Going out of town for 4 days. Can any cat owners living in Oakland, CA recommend a good cat-sitting service?

April 2, 2012 12:43 PM

I'm going out of town next month for about 4 days for a work trip. I'm doing some research on pet sitters who can come over to look after my kitty.

There are quite a few that I've found, but many of them don't have a presence on Yelp where I can read actual reviews by real people. Also, I'd want someone who is trustworthy since I would be leaving them with the keys to my home. Any recommendations, please let me know!

I'll only take pet sitters that are bonded/insured. I am also NOT interested in boarding my cat, because she gets extremely stressed out when placed in a cat carrier. I'm also NOT leaving her alone unattended.

Thanks in advance for any insights.

posted by starpoint to Pets & Animals (7 answers total)

You should be able to ask the people you've found for references -- granted, it means they get to choose them, but it also means you can ask them questions specific to your situation, and determine whether you think they're legit.
posted by brainmouse at 1:01 PM on April 2, 2012

Have you asked at your cat's veterinary clinic? I've heard that vet techs often do pet-sitting on the side; at least maybe they can point you to some reliable pet-sitters.
posted by JenMarie at 1:46 PM on April 2, 2012 [2 favorites]

I got a great pet sitter recommendation here--maybe if you post what city you're in, someone might be able to help.
posted by Kimberly at 2:25 PM on April 2, 2012

maybe if you post what city you're in, someone might be able to help.

She does, see post: Can any cat owners living in Oakland, CA recommend a good cat-sitting service?

1. Check references, don't go with someone who can't give you any.
2. Call your vet and ask. Assistants and tech are great pet-sitters as JenMarie says.
posted by OsoMeaty at 4:39 PM on April 2, 2012

And....we need a picture!
posted by la petite marie at 6:41 PM on April 2, 2012

Is there any way you could ask a friend or friend of/family member-of friend to cat-sit for you? I trade pet-sitting responsibilities with my friends and it works out just fine since they're people I already trust.
posted by brackish.line at 8:32 AM on April 3, 2012

Response by poster: The reason I don't ask friends or family, etc, to do it is because they are not insured or bonded. If anything were to happen on their watch, there'd be no legal actions I could take. It would be essentially, leave them with someone at your own risk.
posted by starpoint at 1:15 PM on April 3, 2012