Should we tip our cat-sitter?

April 2, 2015 11:38 AM

Should we tip our cat-sitter?

We are hiring someone for the first time to watch our cat while we are out of town for a few days. She has her own one-person pet-sitting company and is not someone else's employee. We were told to leave the check for her fee at our place when we go out of town, and she will collect it when she comes to take care of the cat. We probably will not see her in person after we get back. We live in Chicago.

Is it expected or customary to tip in this situation?

posted by anonymous to Work & Money (29 answers total)

We usually tip 100% (double) what our cat sitter charges. Care for our pets is really important to us, and we feel better knowing that our cat sitter is motivated to do a great job.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:41 AM on April 2, 2015 [3 favorites]

I wouldn't unless you've asked her to do something slightly out of the ordinary.
posted by vunder at 11:42 AM on April 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

Hmm. I suspect it's like tipping for maid service, not necessary but appreciated. No reason not to if you're worried enough to post about it, but I wouldn't do more than 5-10%.
posted by Trifling at 11:44 AM on April 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

I pet sat professionally from ~2005-2008. Tipping was never expected or customary, especially from a first-time client unless there's something exceptional you're asking her to do that she's not upcharging for. A lot of my regulars (and daily/weekly dog-walking clients) would tip at the end of the year, though.

Really, the best thing you can do for her (assuming you're happy with the service she provides) is telling friends/family/neighbors about her and helping expand her client base.
posted by Ufez Jones at 11:44 AM on April 2, 2015 [8 favorites]

When I have taken care of people's pets, part of the exchange for me was the chance to stay at their house or apartment rather than my own tiny place. Do you know if that's part of the motivation for this person? If not, it definitely is an inconvenience to stay at someone else's house (or stop by for feeding, etc). I think a small tip would be nice, though not necessary.
posted by three_red_balloons at 11:45 AM on April 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

Well... not if you have to leave the check before the work is done? If it seems like did a great job, send her something after?

But I wouldn't assume that in advance, and leave a tip that can't be revoked if it all goes straight to hell because she walked out with the check on day one.
posted by instead of three wishes at 11:45 AM on April 2, 2015 [4 favorites]

I would not tip since she owns the business. I only tip when my pet sitter uses employees rather than doing it herself.
posted by something something at 11:45 AM on April 2, 2015 [2 favorites]

I like to give people who are watching my dog some cash "just in case" they run out of food or whatever (I always give them enough food). I also write on the envelope to go ahead and keep whatever they don't spend. It's a slightly less awkward way to give money to a friend who would probably insist on doing it for free.

I have never employed a professional, though.
posted by Juliet Banana at 11:46 AM on April 2, 2015 [3 favorites]

Do you have any special case scenarios - elderly cat, medications, etc.? I didn't routinely tip self-employed petsitters when I had nice normal young healthy cats. But these days I have three cats one of whom is elderly, there are complicated medication routines, I hire a sitter who is also a vet tech to be sure he knows how to handle this stuff, and I pay him really well accordingly - much better than his normal rates. It's worth it to me to have a long-term relationship with a single pet-sitter who knows my pets and their special needs, and will pretty much always slot me into his schedule on little notice because he knows he's going to be well compensated for it.

I also always leave a well stocked fridge and a note inviting the sitter to partake of snacks, watch our TV or play our video games, or generally make himself at home. Again, I want him to like being my petsitter, and I also figure it makes the cats happy to have someone who hangs out for a while instead of just dropping in for a quick refill of the food dishes.
posted by Stacey at 11:47 AM on April 2, 2015

Also, one alternative- I've been given an Amazon gift card afterward as a thank you, which was just sent by email after the owners were back and satisfied with what I did. So that might be an option. But again, I just did this on the side, it's not my full-time job, so the situation is probably pretty different.
posted by three_red_balloons at 11:47 AM on April 2, 2015

Leave a nice bottle of wine or booze on the counter by the cat food with a big "FOR CATSITTER! THANKS IN ADVANCE!" note on it.
posted by erst at 11:51 AM on April 2, 2015 [2 favorites]

My cat sitter sets her own rates so I've never considered tipping. After she cared for them during a particularly challenging weather situation I've given her a gift in appreciation and sometimes rather than make change to give her the exact amount in cash I just round up to the nearest $20.
posted by rdnnyc at 12:06 PM on April 2, 2015 [3 favorites]

We use a professional pet sitter when we travel, and have used the same person for years. It is her own business. She goes above and beyond for us - one year our basement flooded and she helped my mom shop vac out the water while we were 6 hours away. She does not stay in our home though (so no snacks or anything like that). Our relationship with her is important, as is the care of our cats. I always tip the equivalent of an extra day's fee for short trips, usually a bit more for longer trips. (However, she also leaves me an invoice and a SASE and I mail it to her after we get home.)
posted by librarianamy at 12:13 PM on April 2, 2015

