March 31, 2025 • 33 mins
This week on Cattitude, Michelle Fern welcomes Beth Stultz-Hairston, President of Pet Sitters International (PSI), to talk all about finding the right pet sitter for your cat (or cats!). Whether you’re heading out of town or just want peace of mind, Beth shares expert tips on choosing a qualified cat sitter and explains why professional pet sitters are an essential part of your feline family’s care team. With two decades of experience in the pet-care industry, Beth also offers insights into the growing pet-sitting field, industry trends, and the importance of avoiding burnout for sitters. If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your cat happy while you're away—or considered pet sitting as a career—this episode is a must-listen!
EPISODE NOTES: Not Just Any Cat Sitter: How to Choose the Purr-fessional One!
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/cattitude-the-1-cat-podcast--6666768/support.
EPISODE NOTES: Not Just Any Cat Sitter: How to Choose the Purr-fessional One!
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/cattitude-the-1-cat-podcast--6666768/support.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
This pet life Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
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Speaker 1 (00:37):
Hello feline friends, Welcome to Cataitude. I'm your show host,
Michelle Bourne. So we're getting near spring break summer you
know's coming, and what do you do when you have
cats and you want to travel? Finding a sitter is hard.
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(00:59):
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our Stay tuned. We'll be right back.
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Speaker 3 (01:50):
Let's talk pets on Petlife Radio dot com.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Welcome back everyone. I'd like to welcome Best Staltz Hairston.
She is the president of Pet Sitters International. Welcome back.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
I'm so excited to have you on. Can you share
what is pet Sitters International and then tell us a
little about your background.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Pet Sitters International is an educational association for pet sitting
and all walking business owners. We were founded by Patty
Moran in nineteen ninety four. She was the author of
a book called pitt Sitting for Profit, and so she
developed the association to help more people turn their passion
for pets into a career. I evan, I've been with
the association for a little more than twenty years now,
(02:45):
so I've had the pleasure of working with pet sitters
for more than two decades.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Wow, that's extensive. Now do you use south have pets?
Speaker 4 (02:54):
I do have pets. I have three dogs and three cats. Oh,
full house, full house definitely. So you know we're going
to get into pet sitting and all those questions. But
I'm just curious what do you do and you need
a pet sitter. Fortunately, I know all the right questions
to ask, but I use a professional pet sitter that
is local to my area of what I do have
to travel, either for work, if I don't have family
(03:15):
members that will be at home, or if we travel
for a family vacation. If there are times when we
can't take our pits. As our pet family has grown,
that's not as possible anymore. So I do use a
pet sitter.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Well, we're going to find out what to do, because
you know, more and more of us are becoming pet parents,
and you know, for cat parents, it's even more challenging
as far as finding a sitter because I don't know,
it just seems to be. So let's talk about cat parents.
So what are some of the challenges that cat parents
(03:47):
can expect to find when they're searching for a pet sitter.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
You know, I often hear from cat parents and they're
nervous about finding just the right care for their cat.
The good news is that it's not nearly as challenging
as it was maybe ten years ago. So there are
more professional pet sitters available than ever before. And something
funny that I think will be interesting for your audience,
is that a lot of times when we think about
(04:11):
pet sitting, we think about pet sitting for dogs or
dog walking companies. But actually, when we surveyed PSI members,
who are all professional pet sitting business owners, more pet
sitters offer cat care services than dog care services. So
most of our pet sitters care for a variety of pets,
but actually cats for the winner. Ninety seven percent of
(04:31):
our members offer cat services compared to ninety three percent
who offer dog services.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
So why do you think that is? I mean, it's
harder to travel with your cat, that's for sure.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
It definitely can be that. Well, we've found, and what
I've really been excited about as the industry has grown
in recent years, is that we are finding some pet
sitters who specialize, so those who have a real passion
for cats have realized they can have cats only businesses.
We also have found that for some businesses and some
pets sa, as their schedules change or they are their
(05:02):
business model changes, there's more flexibility often when offering cat
care services, and so we're seeing pet care professionals embrace
offering cat care even more than they would did in
the past.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Okay, so you brought up something interesting because you know,
some of us have only had cats that in my
listening audience, some of us have had you know, cats
and dogs, and it might be interesting to know like
the difference. I mean, there's obviously differences. You walk a
dog outside cats, you don't need to, But how does
it differ from finding a pet sitter for a dog,
(05:35):
because you know some people have schools that thought that, Well,
you know, my cats are signed a self reliance, so
it's I don't have their search is hard to find
a cat pet sitter. Then you have the other extreme
where my cats are finicky and they get nervous, they're
extremely concerned about finding the exact right fit, almost where
they are a little neurotic about it. I'm talking about
(05:57):
myself because I feel I have cats. One's nervous, one's
a diva. If I don't get the right person, you know,
what if the person gets scratched and so forth. So
what are some of the challenges with us cat owners
cat parents?
Speaker 4 (06:12):
I love that you describe two camps of people, and
that is the same thing that we hear from our
pet sitters. So you have those who are maybe what
you described as finicky but I can tell you that
pet sitters love those passionate cat parents who have specific details,
who want their cats to have the very best care,
who want enrichment, who don't see it as just coming
in to clean a litter box or refresh the food.
(06:35):
And so I found, even in talking to pet parents
who contact me to learn more about finding a pet sitter,
that a lot of times it is the cat parents
who have the highest standards, and we love to see
that we really do their work to make sure that
they're choosing a pet care provider that is a good
match for them and their cats. But on the other
side of that, to something you mentioned is that and
(06:56):
we don't get this as much as we did in
the past, which I'm really happy about. But we hear
from pet sitters who I would often hear from potential
clients who would say, it's just a cat. Can you
come every other day or every you know, maybe third
day because my cat doesn't really need someone to come
in every day while I'm out of town. And that's
just not true. But we see the trend changing in that,
(07:19):
and so we're not seeing those requests as much anymore,
and cat parents are appreciating the importance of professional care,
and also those daily visits.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
What would you say to those pet parents that, thank, well,
I'm just gone for the weekend, the litter box is clean,
I have a water fountain, and I have a timer.
Do I really need to sitter? And they're gone for
maybe three days four days?
Speaker 4 (07:42):
Such a good question and one that I love to answer.
And when we get that question, there are normally two
examples that I give that we've seen happen more than once. Again,
some depending on your cat, and you know your cat's
personality type, maybe they would not appreciate as much interaction
from a stranger. So you think they've got the food,
they've got the water, they're good. But anything can happen
(08:04):
in your absence. And so we've heard from situations where
pet sitters have arrived the client's home and realized right
away that the cat was in distress. We've heard of
situations where the pet sitter arrived to realize that the
cat had a urethral blockage, and had they waited another
day to visit, or had the pet parents been gone
for the weekend and no one was there, the cat
(08:27):
would not have survived. So those daily visits, even if
you think, you know, they may not need the extra
attention can really save them from a potential of medical emergency.
