long read - approx 10mins

OUR TOP TEN TIPS TO PREPARE FOR YOUR CATSITTING BOOKING:

BEFORE YOUR BOOKING

1. DECIDE THE CARE YOUR CAT NEEDS

Depending what level of attention your cat(s) need, we can offer as a basic our DROPIN service at 30mins per visit (Suitable for 1 healthy cat and includes everything you’d imagine, food, water, check and change litter and some playtime and cuddles) OR our SIGNATURE SERVICE at a full 60mins per visit. (Recommended for multi-cat households, if you’re away for over a week, if your cat requires extra attention, lap time or interaction AND a must for those needing medication)

We are of course are happy to do a combination of those and have a further choice of services – you can see HERE) Each sitting is tailored to your cats individual requirements so you choose!

2. ARRANGE YOUR CAT CARE EARLY (to avoid disappointment)

During the summer season, over half terms, bank holiday weekends and especially Christmas time, our cat sitters services get snapped up quickly, so we recommend booking your cat sitter at the same time you book your holiday to avoid disappointment.

And please confirm not just your booked dates, but the date and time you are due to depart and return too – this helps us arrange your first and last visits at the most appropriate times.

3. MAKE SURE YOUR CAT IS UP TO DATE WITH VACCINES, MEDICATIONS, FLEA TREATMENTS!

And ensure your cat sitter has your up-to-date vets details.

It’s often a good idea to let the vet know your arrangements with your cat sitter while you’re away as well.

This summer we have visited the vets more times than we have in the entire 8 years prior to this summer! We have also encountered more than one cat with acute flea infestations. Please check and let your sitter know if your cat has fleas – we can work around it – special accommodations can be made - but we cannot risk passing on fleas to other cats, we cannot take them home, and we cannot see a cat with fleas during the day before visiting other cats at all. Please contact your sitter ASAP even if lfeas are a suspicion.

4. INTRODICE YOUR CAT AND THEIR SITTER

Especially if you have a shy or nervous cat! We offer registration visits (meet and greets) to all new customers.
These last approx. 20-30mins and are charged at £21. This £21 acts as a deposit and will be deducted from your booking invoice. We arrange these meets a couple of weeks prior to our visits so the cats can suss us out and hopefully remember us when we return. We use the opportunity for you to ask us any questions, to collect and test your spare key and find out all your cats requirements while you are away. We can also complete all the registration forms together.
If you’ve used Love Cats Croydon before, but your regular sitter is not available, we encourage a cat / cat sitter meeting prior as well.
Your regular sitter will pass on all instructions and all visits will be overseen by Nita, but if you have time and would like to, you can arrange a meet with your new sitter too.

BEFORE YOUR VISITS:

5. INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR CAT SITTER

We will take detailed info at the registration and ask on every booking confirmation for updates. If things have changed (and we found A LOT had this summer) please inform your sitters at least 48hrs beforehand as we may need to adapt our services, lengthen the booking or come at a different time than originally scheduled to accommodate any updates.

We will also check in the day before you go in case there have been any last min changes to your cats health, food, routines.

PLUS: We recommend, everything your catsitter will need to care for your cat in your home while you’re away, should be left in one handy spot to minimise movement around your home.

AND PLEASE – ensure you have enough wet food, dry food, cat treats, biscuits, medication , litter, poop bags etc to last the duration of the booking …and more, just in case! We DO NOT provide the food, treats, litter, we will use yours as each cat has individual needs and preferences. We have found far too many cats this summer with instructions to feed a certain amount, but not enough food to do so, which is genuinely upsetting that its not been thought about prior to your holiday…

6. CAT PROOF YOUR HOUSE…

If there are any spaces or rooms you don’t want your cat going in when you’re not here, let us know AND keep the doors closed on rooms they shouldn’t be in – there is no need for us to open doors that are closed (apart from the toilet!)

If you have a nervous or shy cat, think about plugging in a calming diffuser for a few days before you leave and while you are away. Leave their fave toys out, so we know what they like to play with to keep them relaxed and happy during our visits. We aim to keep everything familiar and routine for them so please leave the house as if you were still there – we are just jumoing in for a few days to take that place.

7. TAKE NOTE OF THE WEATHER

I know this might sound like a strange one, but especially after the summer we’ve just had – note – if you’re away for a particularly hot period, leave some ice in the freezer – we can add to their water bowls. Leave some licky cat treats in there too – instant ice-lollies for us to share with your cat on arrival. Leave additional water bowls around the house that your cat sitter can refill daily…etc.
Opposite to this, if you are off during the winter months, please consider leaving the heating on low (for your cat and your cat sitter!) When we are walking outside in the freezing cold and pouring rain to get to your visits, then have to take off our shoes and coats on entering a freezing house, it can be very uncomfortable for your sitter.
For your cat during winter too, perhaps consider using heat pads we can warm up each day for them.

8. ARRANGE UPDATES & COMMUNICATION

As standard, we will send photo and sometimes video updates every day. These come via WhatsApp, but if you would prefer and email or text message without images instead it can be arranged. If you are seeing one of our cat sitters (not Nita) Nita will be included in WhatsApp groups to see all is going well and is there for any queries from either party.

You will be sent a check-in via WhatsaApp the day before your booking and an email afterwards to make sure all was well.

9. ADDITIONAL TASKS?

If there are extra household tasks such as watering plants, drawing curtains, or popping the bins out that you’d like us to complete - just let us know. (If you have a large garden that requires more work / watering, we can accommodate at an extra cost via booking a longer visit time)

10. FINALLY – DO NOT:

DO NOT Take your cat sitter for granted: please do not leave the litter trays unclean for the week before, knowing the sitter will sort it when they arrive / please don’t leave a mountain of washing up in the sink that we need to clean before we can get to the sink to clean the cats bowls / please don’t expect us to shop for additional food, litter etc – leave enough for the duration, and more.. etc

DO NOT Invite other people to stay in your home while you are away, especially without letting your cat sitter know. This can confuse your cat and means we cannot monitor how well they are eating, what they’ve been fed, how many treats they’ve had, if they are using their trays frequently etc

On a serious note – your cat sitters are all DBS checked and INSURED, and this will invalidate our insurance if someone else in in the property without our knowledge.

All of these things have happened this summer, so worth flagging!

I hope that’s helpful. Remember we are here for any questions throughout the entire process too – before booking, during the booking and meeting process, for the visits, and afterwards too. Contact: info@lovecatscroydon.co.uk anytime and we aim to reply within 2-3 working days. WhatsApp is an option during live bookings or emergencies too, but note we do not work 24hrs and unless it is really is an emergency admin is checked daily between regular office hrs.