Cat sitting jobs

Do you love cats? Do you have some free time, want to help people and are you looking to make some extra cash? Why not become a cat sitter? Before you embark on the adventure, here are some valuable tips to help you see things more clearly!

Cat sitting jobs: what you need to know

Whether your are young or old, student or retiree, cat sitting is a job for all. The main condition is: passion for cats. But how does cat sitting work and what does a cat sitter usually do?

Cat sitting services

The term "cat sitting" is derived from the term babysitting as indeed they are quite similar: temporarily taking voer the care for a living being There are several types of cat sitting services that you can offer:

• Visiting the cat in his own home, which consists of spending a few hours of quality time with him

• Cat sitting at the owner's home, where the cat sitter lives with the animal during the time of the owner's absence

• Cat sitting with a host family, where the cat sitter welcomes the cat into his own home

You can choose the type of mission that best suits you and your type of life.

Generally speaking, for all missions, you must take care of the cat, feed it, change its litter, play with it and keep it occupied. You must also check, of course, that he is in good health and does not need an emergency visit to the vet.

Essential traits of the cat sitter

Loving cats is not enough,though it's definitely essential! Some basic skills must also be acquired.

First of all, you must have a great sense of responsibility. You will indeed have a living being under your care, with all the difficulties that come with it. You will have to deal with any problems that may arise (injuries, illnesses) calmly.

You must also be autonomous and able to manage yourself. The ability to make important decisions concerning the health and well being of the cat under your care is of vital importance if you are looking to start offering cat sitting services.

You must be available. Indeed, this profession requires a certain flexibility, and always available to both the cat and his owner. Make sure you can answer any questions the owner might have. You should know, however, that you are in no way obliged to accept everything. This is also the advantage of this job: you remain in control of your schedule and can decide which jobs to take, and which to refuse.

How to become a cat sitter?

Thanks to Holidog, this has become extremely easy! Just go to our site, and click on "Become a pet sitter". We will ask you to fill out a form which our team will analyse. At Holidog, we attach great importance to the quality of our services and wish only the best for our customers. This is why we only select the profiles that we feel are most suitable.

Once your profile has been validated, you will have access to cat sitting jobs in your region. Cat owners fill out their postal code and service they require on our website and then will be redirected to a list of pet sitters to fit their wishes. In case you live in their area and your profile matches their search, they will be able to view your profile and you can start chatting through our internal messenger application.

To land the job, it is of vital importance that you answer the cat owner as soon as possible. Take your time to answer any questions they might have and explain why you are a great pick. If you manage to provide the cat owner with a positive feeling about your communication, chances are high he will pick you over other cat sitters.

How much does a cat sitter earn?

Cat sitting should not be considered a fulltime job. Rather, you should see it as a nice way to make some extra cash while doing what you love: taking care of cats.

Concerning the rates, you can earn between 10 and 20 dollars per day. These prices depend on your geographical location and experience. For pet sitting in bigger cities, you can usually ask for a higher rate. The time of year also plays a role in the equation. You will be able to ask higher prices during the holiday season.

When you are just starting out as a cat sitter, it is advisable to set your rates below the average price for cat sitting services in your region. As you gain experience, you can start upping your price gradually.

Some of the costs like transportation to and from the owner’s home don’t have to be covered by you. Make sure to address this before the booking if the cat sitting takes place in the pet’s home. You should also be reimbursed for any additional pet food you had to purchase or fees for unexpected vet visits. Always make sure to keep the receipt and take a picture of it before handing it to the owner to ensure you get your money back.