And so that's one consideration. The other thing I remind
cat parents is that when you're gone, anything can happen.
And our cats all think can act different in our absence.
And so we've also had situations where pet sitters have
(08:50):
arrived to the home and they realize, wait, there's water
in the floor and the cat maybe just you know,
nervous about the owner's absence. The cat had gotten behind
the washing machine and dryer and some cords had come
loose and water was pouring into the floor.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Oh my god.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
And so that could have been a major home damages
had someone not been coming every day. And so we
want to protect the cat's safety, but also think about
things that could go wrong in the home, and having
someone come every day can really prevent those issues.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
So I have another twist for you. What about those
that say, well, I have a camera, a couple of
pet cameras in the house, or cat cameras in the house.
Isn't that enough?
Speaker 4 (09:31):
We hear about cameras and more and more pet parents
and people in general have cameras and they can be
very handy, but especially if you are out of town,
it would be very difficult if you don't have an
emergency contact lined up for someone to get your home
in time. And also, cameras do not catch everything. So
while they do add an extra level security and protection.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
That is so true because I've had people say to me, well,
you know I have cat cameras. I have like five,
one in every room. Isn't that enough? But you're right,
they don't catch every single thing, And what if there
was a power outage and then the cameras are not working.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
Technology is great, but it's not perfect, and so we
really want that human touch when it comes to caring
for our animals.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
So, okay, I'm going away, I have my three cats.
What should I look for when I'm hiring a pet sitter?
Speaker 4 (10:17):
There are several things to look for, but I'll hit
on just a few important things. The first thing I'd
buy someone when they ask me about looking for a
pet sitter is that it is important to use a professional.
And while it's easy to ask you know, the teenager
down the street or maybe a friend or family member,
having someone who does this professionally, they're train, they're educated.
It's you know their their profession really gives you this
(10:40):
extra piece of mind. But there are some things you
want to be sure to ask. We recommend that before
you select a petsitter, before you go out of town,
you should have an initial consultation with that pet sitter.
A lot of pet sitters called a meet and greet,
but they come to your home to meet you and
your cat before you book their services. Is that a
fee or it depends a lot of pets for mini
(11:02):
pet sitters, that meet and greet is complementary. There are
some pet sitters we speak with who have a feed,
but then that's applied to your first booking, so it's
most often free, but the policy could vary depending on
the business.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Okay, white else should we look for?
Speaker 4 (11:15):
So when you meet them, that gives you a chance
to see if they're a good fit. We say, you know,
just as some people are cat people or dog people,
they're going to be to some pet sitters that maybe
just seem like a betefit for your family. But you
also want to ask about some important business credentials. Do
they have insurance for their business? That's one of the
top questions you want to ask any pet sitter you
use should have petsitter insurance. You want to also see
(11:37):
if they're using a contract. There should be a contract
between the two of you the outlines the services they
will provide.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Regarding insurance, is that the same as being bonded.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
Bonding is actually different. So that's a great question, and
we find a lot of people don't know the difference
because they normally don't need to. So insurance, specifically, petsitter
insurance is going to cover anything that could happen to
your pet or in your home due to the pet
sitter's actions. Bonding, on the other hand, relates to fifth
(12:06):
so if someone were to steal from your home, that's
when bonding would come into play.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Now is it common for a pet sitter to have both.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
It is when we recommend the pet sitters have both.
A lot of pet sitters will say to us, well,
I know I would never steal from a client. Do
I need to be bonded? And they're not going to
steal from their clients, But we say it does still
give the pet parent. It's that extra level of security
and protection and peace of mind. So we do recommend
that pet sitters be both insured and bonded.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Okay, oh, those are great tips because I'm not sure
I need the difference. What else is important?
Speaker 4 (12:41):
You also want to ask any pet sitter about their
training and their education and then any specific needs that
your pet has. So are they trained in pet first aid?
What is their cat care experience? If your pet needs
any type of medication or need some type of specialized care,
do they have experience in that? And so those questions
about their education and well, not only hope you get
(13:02):
a better idea of how dedicated and professional they are
for this career, but also make sure that they can
handle your special needs.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
Those are some great responses. We're going to take a
short break and we're going to be right back. Hey guys,
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Speaker 5 (14:28):
Let's talk past Let's Life Radio, Hetline Radio, catlve Radio
dot com.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Welcome back everyone. We're talking to Beth who is the
president of Pet Sitters International, and we're learning a great
deal about what the cat parents should do with, you know,
hiring a pet sitter, what to look for and so forth.
So that's one of the challenges I have that it
kind of nerves me and I don't know if I
(15:05):
watch too much crime drama. Listen to too many crime podcasts
or what. But one of the things that makes me
nervous is someone coming into my home. Not that they
all steal, but always I think in the back of
my mind, I think, well, it might happen, or that
something will be damaged or something like that. So it's
nice knowing about being bonded and petsitter's insurance, But do
(15:27):
you have any percentages or something. I know I'm not alone.
I know a lot of our listeners are probably thinking, Yeah,
that's what bothers me. If I don't have family close
by and I haven't used a professional service before, I'm
a little nervous to use one because they're coming in
my home and I don't know this person. I mean,
you have the meet and greet, but still are you sure?
Speaker 4 (15:48):
And that's a common fear, So you are definitely not alone.
There are, of course, some other precautions you can take.
We recommend that pet sitters show you proof of a
background check for DM or any of their if they
have a team of sitters, is coming into your home
should be background checked. Also, ask for references, look at
their online reviews. Those are there be things that give
you the extra peace of mind as well, so if
(16:10):
you've been able, if you know the petsters ensured and bonded,
their background checked, you've checked out their references or read
their online reviews, and then you've been able to meet
them in person, that's going to give you that extra
sense of peace. And we completely understand having someone come
into your home and having them trusting them with your
your furry family member. That's a huge responsibility, and pet
(16:31):
sitters really do appreciate the trust that their clients place
in them.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
How do you professional pet sitters feel when there are
non professional pet sitters that cause issues because you know,
the non professionals giving professional pet sitters a bad name.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
I can tell you in speaking with thousands of professional
pet sitters. Also, with PSI being a professional pet sitting organization,
our top priority is promoting quality care or pets. And
so when you do hear stories of individuals who maybe
just want to make some extra cash pet sitting, but
they're not trained and they're not qualified, or they maybe
(17:10):
don't take this seriously, our primary concern is that pets
are a risk. And then also because we're still working
the industry is still very new, we're still working to
educate pet parents about what it means to be a professional.
And we know it's easy to not understand that. Maybe
they find someone on an app online and think, oh,
this must be a good pet sitter, but they don't
(17:31):
know the questions to ask. So yeah, they're certainly you'll hear.
You can look at any you know, do a Google search,
and you'll find stories of pet sitters who have quote
unquote pet sitters who have not offered great care, and
that is that's harmful to the industry at large. And
so pet sitters as well as petsitters international, really work
to educate pet parents about what to look for and
(17:53):
why it's so important to look for these things to
make sure that your cat does get the best care.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Okay, thank you. What should we expect as cat parents?
