petsitters! yikes!

funnyfelines

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well so much for the "professional" petsitters...I have found a neighbor or 2 that I can have check on the cats, and I will not be gone 4 days...2, 3 at the most. I have decided to come home earlier. I can't stand the thought of 4 days away from them and them all alone.

I had called 6 pettsitting companies. 2 were out of business. one never returned the 2 calls I made to them. I might have mentioned some of this in my first pettsitting thread, but anyway..
the 4th thought too much of herself, she said that she requires a 50% deposit when she comes out to meet with the client. I said, well I have not decided, this is just an interview. she said well didnt you call my references? I said no, not til after I meet you(why should I bother with that til I know if I even like her?) so she called back a week or two later and asked how it was going, I told her I am still deciding, and then I told her if I can't interview her and a possible replacement sitter(in case shes sick) then I will have to find another company.she agreed to my terms and said she would call that night to make the appt. she never did, so she's out as far as I'm concerned. sheesh, her ego! can you imagine her at a job interview?..."so when do I start? (whos says you do?)" well I gave refs!"

I guess I was just suposed to hire her no questions asked?
then, the 4th sitter, shows up one week early, July 7th instead of the 14th. but I met her and today was suposed to meet her "backup sitter" she just called and asked if she could reschedule til tomoorw morning. fine no big deal. but I asked to make sure, will she be bringing the backup sitter, and she says, well she is actually going to be out of town that weekend. I said well then it won't do me much good to meet her, who would be the replacement sitter? oh she has a lady that will cover things in case shes sick. ok she will bring her along. ( and what do you want to bet that lady would not be able to show up for some reason?

and just now when I called to tell her I had decided to cancel the whole thing, she said ok and hung up. boy I am soooo glad I did not trust her with my cats! no courtesy or common sense and no professionalism at all then there was the one that I didn't feel right about at all when I met her. am I asking too much? I just want someone that will be professional and reliable, and I did not get that feeling from them.
actually there was one company, and I think they are ok, but the actual sitter is just 19, did not show alot of enthusiam toward my cats, and I just don't have the right feeling about it. but I do feel right about the neighbor. I trust her, mostly, I think. she is gone for 2 weeks but will meet my cats when she comes back, and by that time it will be just 2 weeks til I leave so time is running out. I just worry that, oh what if one days she is not feeling well and does not come by?(shes older and gets tired) I really don't think she would do that, though. she is very fond of animals. and she walks her dog every day, I just worry that she would bring her dog into my home...and she smokes,

here is the real problem, any advice on how I could ask her to not smoke in my house? one, I don't like the idea of the smoke but I really worry about , if she should not put the cigarette out completley and ther is a fire,a nd before you call me paranoid, this has happend to me before..

and none of them had the refs ready with them. I feel that if you are professional and going to talk to a possible client, you should have your refs on paper and bring it to the interview. is that wrong? I don't like them calling me later and giving me names and numnbers willy nilly, and sayingoh no, nevermind that one(??) heres one. don't you think they should have 4 or 5 and have them printed up?

this is so hard to leave my kitties, am I over reacting?
 

hissy

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I know we have scads of them that sign up on Meowhoo, but then they drop like flies. Or they are just so busy they never get back to new clients. I don't think you over-reacted at all. You are trusting this person with your animals and your home. You cannot be to careful in my opinion.
 

mom of 10 cats

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As far as the smoking in your house issue goes; if you don't want to just come out and ask her to please not smoke in your house, go ahead and tell her that one of your cats has asthma and will get very sick if he is around cigarette smoke.
 

purrfectcatlove

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I guess I was very lucky . I just were for 12 day's on vacation .Havent seen my hubby's fam. for 8 years . My hubby is a cop and has to work a lot with the animal controll together . So the Lady from the anymal controll came 2 times a day . She even broke her ankle five day's later while I was on vacation , so she brought her 2 girls to help care for my anymals . Why don't you ask somebody from the shelter if there is somebody who would like doing that , or maybe the anymal controll . Just an idear to think on .
 

tyger

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Thats a really good idea! professional pet-sitters who are competent and easy to work with are as hard to find as a good housekeeper.
It's your home, you have rules. They shouldnt smoke in your house, period! how would they like it if you went to their home and did something they didnt like?
I have a petsitter who is a good friend i met at work. he loves dogs and cats. and they love him. he even stays the night when we are away overnight. and he's cheap! we paid him $60 for 4 days plus a case of beer. he wont take anything more. and he's not a "professional". he's just an animal lover. i'd post a flyer at your local vet's office as well. there are plenty of animal lovers there as well, as well as part-time vet techs who may do pet-sitting on the side.
You have a right to be picky. I am too when it comes to my home and my pets. After all, you are trusting some one to come into your home when you are away.
 

nora

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Wow, reading this thread makes me so thankful for my friend Robyn who takes care of Max when I'm away. I will be leaving Aug 16th and will come back the 24th. She loves Max so much and even takes naps with him when she babysits him. After reading this, I'm going to find some kind of present while I'm away for her. I make her take pay from me, but it's like pulling teeth.
 
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funnyfelines

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well I will keep searching for a good sitter, even if I don't find them for this time, I plan on having these cats along time so I will need them again I'm sure. for this time, I will use the neighbor to cat-sit. and I will tell her Leo has breathing problems. I think she will do ok, I really think I can trust her, and I know the neighbor directly in front of me, she can also watch things, and check in on them,I will ask her today.
I have asked at the vets before, but I think I will ask again. the vet assistant yesterday was very good with the cats. Leo almost fell asleep when she was petting him! he really liked her.

what happend to the days when you just left food and water out for cats, and just had someone check on them occasionally?
 

purrfectcatlove

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Don't forget to tell the Lady your Vet's Name and give her the address and phone # in case something may happen . Also ck on your Vet if it would be ok for the Lady to bring the cat in if something may happen and you would pay them when you come back from your vacation .Show her also where the catcarrier is , just in case .I did that when I went on my vacation .
 
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funnyfelines

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already done, I talked to the vet yesterday, I am writing a form that allows the sitter to take them to the vet and gives the vet permission to treat them, to everything neccessary to keep them alive, etc.
the neighbor is gone herself right now, but when she returns she will come over and meet them and I will show her everything.
 
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