Cat Sitter: Why Hire One?

  Posted on July 12, 2016  by Joy of Living  No comments

I have quite a few cat clients, and people often ask me what I do when I visit the cats.  The general perception is that cats are low to no maintenance, so the idea of hiring a professional cat sitter doesn’t make sense to them. Here are some of the benefits of hiring a cat sitter:

Companionship

Although it’s often thought cats are fine on their own for extended periods of time, the opposite is true.  Cats are very used to set routines, and when their people are away just one change can be very stressful.

My feline clients are very bonded to their people and miss the human interaction when they’re away.  Providing play time, brushing and/or petting them gives them the company they are used to, so they don’t get as stressed.

Many of the cats will spend several minutes when I arrive talking to me, as though they’ve had everything bottled up and have to tell me once I’m there with them.

Litter Box Maintenance

Litter box maintenance is very important to cats. Failure to keep the litter box cleaned often leads to cats inappropriately going potty around the house.  This is especially true in multi-cat households, it doesn’t take long for the litter box to become quite a mess.

We don’t like using bathrooms that are dirty and smelly, cats don’t like using gross litter boxes.

If there are multiple litter boxes in a house, it’s important to maintain all of them.  Cats often pick a “favorite” but sometimes use others around the house when the favored one is in use by another cat.

Litter box usage needs to be monitored, too, since it can be a sign of health problems in cats.  A vet relayed a story to me of a cat sitter that was visiting a cat client and there wasn’t usage of the litter box for several days.  It turned out the cat had a urinary blockage and ended up passing away.

Food/Water

Some cats become stressed when their people are away, so it’s important to check food and water consumption when cats are home alone.  If it appears the cat is not eating, a vet visit may be needed.  Cats can lose weight easily if not eating, or eating very little.  This weight loss can lead to serious health issues for cats.

Cats can be rowdy when playing and knock over food and/or water. Scheduling a cat sitter to visit regularly will ensure food and fresh water are available.

Cats can become trapped in a room or closet if the door closes accidentally. This can take away their food and litter box access, having a sitter visit regularly will prevent this.

Conclusion

When it comes to pet care, the needs of dogs and cats are not that different.  The biggest difference is handling bodily functions, dogs often go for walks, cats go in a litter box.

Many cats enjoy company and play time.  If your cat is quite social, he would definitely appreciate visits from a cat sitter while you’re away.

For more information on the services we offer, go to our Services page.