What should we expect a cat pet center to do?
In general? So what are expectations and what also what
should we expect in case of an emergency? Let's go
with what should we expect them to do in general?
I thought sometimes litter box might be out of the question,
but you mentioned that earlier, so I guess that's okay.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Yeah, So when we think of the typical cat sitting visit,
that's going to include the basics task that you would
think of your cat's care, so of feeding, refreshing the water,
cleaning the litter box, and then any other special needs
that your pet may have. So if your pet needs medication,
the medication administration will be included in the pet sitting visit.
But also pet sitters are really great about customizing the
(18:43):
visit based on your cat's needs and your preferences. So
while they're going to do the basics, of course, like
I said, feeding, water, cleaning the litter box, if there
are special requests that you have and those can fit
within the timeframe of the visit, those could happen too.
I hear from a pet sitters who say, you know,
I'm able to, you know, clean the litter box and
feed the cat within fifteen minutes, but my client says, hey,
(19:05):
for the remaining fifteen to twenty minutes, could you just
sit on the couch have the television on so the
cat has the feeling like I'm still there or they're
not alone. So there are lots of things the visit
can include depending on your preferences.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Thank you for that. Is there generally a time limit
or things that we should not expect I like the
idea of the TV spending some time with them, and
I know that in the past, I've asked my sitters
to let my cat's hut on the cadio sometimes yes,
sometimes know because sometimes it's hard to get them back
in the house.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
As far as the length of the visit, most pet
sitters have standard visit times that they offer. Thirty minutes
is the average time for the typical pet sitting visit,
but there are also pet sitters that offer extended visits
or multiple visits per day, So that would depend on
the cat parents' preferences and what their cats need. But
thirty minutes would be a standard visit time, but certainly
(19:58):
longer visits are available.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
Okay, and before we get to the emergency question, you
and I mentioned something interesting. You said multiple times a day.
Is it the norm for cat sitters to come once
a day or twice a day at this time, there's
not a specific industry norm I could tell you.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
Up until recent years, though, we typically would find that
for cat visits and the best practice for the industry
is they have to be visited at least once per day,
and that did tend to be the standard for a
long time. But what we are hearing now for pet sitters,
and I don't have percentages on this, but I'm hearing
from a lot of our members that they're finding here
in the last few years that they're having more and
(20:34):
more clients requests more than one visit per day for
their cat because they want them to have more interaction,
human interaction and enrichment.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
Yes, and my cat's see twice a day. I don't
know what's the norm, but I'm used to so used
to them eating twice a day, So definitely I want
my center to come twice a day.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
And that's what petsits are there to do. They want
to keep That's one of the advantages of pet sitting
is that your pet is able to stay on as
normal routine as closely as possible. And so if you're
catch on that feeding schedule, that's definitely a scenario where
two visits a day would be needed.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Okay, and here's the question. Here's something that's I think
every pet parent fears. What should we expect in case
of emergency?
Speaker 4 (21:13):
That's a great question. I'm prepare for the worst case scenario, person,
So I understand that concern. There are a lot of things.
You always say that pet sitters expecting unexpected and be
prepared for anything, and so there are a lot of
things they do in advance to make sure they're prepared
to any emergency happen. So, first, in addition to having
a contract outlines your services, a pet sitter will have
(21:34):
you fill out a pet profile sheet to get more
information about your cat. It's preferences, dislikes, iss dislikes, that
they can have treats, etc. But on that pet profile sheet,
they're also going to ask some situations about if there's
an emergency, what should we do, So who the veterinarian
is if there's a veterinary emergency and that veterinary is
not available as an alternate veterinarian an emergency veterinarian. Also,
(21:57):
they ask for a local emergency content so if for
some reason you're not accessible they can't get in touch
with you. Who is a local person that you authorize
them to reach out to in the event of an emergency,
and so getting that information making sure it's correction up
to date is really important. And then also you'll likely
have your pet sitter ask you about a vet authorization
(22:18):
and what this is a form that you can complete
in advance, so that you let your veterinarian know that
you'll be out of town and that there's a pet
sitter that has permission to bring your cat in to
the vet if needed. Okay, and what is that called
a vet authorization form?
Speaker 1 (22:33):
At authorization? Okay, I have not How can I have
not heard of this? I've not heard of that before.
Speaker 4 (22:39):
That is just excellent to give you another example of
pet sitters really being prepared for anything that could happen.
Another form you may not have heard of. This is
called an Emergency Guardianship Form, and we provide that to
PSI members to use it their businesses. But that's a
form that says, in the very unlikely event that the
pet parent is not able to return home, who do
they contact the tail temporary ownership of the cat until
(23:02):
the final decision can be made. And so there are
lots of scenarios that, while unlikely, pet sitters want to
be prepared for.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
That's great. I mean it makes me think of unfortunately
COVID when people were stuck places for months, you know,
I mean, you never know you could be stuck or
and I think most of the time you might be
delayed only a few days, especially for you know, weather situations,
travel situations. But that is a great idea. Thank you
for all that great information. Now let's go to the
(23:33):
side of the pet parent. What is the pet parent
expected to have available for the pet sitter.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
That's great. We love a pet parent that is prepared,
and so I mentioned earlier the pet profile sheet. We
do encourage pet parents to give that full information to
pet sitters in advance so they could be prepared to
offer the best care. And then prior to the visit,
just make sure the pet supplies the food, the litter,
that those are readily available, that you have enough to
last while you're gone on and that they're in a
(24:00):
location that the petsitter can easily find them. So just
have that stuff prepared makes a big difference. And then
also to some small consideration things. If, for example, depending
on the time that you may be leaving you out
of town, if your cat sitter's first visit will be
at night, make sure you leave it outside light on
so they're not having to approach your home in the dark.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
That's a good idea too. So, Beth, are there any
suggestions to make the cat pet parent and the cat
more comfortable using a pet sitter. I think you know,
with everything you've talked about, I can see the cat
parent being from you know, being a nerve to maybe
being a little more commed about the situation. What about
the cat or maybe both?
Speaker 4 (24:38):
Sure? Now, one suggestion I would give for the cat parent,
if you're still feeling nervous about leaving your cat, communicate
that she your pet sitter and talk to them, and
this is something that can be discussed at that initial
consultation I mentioned. But talk to them about the expected
frequency of communication. So there are some pet parents who say,
no need to contact me unless there's an emergen or
(25:00):
something I need to know about, but other cat parents
will say, I would really feel much better if you're
able to send me a daily text update with a
photo of my cat and a quick update. So be
up to print about your communication style. Ask the pet
sitter how they communicate while you're out of town, and
that'll give you some extra peace of mind as well,
because you'll know what to expect. The other advice I
(25:22):
give of pet parents is don't be embarrassed to ask anything.
