Qualities to Look for In a Cat Sitter. Being a cat parent is undoubtedly a joyful and fun-filled experience until you have to leave your pet behind. Sure, you can do an errand here and there without having to worry about where to leave your cat, but this is not possible in every scenario. You can have longer commitments like vacations, business meetings, or sudden emergencies. While you could cancel some plans, or take your cat along in some situations, it is not always practical. In such a situation, your best bet is to find a reliable and professional cat sitter to look after your pawed friend.
In today’s day and age, there are a ton of cat and pet sitting services that can be found. So, how do you choose a cat sitter? First things first, you need to know what cat sitters can do for you. To put it simply, cat sitters do for your cats what babysitters do for babies. They are professionals who provide your cat with all the specialized and essential care they need when you are away and cannot tend to them. From giving them food and water on time and changing their litter boxes to playing with them and keeping them company, a cat sitter can do it all. In fact, they can even administer medications, or take your cat to the vet, if required.
Depending on how long you will be unavailable, you can hire a cat sitter for overnight cat sitting, drop-in cat visits, or in-home cat sitting. Every cat parent obviously wants to choose the best sitter for their cat and to do so, you need to look for certain qualities. What qualities should a cat sitter have? Let’s check them out.
Attentiveness
When you begin your search for a cat sitter, you need to look for one who pays attention to the smallest details. Pet sitting requires sitters to follow the instructions of pet owners closely and this requires a knack for details. Moreover, cat sitters always need to be alert and monitor your cat for any abnormalities in their litter, food behavior, temperament and general health. As long as they are attentive, they will not forget to feed your cat on time and administer their medications in a timely manner.
Patience
Cats are curious in nature and this can often lead to mayhem. It is part of their appeal and one of the reasons people love cats. Keeping this in mind, cat sitters have to have patience to be able to handle your cat in a sensitively. They should not get upset with your cat, or yell at them if they make a mess. Instead, they need to be patient and navigate the situation calmly, so your cat does not feel uncomfortable. Patience is also required for dealing with cat needs, such as litter box changes, medicine administration and cleaning.
Experience
Another quality that should be your priority in a cat sitter is their experience. Look for an experienced one because it means they have likely handled different breeds of cats. Moreover, they have probably handled cats under a variety of conditions as well as those with special needs. This experience makes the cat sitter versatile and it shows that they are capable of handling whatever comes their way.
In addition, an experienced cat sitter is likely to have a strong understanding of the behavioral patterns of cats. Therefore, they will be able to spot sings of illness, change in playing patterns or food habits and litter differences. They will also know just how to engage your pet to keep them entertained and happy. As a matter of fact, experienced cat sitters even gather details that you may not consider relevant. To verify the experience of a cat sitter, you can take a look at their credentials and certifications and also ask them about their background. The best route to take is to hire a cat sitter from a well-reputed pet sitting service. This is because the service would have already evaluated and verified the experience of the sitter in question.
Knowledgeable
Cat sitters do need to have a certain amount of knowledge to be able to handle cats. They can use their knowledge to look after your cat properly. This empowers them to identify any problem your cat may be experiencing and intimate as quickly as possible to resolve the issue.
Problem-solving skills
Why does a cat sitter need to have problem-solving skills? This ensures that they can handle any unexpected situations that might arise. When you are away, you may not be available all the time to give inputs. If there is an emergency and you are out of reach, the cat sitter should be able to decide on an appropriate course of action and not delay medical intervention for your cat.
Reliable and trustworthy
Would you hire a cat sitter who shows up late? Unfortunately, not all cat sitters are professionals. Thus, your priority should be to find one you can count on. After all, you are entrusting them with your pet, so they need to be reliable and trustworthy. As long as you choose the right sitter, you will feel secure knowing that your cat is in good hands. It is best to opt for an established pet sitting service because they can provide you reliable, trustworthy and professional cat sitters.
Compassionate
Passion and genuine care drives cat sitters to provide top-notch attention and care. The best cat sitters are those who do not consider cat sitting a job; they should have a genuine love for cats because it allows them to bond with your pet and genuinely look after them.
Good communication
It is from best qualities to opt for a cat sitter who is good at communication. They should be willing to send you regular updates about your cat to keep you posted about what is happening. Encourage them to reach out to you if there are any concerns.
As long as you prioritize these qualities, you will be able to find a dependable and professional cat sitter for your feline companion.