I have a hired cat sitter that I have been using for almost 2 years now. I don't travel TOO often but do have to go to a few conferences for work 4-5 times a year. Each trip ranges from 3-6 days at a time.
I met her when she came for the consultation/interview a few years ago. She is a super nice lady in her 50's. She pet-sits in nursing scrubs and brought over her proof of insurance, references, etc.
I don't think I'm too high maintenance of a client but I do have a specific list that I asked her to follow. My list of tasks per visit:
I understand that caring for my cats is a bit more high maintenance than making sure they have fresh kibble and water and emptying the litterbox and leaving but I went over the list with her in the beginning and she said that this is something she is willing to do....for $20 per 20 minute visit. Since I need 2 visits per day = $40 per day.
I recently bought a camera system for the outside of my house (strictly for protection, nothing to do with sitter). I had one spare camera from the system and decided it might be fun to put it inside so I can check on my kitties while I'm out of town! This is when I realized that my sitter does NOT do what I ask.
I obviously won't be using her again, although I probably won't tell her anything (I'm not very confrontational). I'm going to have to set up a consultation with someone else.
I just wanted to vent a bit....thanks for listening!
I met her when she came for the consultation/interview a few years ago. She is a super nice lady in her 50's. She pet-sits in nursing scrubs and brought over her proof of insurance, references, etc.
I don't think I'm too high maintenance of a client but I do have a specific list that I asked her to follow. My list of tasks per visit:
- Feed Cats (I have 2 cats) **This task takes approximately 6-7 minutes in its entirety**
- Empty 1 container of ground raw food into each cat's stainless steel bowl
- Stand there until both cats finish meal (takes approx 3 min for both cats to finish)
- If you don't stand there and wait for them both to finish, my male cat will eat all of his food AND push my female out of the way and eat her food
- Wash the stainless steel bowls with soap and water
- Replace the 2 containers that you just fed the cats with two more (from the freezer) and put in refrigerator
- Give Cats Fresh Water **This task takes approximately 20-45 seconds**
- Empty Litterbox **This task takes approximately 1-2 minutes**
I understand that caring for my cats is a bit more high maintenance than making sure they have fresh kibble and water and emptying the litterbox and leaving but I went over the list with her in the beginning and she said that this is something she is willing to do....for $20 per 20 minute visit. Since I need 2 visits per day = $40 per day.
I recently bought a camera system for the outside of my house (strictly for protection, nothing to do with sitter). I had one spare camera from the system and decided it might be fun to put it inside so I can check on my kitties while I'm out of town! This is when I realized that my sitter does NOT do what I ask.
- Not once did she stay at my house longer than 3 and a half minutes. Shortest time was 1 minute and 45 seconds
- She does not stand near the cats while they eat. Instead, she puts the food down and goes to empty the litterbox and freshen up their water bowls.
- Every single visit, my male cat (Malibu) quickly inhales his food, pushes Kali (my female) out of the way to finish hers and has eaten both meals before my sitter even glances at them to check
- She does not wash the bowls with soap, only rinses them
- Keep in mind that I feed RAW food and by not washing the bowls after every meal, their chance of getting sick from a bacterial overload is much higher
- She only empties the litterbox once per day, not every visit
I obviously won't be using her again, although I probably won't tell her anything (I'm not very confrontational). I'm going to have to set up a consultation with someone else.
I just wanted to vent a bit....thanks for listening!