Pet sitters have heard it all. Some of my favorite
stories I've had pet parents tell the pet sitter that
they really think their cat has a favorite TV show,
so that could they make sure that TV show was
turned on? Or there was a client who ask a
pet sitter that her cat really liked this particular song
while she ate, and you know, asked the petsitter, could
(25:44):
you sing this song? They've heard it all and so don't
feel embarrassed to ask, because pet sitter's priority is making
sure that you're comfortable and that your cat is comfortable. Now,
they may not have the best singing voice, but if
you ask it, they could accommodate that request. So to
ask and really be upfront about your pets preferences and
any concerns you may have.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
I think guys cat parents are really quirky, which is
a good thing. That's what I find overall. Absolutely, that's
a new one. Sing Might cats eat well? So, but
I think if by saying they would stop eating because
I don't think I have a very not a good
singing voice. Let's talk about pet sitters international. How does
that help people to become pet sitters, because that's another
(26:30):
side of what pet sitters do.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
Absolutely, so that is actually the primary purpose of pet
Sitters International. We were established as an educational organization to
help a professional pet sitting business owners start and grow
their businesses. And so our main focus is education but
also business credentials and so we work with our members
to get them access to insurance that specifically for pet sitters.
(26:54):
Like I mentioned earlier, we work with background check providers.
But then we also really focus on the educational reason sources.
So we have online classes. Members have a pre online
training each month and we really dive deep into PetCare topics, PetCare,
pet safety, also the safety of the pet sitter ways
to operate their business. And so we're there to walk
(27:15):
alongside pet sitters at every stage of their business to
make sure that not only are they able to make
a career out of pet sitting, but also to ensure
they stay up to date in current to offer the
best possible PetCare.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Okay, and what can pet parents find on Pet Sitters
International which is at petsit dot com.
Speaker 4 (27:35):
So on petsa dot com we also have a pet
Sitter Locator and so pet parents can use that it's
free of charge to search by their zip code and
find PSI members who are in their area. We also
have articles on our website about choosing a pet sitter,
things to look for, and if they go to our
locator page, which is petsa dot com slash locate, we
actually offer a downloadable petsitter interview checklist and we recommend
(27:59):
every pet parent use that as a guide and it
tells you the specific questions you can ask of you
need potential petsitter that you're considering.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
Okay, great, well I feel much more informed after speaking
with you. I hope my listening audience does as well.
This has been wonderful information. You know, pet sitting for
the cats, and we've talked about travel and all that,
But there are other reasons you need a pet sitter. So,
before I was a cat pet parent, I had a puppy.
I had a pet sitter because I was working some days,
(28:27):
I had crazy hours, you know, I was gone maybe
ten twelve hours, which is way too long for a puppy.
So what are some other reasons where people might need
a pet sitter, just so they can think about this
if this should happen, and be you know, relieved and
not concerned about that particular situation.
Speaker 4 (28:46):
You know, when we think about pet seeing a lot
of times the main reasons are we think I'm traveling
for work, or I'm on vacation and I'll be out
of tail and I need a pet sitter, which is true,
but there are so many other scenarios where pet sitting
services can really come in handy. If you're working long
hours like you mentioned, or for those who maybe have
a puppy that needs more frequent breaks that they can't
provide because of their work schedule, that's a great time
(29:08):
to use a pet sitter. Also, people that perhaps if
they are have an emergency situation, they're hospitalized and they
would need to secure the services of a pet sitter
to help them with pick care of that situation. But
also just even smaller incidents, we hear people who say,
you know, I'm not going out of town, but I'm
going to be gone from my house a little longer
than normal. Maybe I'm at a sporting tournament with my child,
(29:30):
or I'm going to a concert. Now I'm going to
be gone several hours, and you could use a pet
sitter then as well. So it doesn't have to be
only when you're out of town.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
What about a situation where someone unfortunately you know, broke
a leg or couldn't get around as well and needed
extended services. Is that something that can be available like
instead the short term one week, two week, they might
need someone to come in for a month because it's
going to be impossible for them to do the litter,
or if they have a dog, you know, walk the dog.
Speaker 4 (29:59):
That's a great example. For situations like that where a
temporary injury or ailment means they need a little more help.
We also have that situation and for more extended time periods.
A lot of times we have pet sitters who are
work a lot of retirement communities where people will need
daily doll walking indefinitely because they're able to take care
of their basic pet care needs, but maybe walcome the
(30:20):
dog for extended period of time. It's not something they're
physically able to do anymore because of age or injury,
and so those scenarios, the pet siting services can be
really valuable as will.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
Okay, wow, great information. Okay, Beth, You've been so informative
and I appreciate it so much. One last question, what
is a good range for people to expect for a
cat pet sitter. Let's go with daily, because I know
some might have a certain price if there's more than
so many days, I don't know if they discount the
price because it's the same place and it's easier to
(30:52):
go multiple you know, multiple days to one location. But
what is the range of costs for a pet sitter
for cats?
Speaker 4 (30:59):
Sure, that's a great question. Now we do I always
like to give the caveat that. The rate for pet
seating can certainly varied quite dramatically, depend on where you live,
what part of the country you're in. But we a
pside does a survey every two years to get national averages,
and so I can tell you that for a basic
pet care visit, which would include a basic cat sitting
visit that's around thirty minutes, the national average for that
(31:20):
is twenty five dollars and forty nine cents. And so
that's the average. Again, depending on where you live, you
could see that a little higher, a little lower, but
in the twenty five dollars range is the typical rate
for a thirty minute visit.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
Okay, and that's for one today, right.
Speaker 4 (31:35):
Because that would be for one visit. So most pet sitters, again,
there's some businesses that stretrig us differently, but most pet
sitting services charge per visit.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
Okay, did they ever give a rate that discounted if
it's several days and many visits.
Speaker 4 (31:48):
That does depend on the petsitting business and what their
policies are, but certainly there are some that have package
deals depending on the frequency of your visits or the
duration of the pet sitting visit, and so that's an
option that you can certainly ask any petsitter you're considering about.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
Okay, thank you. So where can people go to find
more information Beth?
Speaker 4 (32:06):
For anyone who wants more information about becoming a pittsitter
or finding a pittsitter. Petsitters International's website it's petsit dot com.
And then we were also on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Bethlina, thank you so much again for coming on Caatitude.
I greatly appreciate your insight and wisdom with pet sitters
for our cats. Thank you so much, thank you. I
hope you all enjoyed the show. Beth was so informative
and I hope all of you feel much more relaxed
about going about finding a pet sitter for your cat.
(32:38):
So I want to thank Beth again for coming on Clatitude.
Thanks to my cat crew Mollie, Charlotte and Dennis for
hey being the great cats you are. Thanks for everybody
listening to Calatitude. I appreciate your listenership so much, thanks,
of course to the magic. Seriously, he's magical of Mark
(32:58):
Winter and let's give a little happy birthday. His birthday
is coming soon, so happy birthday, Mark. I would sing
to you, but you know I can't thank you so much,
Mark for the magic you do in making our shows
sound amazing. And hey, remember lista attitude, have caatitude.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Let's talk pets every week on demand only on petlight
radio dot com.