I would say it's up to you and probably not implicitly expected. For our cat sitter, we usually round up to the next "pleasing" number - she charges $20/day, so if we're gone for four days I'll leave a hundred bucks. I was a pet sitter on the side for awhile in high school, and never expected more than I asked for. I think it was hit-or-miss whether I got tipped.
posted by backseatpilot at 12:22 PM on April 2, 2015

It seems a little paternalistic to tip someone who sets their own rates.
posted by Rock Steady at 12:28 PM on April 2, 2015 [5 favorites]

I pay our sitters their published rates, and also tip at holiday time (usually $100-$150 depending on other circumstances).
posted by handful of rain at 12:29 PM on April 2, 2015 [2 favorites]

One of my best friends is a professional pet sitter / it's her own business. I asked her, and in contradiction to everything above, most of her clients tip 20% or more. The ones who don't seem to be an anomaly.
posted by crawfo at 12:45 PM on April 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

I do tip my cat sitter, but I wouldn't tip for the first time you're using the service -- it could be terrible, or just adequate. You literally have no way to know. When you have used her and are happy with the service, you could start tipping if you want.

If it's your first time using a cat sitter: one of the reasons I am happy with my cat sitter and happy to tip is that she texts or emails quick updates after her visits, which I love. Even though I know she'd contact me if something went wrong, getting those little updates that my cats are happy and up to their usual activities and the house is in normal working order are so, so reassuring.
posted by kate blank at 12:52 PM on April 2, 2015

No. I admit we do little gifties back and forth and a bonus at Xmas time for our regular dog walker, who is also a friend, and picked up some much wanted items from Scotland for our (Scottish) dog sitter, but generally tipping your pet care providers is not the norm. People set the rates as that is what they expect you to pay, period. If you develop a long term relationship, then of course you might do something special as a gift or tip.

Think of your cat sitter like your vet. If you know your vet quite awhile, you might bring some cookies or a present on one of your vet appointments (and we've been known to do something like that for our vet clinic's staff, too), but no vet would expect tipping over and above their charges.
posted by bearwife at 1:08 PM on April 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

We use a professional pet sitter who owns the company, and we do not tip her. I am not aware that it is customary where we live (NYC), or that the sitter expects it. (But maybe I am clueless!)

A couple considerations: although the sitter's rates are fair, she is not inexpensive. She also charges more for more than one pet and for administering medications.

What bearwife said, about thinking of the cat sitter like your vet, sounds right to me.
posted by merejane at 1:31 PM on April 2, 2015

I don't know what's customary, but we've always tipped our cat sitters, and none has acted as if it were strange or unexpected (not to say they weren't grateful, but they didn't act as if it was out of the ordinary either).
posted by primethyme at 1:34 PM on April 2, 2015

I've had a cat sitter for 15 years and never heard of this before. Let's assume I'm not a total jerk - I'd just give the cat sitter a "bonus" around the end of the year as a thank you.
posted by Toddles at 1:50 PM on April 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

I use a self-employed catsitter and figure since she's setting her rate, that is what I'll pay her. But, since I use her multiple times throughout the year and she does a great job, I do give her a bonus at the end of the year equivalent to what she charges for a weekend.
posted by agatha_magatha at 2:08 PM on April 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

For whatever it's worth, I've had cat sitters for over 25 years and have never tipped, but then I believe we've always paid pretty generous rates. None of the sitters has ever acted like this was a problem, and many of the cat-sitting arrangements lasted for many years.
posted by aught at 2:10 PM on April 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

Husband is a full time petsitter. He charges a single rate per visit for pet care which includes ancillary services like mail/newspaper pick-up, watering plants, changing lights, administering medications, garbage out/in and multiple pets. He doesn't expect tips but does get them from time to time, as well as holiday bonuses, and they are always appreciated. He doesn't think any less of non-tippers or deliver any better service to tippers. A tip would certainly be appropriate if you have complicated instructions, require a lot of the ancillary services, schedule last minute, cancel scheduled visits or change plans frequently. Schedule flakiness is definitely a pet peeve of his that could be ameliorated by a tip.
posted by rekrap at 3:25 PM on April 2, 2015 [4 favorites]

My dog sitter is a college student. We pay him the agreed rate and leave him some additional cash ($20 maybe) if he's here on a holiday. Occasionally we ask him if we're paying enough so he doesn't have to ask for a rate change or stop returning my calls.
posted by juliapangolin at 6:33 PM on April 2, 2015

I usually tip the cost of one additional day (i.e. if we're gone for 5 days, I'll pay for 6).
posted by rainbowbrite at 6:32 AM on April 3, 2015

I tip my cat sitter in order to bind her to me! I give her chocolates, too. But it really is because I've grown to trust her and I want her to come back again and again. I don't think it's necessary to tip until you feel that it would help persuade the sitter to keep working for you. My sitter is a vet tech, and she has tons of clients--I don't want her to be too busy to take me on, especially over holidays and such.
posted by feste at 8:42 AM on April 3, 2015

I'd leave them a nice treat (fancy chocolate, 6-pack of nice beer, etc) to enjoy when at the house.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 8:59 AM on April 4, 2015