as meet all of their basic needs like feeding and cleaning the litter box, as well as keeping your home tidy.