This pet life Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Let's talk pets. This episode of Catitude is brought to
you by me Augreens. Get a free Jumpstart trial bag
for your cat today. Go to meowgreens dot com and
use promo code Catitude.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Hello feline friends, Welcome to Cataitude. I'm your show host,
Michelle Bourne. So we're getting near spring break summer you
know's coming, and what do you do when you have
cats and you want to travel? Finding a sitter is hard.
I mean it's really hard if you have cats. And
then there's one school of thought that says genaby sitter.
(00:59):
I don't know. I kind of think you do. But
my guest today is an expert in pet sinning, especially
with cats, So I cannot wait to introduce you to
our Stay tuned. We'll be right back.
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Speaker 3 (01:50):
Let's talk pets on Petlife Radio dot com.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Welcome back everyone. I'd like to welcome Best Staltz Hairston.
She is the president of Pet Sitters International. Welcome back.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
I'm so excited to have you on. Can you share
what is pet Sitters International and then tell us a
little about your background.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Pet Sitters International is an educational association for pet sitting
and all walking business owners. We were founded by Patty
Moran in nineteen ninety four. She was the author of
a book called pitt Sitting for Profit, and so she
developed the association to help more people turn their passion
for pets into a career. I evan, I've been with
the association for a little more than twenty years now,
(02:45):
so I've had the pleasure of working with pet sitters
for more than two decades.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Wow, that's extensive. Now do you use south have pets?
Speaker 4 (02:54):
I do have pets. I have three dogs and three cats. Oh,
full house, full house definitely. So you know we're going
to get into pet sitting and all those questions. But
I'm just curious what do you do and you need
a pet sitter. Fortunately, I know all the right questions
to ask, but I use a professional pet sitter that
is local to my area of what I do have
to travel, either for work, if I don't have family
(03:15):
members that will be at home, or if we travel
for a family vacation. If there are times when we
can't take our pits. As our pet family has grown,
that's not as possible anymore. So I do use a
pet sitter.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Well, we're going to find out what to do, because
you know, more and more of us are becoming pet parents,
and you know, for cat parents, it's even more challenging
as far as finding a sitter because I don't know,
it just seems to be. So let's talk about cat parents.
So what are some of the challenges that cat parents
(03:47):
can expect to find when they're searching for a pet sitter.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
You know, I often hear from cat parents and they're
nervous about finding just the right care for their cat.
The good news is that it's not nearly as challenging
as it was maybe ten years ago. So there are
more professional pet sitters available than ever before. And something
funny that I think will be interesting for your audience,
is that a lot of times when we think about
(04:11):
pet sitting, we think about pet sitting for dogs or
dog walking companies. But actually, when we surveyed PSI members,
who are all professional pet sitting business owners, more pet
sitters offer cat care services than dog care services. So
most of our pet sitters care for a variety of pets,
but actually cats for the winner. Ninety seven percent of
(04:31):
our members offer cat services compared to ninety three percent
who offer dog services.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
So why do you think that is? I mean, it's
harder to travel with your cat, that's for sure.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
It definitely can be that. Well, we've found, and what
I've really been excited about as the industry has grown
in recent years, is that we are finding some pet
sitters who specialize, so those who have a real passion
for cats have realized they can have cats only businesses.
We also have found that for some businesses and some
pets sa, as their schedules change or they are their
(05:02):
business model changes, there's more flexibility often when offering cat
care services, and so we're seeing pet care professionals embrace
offering cat care even more than they would did in
the past.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Okay, so you brought up something interesting because you know,
some of us have only had cats that in my
listening audience, some of us have had you know, cats
and dogs, and it might be interesting to know like
the difference. I mean, there's obviously differences. You walk a
dog outside cats, you don't need to, But how does
it differ from finding a pet sitter for a dog,
(05:35):
because you know some people have schools that thought that, Well,
you know, my cats are signed a self reliance, so
it's I don't have their search is hard to find
a cat pet sitter. Then you have the other extreme
where my cats are finicky and they get nervous, they're
extremely concerned about finding the exact right fit, almost where
they are a little neurotic about it. I'm talking about
(05:57):
myself because I feel I have cats. One's nervous, one's
a diva. If I don't get the right person, you know,
what if the person gets scratched and so forth. So
what are some of the challenges with us cat owners
cat parents?
Speaker 4 (06:12):
I love that you describe two camps of people, and
that is the same thing that we hear from our
pet sitters. So you have those who are maybe what
you described as finicky but I can tell you that
pet sitters love those passionate cat parents who have specific details,
who want their cats to have the very best care,
who want enrichment, who don't see it as just coming
in to clean a litter box or refresh the food.
(06:35):
And so I found, even in talking to pet parents
who contact me to learn more about finding a pet sitter,
that a lot of times it is the cat parents
who have the highest standards, and we love to see
that we really do their work to make sure that
they're choosing a pet care provider that is a good
match for them and their cats. But on the other
side of that, to something you mentioned is that and
(06:56):
we don't get this as much as we did in
the past, which I'm really happy about. But we hear
from pet sitters who I would often hear from potential
clients who would say, it's just a cat. Can you
come every other day or every you know, maybe third
day because my cat doesn't really need someone to come
in every day while I'm out of town. And that's
just not true. But we see the trend changing in that,
(07:19):
and so we're not seeing those requests as much anymore,
and cat parents are appreciating the importance of professional care,
and also those daily visits.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
What would you say to those pet parents that, thank, well,
I'm just gone for the weekend, the litter box is clean,
I have a water fountain, and I have a timer.
Do I really need to sitter? And they're gone for
maybe three days four days?
Speaker 4 (07:42):
Such a good question and one that I love to answer.
And when we get that question, there are normally two
examples that I give that we've seen happen more than once. Again,
some depending on your cat, and you know your cat's
personality type, maybe they would not appreciate as much interaction
from a stranger. So you think they've got the food,
they've got the water, they're good. But anything can happen
(08:04):
in your absence. And so we've heard from situations where
pet sitters have arrived the client's home and realized right
away that the cat was in distress. We've heard of
situations where the pet sitter arrived to realize that the
cat had a urethral blockage, and had they waited another
day to visit, or had the pet parents been gone
for the weekend and no one was there, the cat
(08:27):
would not have survived. So those daily visits, even if
you think, you know, they may not need the extra
attention can really save them from a potential of medical emergency.
And so that's one consideration. The other thing I remind
cat parents is that when you're gone, anything can happen.
And our cats all think can act different in our absence.
