You’re going out of town, and now you’re wondering whether it’s worth the money to hire a pet sitter. After all, your friend, neighbor, or family member might be willing to check in on your pet for free (or at a low cost).
What makes a pet sitter worth the money? There are many specific reasons, but they’re all part of one bigger reason. Paying somebody to care for your pet is in their best interest. Why? Let’s take a look at why you should hire a professional pet sitter over a friend or family member.
1. Reliability
A professional pet sitter’s job is to ensure your pet is cared for while you’re away. Their income and reputation rely on doing an excellent job caring for your cat, dog, or other pet.
Your friend, neighbor, or family member will be taking care of your pet after handling their own job and while juggling errands and the rest of their life. Can you really count on them to show up on time, every time, to care for your pet around their crazy schedule?
The fact of the matter is that when you pay somebody for the specific job of watching your pet while you’re away, they will almost definitely do a better job than somebody who’s doing it as a favor to you.
2. Experience
About one in three American households have one or more cats, and about half have at least one dog. However, owning a pet doesn’t automatically give somebody the experience to recognize small issues before they become big problems.
Will your friend notice that your cat isn’t urinating as much as usual? Will your family member pay attention to your dog’s runny poop? Does your neighbor know how to properly give your pet their medication?
Professional cat sitters and dog sitters have the experience to give your pet the best care possible. While nobody knows and loves your pet as much as you do, experienced pet sitters are the next best thing.
3. Training
Not only do professional pet sitters have more experience than other people you know, but they also have specific training that makes them better qualified to care for your pet when you’re away.
For example, pet sitters are trained to spot signs of dehydration or other health problems that your friend or neighbor may pass off as your pet just being lazy. Additionally, they’re typically trained on how to deal with the various personalities of different pets and how to read their body language. That’s on top of training in pet first aid and CPR.
4. Responsiveness
If your friend, family member, or neighbor notices a small problem with your pet, will they take care of it right away? Or will they hope it goes away on its own or, worse, just wait for you to deal with it when you get back?
Pet sitters are responsive to your pet’s needs. If they notice an issue with your home or pet, they’ll try to contact you and handle the situation immediately. Health problems can be addressed before they escalate, messes can be cleaned up before they get worse, and empty water bowls can be refilled before your pet gets dehydrated.
5. Responsibility
Did you know that stress can make cats sick? Dogs can also suffer from diarrhea, behavioral problems, and other issues related to stress.
While nothing can take away your pet’s stress when you’re away, pet sitters take the responsibility of minimizing your dog or cat’s stress level seriously.
A friend, family member, or neighbor may just feed your pet and disappear right away. Professional pet sitters spend time with your pet, play with them, and check their overall wellbeing. They are responsible for ensuring that your pet has the least stressful experience possible while you’re away.
Stress aside, why add the responsibility of caring for your pet to somebody who has a full plate of other responsibilities? Instead, pay somebody to make your pet’s care their top priority.
6. Insurance & Bonding
Unfortunately, accidents can happen. If your neighbor, friend, or family member injures themselves or your pet or is responsible for another type of accident while watching your cat or dog, will they pay any expenses related to the accident?
Professional pet sitters are (or should be) insured. That means if something happens as a result of their negligence, the insurance will pay for it. While accidents are certainly rare, wouldn’t you prefer the peace of mind knowing that they’ll be taken care of if something should happen?
7. Above and Beyond
When you ask somebody you know to pet sit, they’re likely to do the bare minimum to keep your pet alive. Pet sitters go the extra mile to make sure your pet and home are cared for while you’re away. They may do things like:
- Clean the litter box daily
- Bring in your mail or newspaper
- Alternate opening and closing blinds or turning lights on or off to make it look like somebody is home
- Actively make sure your pet is happy and healthy
- Play with your pet
8. Peace of Mind
The biggest reason to pay for a professional pet sitter is that they will provide you with more peace of mind. You can rest easy and enjoy your trip because you know they have the experience, training, and responsibility to make sure your pet gets the absolute best care while you’re away.
Find a Professional Cat Sitter in California, Nevada, Arizona, or Texas
If you’re looking for a cat sitter in San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, or Sacramento, you need to check out The Comforted Kitty. We specialize in cat sitting only. We aren’t dog sitters to also watch cats – we know exactly what cats need and how best to care for them when you’re away.
Ready to learn more about what makes The Comforted Kitty the best cat sitters? Check out our FAQs, Services and Rates, or About Us page to find out why we’re the best pet sitters for your cat.