Cattitude - Episode 267 Not Just Any Cat Sitter: How to Choose the Purr-fessional One!

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