And so we've also had situations where pet sitters have
(08:50):
arrived to the home and they realize, wait, there's water
in the floor and the cat maybe just you know,
nervous about the owner's absence. The cat had gotten behind
the washing machine and dryer and some cords had come
loose and water was pouring into the floor.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Oh my god.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
And so that could have been a major home damages
had someone not been coming every day. And so we
want to protect the cat's safety, but also think about
things that could go wrong in the home, and having
someone come every day can really prevent those issues.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
So I have another twist for you. What about those
that say, well, I have a camera, a couple of
pet cameras in the house, or cat cameras in the house.
Isn't that enough?
Speaker 4 (09:31):
We hear about cameras and more and more pet parents
and people in general have cameras and they can be
very handy, but especially if you are out of town,
it would be very difficult if you don't have an
emergency contact lined up for someone to get your home
in time. And also, cameras do not catch everything. So
while they do add an extra level security and protection.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
That is so true because I've had people say to me, well,
you know I have cat cameras. I have like five,
one in every room. Isn't that enough? But you're right,
they don't catch every single thing, And what if there
was a power outage and then the cameras are not working.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
Technology is great, but it's not perfect, and so we
really want that human touch when it comes to caring
for our animals.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
So, okay, I'm going away, I have my three cats.
What should I look for when I'm hiring a pet sitter?
Speaker 4 (10:17):
There are several things to look for, but I'll hit
on just a few important things. The first thing I'd
buy someone when they ask me about looking for a
pet sitter is that it is important to use a professional.
And while it's easy to ask you know, the teenager
down the street or maybe a friend or family member,
having someone who does this professionally, they're train, they're educated.
It's you know their their profession really gives you this
(10:40):
extra piece of mind. But there are some things you
want to be sure to ask. We recommend that before
you select a petsitter, before you go out of town,
you should have an initial consultation with that pet sitter.
A lot of pet sitters called a meet and greet,
but they come to your home to meet you and
your cat before you book their services. Is that a
fee or it depends a lot of pets for mini
(11:02):
pet sitters, that meet and greet is complementary. There are
some pet sitters we speak with who have a feed,
but then that's applied to your first booking, so it's
most often free, but the policy could vary depending on
the business.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Okay, white else should we look for?
Speaker 4 (11:15):
So when you meet them, that gives you a chance
to see if they're a good fit. We say, you know,
just as some people are cat people or dog people,
they're going to be to some pet sitters that maybe
just seem like a betefit for your family. But you
also want to ask about some important business credentials. Do
they have insurance for their business? That's one of the
top questions you want to ask any pet sitter you
use should have petsitter insurance. You want to also see
(11:37):
if they're using a contract. There should be a contract
between the two of you the outlines the services they
will provide.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Regarding insurance, is that the same as being bonded.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
Bonding is actually different. So that's a great question, and
we find a lot of people don't know the difference
because they normally don't need to. So insurance, specifically, petsitter
insurance is going to cover anything that could happen to
your pet or in your home due to the pet
sitter's actions. Bonding, on the other hand, relates to fifth
(12:06):
so if someone were to steal from your home, that's
when bonding would come into play.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Now is it common for a pet sitter to have both.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
It is when we recommend the pet sitters have both.
A lot of pet sitters will say to us, well,
I know I would never steal from a client. Do
I need to be bonded? And they're not going to
steal from their clients, But we say it does still
give the pet parent. It's that extra level of security
and protection and peace of mind. So we do recommend
that pet sitters be both insured and bonded.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Okay, oh, those are great tips because I'm not sure
I need the difference. What else is important?
Speaker 4 (12:41):
You also want to ask any pet sitter about their
training and their education and then any specific needs that
your pet has. So are they trained in pet first aid?
What is their cat care experience? If your pet needs
any type of medication or need some type of specialized care,
do they have experience in that? And so those questions
about their education and well, not only hope you get
(13:02):
a better idea of how dedicated and professional they are
for this career, but also make sure that they can
handle your special needs.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
Those are some great responses. We're going to take a
short break and we're going to be right back. Hey guys,
Michelle furn here, is your cat slowing down or having
health issues? Do you wonder what can I do to
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Speaker 5 (14:28):
Let's talk past Let's Life Radio, Hetline Radio, catlve Radio
dot com.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Welcome back everyone. We're talking to Beth who is the
president of Pet Sitters International, and we're learning a great
deal about what the cat parents should do with, you know,
hiring a pet sitter, what to look for and so forth.
So that's one of the challenges I have that it
kind of nerves me and I don't know if I
(15:05):
watch too much crime drama. Listen to too many crime podcasts
or what. But one of the things that makes me
nervous is someone coming into my home. Not that they
all steal, but always I think in the back of
my mind, I think, well, it might happen, or that
something will be damaged or something like that. So it's
nice knowing about being bonded and petsitter's insurance, But do
(15:27):
you have any percentages or something. I know I'm not alone.
I know a lot of our listeners are probably thinking, Yeah,
that's what bothers me. If I don't have family close
by and I haven't used a professional service before, I'm
a little nervous to use one because they're coming in
my home and I don't know this person. I mean,
you have the meet and greet, but still are you sure?
Speaker 4 (15:48):
And that's a common fear, So you are definitely not alone.
There are, of course, some other precautions you can take.
We recommend that pet sitters show you proof of a
background check for DM or any of their if they
have a team of sitters, is coming into your home
should be background checked. Also, ask for references, look at
their online reviews. Those are there be things that give
you the extra peace of mind as well, so if
(16:10):
you've been able, if you know the petsters ensured and bonded,
their background checked, you've checked out their references or read
their online reviews, and then you've been able to meet
them in person, that's going to give you that extra
sense of peace. And we completely understand having someone come
into your home and having them trusting them with your
your furry family member. That's a huge responsibility, and pet
(16:31):
sitters really do appreciate the trust that their clients place
in them.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
How do you professional pet sitters feel when there are
non professional pet sitters that cause issues because you know,
the non professionals giving professional pet sitters a bad name.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
I can tell you in speaking with thousands of professional
pet sitters. Also, with PSI being a professional pet sitting organization,
our top priority is promoting quality care or pets. And
so when you do hear stories of individuals who maybe
just want to make some extra cash pet sitting, but
they're not trained and they're not qualified, or they maybe
(17:10):
don't take this seriously, our primary concern is that pets
are a risk. And then also because we're still working
the industry is still very new, we're still working to
educate pet parents about what it means to be a professional.
And we know it's easy to not understand that. Maybe
they find someone on an app online and think, oh,
this must be a good pet sitter, but they don't
(17:31):
know the questions to ask. So yeah, they're certainly you'll hear.
You can look at any you know, do a Google search,
and you'll find stories of pet sitters who have quote
unquote pet sitters who have not offered great care, and
that is that's harmful to the industry at large. And
so pet sitters as well as petsitters international, really work
to educate pet parents about what to look for and
(17:53):
why it's so important to look for these things to
make sure that your cat does get the best care.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Okay, thank you. What should we expect as cat parents?
What should we expect a cat pet center to do?
