any advice for choosing a petsitter?

[funnyfelines]

next month I am going away for 3 or 4 days, and I have appts next week to meet 3 different petsitters, I have a list of questions, but I was wondering if any one could offer any advice on this?

does anyone have experience with petsitters?

[Traci]

First and foremost, check references! Some questions to ask:

1) Are they registered from a national database? If so, ask for website URL to check it out.

2) If not registered, how did they start their business? How long in business? (again, ask for references)

3) How many employees, and if only one, as in private business, is there any reason that person can't perform the job should an unexpected event come up while scheduled for your cat sitting?

4) Name and clinic name of their own veterinarian

5) Do they prefer only cats or only dogs, or do they genuinely seem interested in both?

6) Do they have any clinical experience, or experience with treating their charges with common medications, dietary restrictions, etc?

7) Ask them what the first thing they would do in the event of an emergency. I.e., your kitty is vomiting, or seems lethargic, what is the approach to take? (example: call YOU, explain situation, if you can't determine source of problem, get kitty to vet)

Ask about their fees and services. Do they also water your plants, pick up your mail, newspaper, etc, and how much time do they spend with your pets? Are there additional fees for specific services? (get it in writing)

Things for YOU to do once you've decided upon a sitter:

1) Leave a contact phone number where you can be reached at any time (including hotel name, number, room number, if applicable)

2) Leave your vet's clinic name and number by the phone, with instructions that you give all permission to treat as necessary in the event of an emergency. (arrange this with your vet, so he and his staff know and are not stuck with an unexpected situation, not having your permission, etc)

3) Leave an alternate emergency vet clinic name and number in the event your primary vet does not have emergency services

4) Provide clear, written details of how you want things done for your cats. Where the food is, amount to be fed, water changed, any special requests at all. Require that the sitter takes a head count of your cats before and after the sitting schedule, and don't leave doors, windows open, etc etc

5) Try to request at least a twice a day checkin for your cats. Once would probably be sufficient, but twice is better, once in morning, once in evening

6) Watch and observe carefully the sitter's response, body motion and genuine interest in your cats during the interview, if the person is fidgety, can't accurately answer your questions, or cannot provide the proper information, or does not ask to pet and hold your pets, does not ask you questions, then the interview should be terminated.

Hope this helps?

[funnyfelines]

Traci
thanks for the advice, I had thought of some of it but not all, so thanks for the ideas!
I am so protective of my cats, that a couple years ago, when I only had 2 and they did not need special diet food or any medicine, I still called the neighbor that was checking on them, everyday. now I have 5 cats here, and some of them need special diets and one needs medicine so I am really going to have to feel comfortable with who watches them.


I wonder tho, how do I know the person will actually show up to care for them? I mean I won't be here to know if they do or not?


I also have 2 cats that live with my mother, (7cats total) and I think a neighbor of hers will check on them. I want to meet her first of course! but they will be ok, they just need their boxes cleaned once a day and to fill the food/water dishes. luckily they can be free fed! and she has a cat, so I know she's a cat person. but I still want to talk to her, I told my mother.
a couple yrs ago when my neighbor watched the 2 cats, I had posted on the frig their vets name and address and the name/address of the over night vet, and had a copy of all the cats (one had been sick) records from the regular vet, from the last time she had seen the e.r vet, so if she had to go back there, the e.r vet would have the current records from the regualr vet. did that make sense? I thought in case the regular vet is closed and she has to go to the emergency vet, I want them to have the regualr vet records if they can't fax them.

[Tina B and crew]

I know it is tough trusting your furbabies to someone elses care. I do some petsitting myself, mostly for one person, and what she has me do is call her each time I come to the house. That way she knows I'm there and I can ask her any questions of problems arise. Other than that, following Traci's suggestions are probably the best advice I can give. Good luck!

[funnyfelines]

well the petsitter just left... I don't know, I don't think I feel too good about her... but I don't have anyone else to compare her to yet, on Wed. I meet the other 2, but the more I think about it, I don't feel right about her...dont you think she should have wanted to give the cats some attention? she barely did. I thought well maybe she is givng them space or does not know if they are friendly or not, but she knew they were, and I am thinking now, when I see other peoples animals, I talk to them and give them losts of attention, if they respond ,if not then I leave them alone.

another question, and maybe I'm looney to ask this,( I just told this to someone and they said, are your thinking your cats will choke?) well I don't know but I want the sitter to know what to do...is that weird? so I hope no one laughs, but what do you do if a cat is choking? she said the heimlich...is that right? on cats? also she is the only one, has no employees. I asked what if she can't do it or is called away while I'm gone, and she said she had people to back up, I asked if I could talk to this back up person, and she said she did not know if they were in town... sooo I have my doubts.

[Traci]

Trust your instincts, don't ask her back for another interview.

Reason 1) she didn't ask about your kitties or ask to see/pet them

Reason 2) the heimlich maneuver is not performed on animals. In an extreme emergency, only trained professionals should ever attempt this approach. Choking requires looking into the mouth for foreign embedded objects or obstruction and hopefully removing it with a gloved finger. But, the problem with this is cats bite, scratch and in a choking situation, can cause a great deal of damage to themselves as well as the person trying to remove the object. What to do? ER vet clinic ASAP!

As for vet records, to make it easier for you, call the vet who has the original records and state to them that you give your permission to release them to another clinic should a situation arise. They can simply make copies for you and fax them to the new clinic. I would actually do that now, if you have a backup ER clinic you know is available for emergencies and have used them before. That way, you are well prepared in advance, and no one has to take the extra time to find, copy and get them to another clinic in the event of an emergency.

As for knowing if the sitter actually shows up, I agree with Tina. Ask them to call you wherever you will be when they arrive at your home. Or try to schedule it so you agree on a time, and you call.

[Guest]

well last time I had all the records in the house for the neighbor to take to the emergency vet, if she should have to take the cats there.
this time I will do like you say, just sign something to give them permission to fax the records.my mom says she thinks she has heard of the heimlich, the way it is performed on babies, being done like that for animals... has anyone heard that? anyway I know I am just worrying too much. but I will also leave a signed paper with my vet to do what ever they need to in the case of an emergency. I need to get one more carrier, I have 2 carriers, and 5 cats here, 2 cats can fit in each one but I still am one short.I mean in case they all have to be taken out of the house.
geez can you tell I don't want to leave my cats? lol.

[funnyfelines]

oops silly me forgot to log in and the post was done as a "guest" but, it was me!

[funnyfelines]

well I had interviews with 2 petsitters today, I like them both, and both are willing to come back to meet the cats again, I want to see how they do with feeding the cats when they are hiding, etc. I am not sure which one I want to choose yet.

[Traci]

The problem with using the maneuver is that one could damage the diaphram, or too much pressure on the abdomen and ribs could lead to damage as well. A trained individual may attempt it in extreme emergency but ideally, ER vet ASAP.

One could also take a round roll of first aid tape, position it between the canine teeth and bottom teeth, so there is a 'hole' in which to use a pencil or similar tool to try to pry the obstruction. BUT, this can be dangerous because the obstruction could further lodge and cut off airway and breathing. I do not recommend trying this, if you're not experienced, you could cause more damage than good.

So, you see the necessity of ER....