In general? So what are expectations and what also what
should we expect in case of an emergency? Let's go
with what should we expect them to do in general?
I thought sometimes litter box might be out of the question,
but you mentioned that earlier, so I guess that's okay.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Yeah, So when we think of the typical cat sitting visit,
that's going to include the basics task that you would
think of your cat's care, so of feeding, refreshing the water,
cleaning the litter box, and then any other special needs
that your pet may have. So if your pet needs medication,
the medication administration will be included in the pet sitting visit.
But also pet sitters are really great about customizing the
(18:43):
visit based on your cat's needs and your preferences. So
while they're going to do the basics, of course, like
I said, feeding, water, cleaning the litter box, if there
are special requests that you have and those can fit
within the timeframe of the visit, those could happen too.
I hear from a pet sitters who say, you know,
I'm able to, you know, clean the litter box and
feed the cat within fifteen minutes, but my client says, hey,
(19:05):
for the remaining fifteen to twenty minutes, could you just
sit on the couch have the television on so the
cat has the feeling like I'm still there or they're
not alone. So there are lots of things the visit
can include depending on your preferences.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Thank you for that. Is there generally a time limit
or things that we should not expect I like the
idea of the TV spending some time with them, and
I know that in the past, I've asked my sitters
to let my cat's hut on the cadio sometimes yes,
sometimes know because sometimes it's hard to get them back
in the house.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
As far as the length of the visit, most pet
sitters have standard visit times that they offer. Thirty minutes
is the average time for the typical pet sitting visit,
but there are also pet sitters that offer extended visits
or multiple visits per day, So that would depend on
the cat parents' preferences and what their cats need. But
thirty minutes would be a standard visit time, but certainly
(19:58):
longer visits are available.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
Okay, and before we get to the emergency question, you
and I mentioned something interesting. You said multiple times a day.
Is it the norm for cat sitters to come once
a day or twice a day at this time, there's
not a specific industry norm I could tell you.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
Up until recent years, though, we typically would find that
for cat visits and the best practice for the industry
is they have to be visited at least once per day,
and that did tend to be the standard for a
long time. But what we are hearing now for pet sitters,
and I don't have percentages on this, but I'm hearing
from a lot of our members that they're finding here
in the last few years that they're having more and
(20:34):
more clients requests more than one visit per day for
their cat because they want them to have more interaction,
human interaction and enrichment.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
Yes, and my cat's see twice a day. I don't
know what's the norm, but I'm used to so used
to them eating twice a day, So definitely I want
my center to come twice a day.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
And that's what petsits are there to do. They want
to keep That's one of the advantages of pet sitting
is that your pet is able to stay on as
normal routine as closely as possible. And so if you're
catch on that feeding schedule, that's definitely a scenario where
two visits a day would be needed.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Okay, and here's the question. Here's something that's I think
every pet parent fears. What should we expect in case
of emergency?
Speaker 4 (21:13):
That's a great question. I'm prepare for the worst case scenario, person,
So I understand that concern. There are a lot of things.
You always say that pet sitters expecting unexpected and be
prepared for anything, and so there are a lot of
things they do in advance to make sure they're prepared
to any emergency happen. So, first, in addition to having
a contract outlines your services, a pet sitter will have
(21:34):
you fill out a pet profile sheet to get more
information about your cat. It's preferences, dislikes, iss dislikes, that
they can have treats, etc. But on that pet profile sheet,
they're also going to ask some situations about if there's
an emergency, what should we do, So who the veterinarian
is if there's a veterinary emergency and that veterinary is
not available as an alternate veterinarian an emergency veterinarian. Also,
(21:57):
they ask for a local emergency content so if for
some reason you're not accessible they can't get in touch
with you. Who is a local person that you authorize
them to reach out to in the event of an emergency,
and so getting that information making sure it's correction up
to date is really important. And then also you'll likely
have your pet sitter ask you about a vet authorization
(22:18):
and what this is a form that you can complete
in advance, so that you let your veterinarian know that
you'll be out of town and that there's a pet
sitter that has permission to bring your cat in to
the vet if needed. Okay, and what is that called
a vet authorization form?
Speaker 1 (22:33):
At authorization? Okay, I have not How can I have
not heard of this? I've not heard of that before.
Speaker 4 (22:39):
That is just excellent to give you another example of
pet sitters really being prepared for anything that could happen.
Another form you may not have heard of. This is
called an Emergency Guardianship Form, and we provide that to
PSI members to use it their businesses. But that's a
form that says, in the very unlikely event that the
pet parent is not able to return home, who do
they contact the tail temporary ownership of the cat until
(23:02):
the final decision can be made. And so there are
lots of scenarios that, while unlikely, pet sitters want to
be prepared for.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
That's great. I mean it makes me think of unfortunately
COVID when people were stuck places for months, you know,
I mean, you never know you could be stuck or
and I think most of the time you might be
delayed only a few days, especially for you know, weather situations,
travel situations. But that is a great idea. Thank you
for all that great information. Now let's go to the
(23:33):
side of the pet parent. What is the pet parent
expected to have available for the pet sitter.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
That's great. We love a pet parent that is prepared,
and so I mentioned earlier the pet profile sheet. We
do encourage pet parents to give that full information to
pet sitters in advance so they could be prepared to
offer the best care. And then prior to the visit,
just make sure the pet supplies the food, the litter,
that those are readily available, that you have enough to
last while you're gone on and that they're in a
(24:00):
location that the petsitter can easily find them. So just
have that stuff prepared makes a big difference. And then
also to some small consideration things. If, for example, depending
on the time that you may be leaving you out
of town, if your cat sitter's first visit will be
at night, make sure you leave it outside light on
so they're not having to approach your home in the dark.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
That's a good idea too. So, Beth, are there any
suggestions to make the cat pet parent and the cat
more comfortable using a pet sitter. I think you know,
with everything you've talked about, I can see the cat
parent being from you know, being a nerve to maybe
being a little more commed about the situation. What about
the cat or maybe both?
Speaker 4 (24:38):
Sure? Now, one suggestion I would give for the cat parent,
if you're still feeling nervous about leaving your cat, communicate
that she your pet sitter and talk to them, and
this is something that can be discussed at that initial
consultation I mentioned. But talk to them about the expected
frequency of communication. So there are some pet parents who say,
no need to contact me unless there's an emergen or
(25:00):
something I need to know about, but other cat parents
will say, I would really feel much better if you're
able to send me a daily text update with a
photo of my cat and a quick update. So be
up to print about your communication style. Ask the pet
sitter how they communicate while you're out of town, and
that'll give you some extra peace of mind as well,
because you'll know what to expect. The other advice I
(25:22):
give of pet parents is don't be embarrassed to ask anything.
Pet sitters have heard it all. Some of my favorite
stories I've had pet parents tell the pet sitter that
they really think their cat has a favorite TV show,
so that could they make sure that TV show was
turned on? Or there was a client who ask a
pet sitter that her cat really liked this particular song
while she ate, and you know, asked the petsitter, could
(25:44):
you sing this song? They've heard it all and so don't
feel embarrassed to ask, because pet sitter's priority is making
sure that you're comfortable and that your cat is comfortable. Now,
they may not have the best singing voice, but if
you ask it, they could accommodate that request. So to
ask and really be upfront about your pets preferences and
any concerns you may have.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
I think guys cat parents are really quirky, which is
a good thing. That's what I find overall. Absolutely, that's
a new one. Sing Might cats eat well? So, but
I think if by saying they would stop eating because
I don't think I have a very not a good
singing voice. Let's talk about pet sitters international. How does
that help people to become pet sitters, because that's another
(26:30):
side of what pet sitters do.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
Absolutely, so that is actually the primary purpose of pet
Sitters International. We were established as an educational organization to
help a professional pet sitting business owners start and grow
their businesses. And so our main focus is education but
also business credentials and so we work with our members
to get them access to insurance that specifically for pet sitters.
(26:54):
Like I mentioned earlier, we work with background check providers.
But then we also really focus on the educational reason sources.
So we have online classes. Members have a pre online
training each month and we really dive deep into PetCare topics, PetCare,
pet safety, also the safety of the pet sitter ways
to operate their business. And so we're there to walk
(27:15):
alongside pet sitters at every stage of their business to
make sure that not only are they able to make
a career out of pet sitting, but also to ensure
they stay up to date in current to offer the
best possible PetCare.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Okay, and what can pet parents find on Pet Sitters
International which is at petsit dot com.
Speaker 4 (27:35):
So on petsa dot com we also have a pet
Sitter Locator and so pet parents can use that it's
free of charge to search by their zip code and
find PSI members who are in their area. We also
have articles on our website about choosing a pet sitter,
things to look for, and if they go to our
locator page, which is petsa dot com slash locate, we
actually offer a downloadable petsitter interview checklist and we recommend
(27:59):
every pet parent use that as a guide and it
tells you the specific questions you can ask of you
need potential petsitter that you're considering.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
Okay, great, well I feel much more informed after speaking
with you. I hope my listening audience does as well.
This has been wonderful information. You know, pet sitting for
the cats, and we've talked about travel and all that,
But there are other reasons you need a pet sitter. So,
before I was a cat pet parent, I had a puppy.
I had a pet sitter because I was working some days,
(28:27):
I had crazy hours, you know, I was gone maybe
ten twelve hours, which is way too long for a puppy.
So what are some other reasons where people might need
a pet sitter, just so they can think about this
if this should happen, and be you know, relieved and
not concerned about that particular situation.
Speaker 4 (28:46):
You know, when we think about pet seeing a lot
of times the main reasons are we think I'm traveling
for work, or I'm on vacation and I'll be out
of tail and I need a pet sitter, which is true,
but there are so many other scenarios where pet sitting
services can really come in handy. If you're working long
hours like you mentioned, or for those who maybe have
a puppy that needs more frequent breaks that they can't
provide because of their work schedule, that's a great time
(29:08):
to use a pet sitter. Also, people that perhaps if
they are have an emergency situation, they're hospitalized and they
would need to secure the services of a pet sitter
to help them with pick care of that situation. But
also just even smaller incidents, we hear people who say,
you know, I'm not going out of town, but I'm
going to be gone from my house a little longer
than normal. Maybe I'm at a sporting tournament with my child,
(29:30):
or I'm going to a concert. Now I'm going to
be gone several hours, and you could use a pet
sitter then as well. So it doesn't have to be
only when you're out of town.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
What about a situation where someone unfortunately you know, broke
a leg or couldn't get around as well and needed
extended services. Is that something that can be available like
instead the short term one week, two week, they might
need someone to come in for a month because it's
going to be impossible for them to do the litter,
or if they have a dog, you know, walk the dog.
Speaker 4 (29:59):
That's a great example. For situations like that where a
temporary injury or ailment means they need a little more help.
We also have that situation and for more extended time periods.
A lot of times we have pet sitters who are
work a lot of retirement communities where people will need
daily doll walking indefinitely because they're able to take care
of their basic pet care needs, but maybe walcome the
(30:20):
dog for extended period of time. It's not something they're
physically able to do anymore because of age or injury,
and so those scenarios, the pet siting services can be
really valuable as will.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
Okay, wow, great information. Okay, Beth, You've been so informative
and I appreciate it so much. One last question, what
is a good range for people to expect for a
cat pet sitter. Let's go with daily, because I know
some might have a certain price if there's more than
so many days, I don't know if they discount the
price because it's the same place and it's easier to
(30:52):
go multiple you know, multiple days to one location. But
what is the range of costs for a pet sitter
for cats?
Speaker 4 (30:59):
Sure, that's a great question. Now we do I always
like to give the caveat that. The rate for pet
seating can certainly varied quite dramatically, depend on where you live,
what part of the country you're in. But we a
pside does a survey every two years to get national averages,
and so I can tell you that for a basic
pet care visit, which would include a basic cat sitting
visit that's around thirty minutes, the national average for that
(31:20):
is twenty five dollars and forty nine cents. And so
that's the average. Again, depending on where you live, you
could see that a little higher, a little lower, but
in the twenty five dollars range is the typical rate
for a thirty minute visit.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
Okay, and that's for one today, right.
Speaker 4 (31:35):
Because that would be for one visit. So most pet sitters, again,
there's some businesses that stretrig us differently, but most pet
sitting services charge per visit.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
Okay, did they ever give a rate that discounted if
it's several days and many visits.
Speaker 4 (31:48):
That does depend on the petsitting business and what their
policies are, but certainly there are some that have package
deals depending on the frequency of your visits or the
duration of the pet sitting visit, and so that's an
option that you can certainly ask any petsitter you're considering about.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
Okay, thank you. So where can people go to find
more information Beth?
Speaker 4 (32:06):
For anyone who wants more information about becoming a pittsitter
or finding a pittsitter. Petsitters International's website it's petsit dot com.
And then we were also on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Bethlina, thank you so much again for coming on Caatitude.
I greatly appreciate your insight and wisdom with pet sitters
for our cats. Thank you so much, thank you. I
hope you all enjoyed the show. Beth was so informative
and I hope all of you feel much more relaxed
about going about finding a pet sitter for your cat.
(32:38):
So I want to thank Beth again for coming on Clatitude.
Thanks to my cat crew Mollie, Charlotte and Dennis for
hey being the great cats you are. Thanks for everybody
listening to Calatitude. I appreciate your listenership so much, thanks,
of course to the magic. Seriously, he's magical of Mark
(32:58):
Winter and let's give a little happy birthday. His birthday
is coming soon, so happy birthday, Mark. I would sing
to you, but you know I can't thank you so much,
Mark for the magic you do in making our shows
sound amazing. And hey, remember lista attitude, have caatitude.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Let's talk pets every week on demand only on petlight
radio dot com.
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