any advice for choosing a petsitter?

[Sara]

Do you have a loved one or family member that might want to babysit and housesit for you? What about a cleaning person? If you know somebody whom you trust and that your cats trust sometimes it's great to let them stay and sleep at your house and basically live there while you are gone. You can tip them well, give them some fun money, stock the fridge, rent tons of movies and make it fun for them. I find the only way I have piece of mind is when I have somebody sleeping at my home most of the time while I am gone. I am lucky that my maid is a cat lover and my cats love her so she sleeps here most nights when I am gone. I just feel better in case of fire or something. I leave 2 ER #'s, my vets home number, vets office number, fire, police, taxi etc. I also give her money for emergency and I have an account with my vet so if she needs anything it's covered. If any of my cats are having any type of problems at the time, no matter how small my vet comes and checks on them occasionally at the house. I also leave her the number of a family memeber in case she needs more money or there is an emergency or anything. Also the number where I am at. I am super paranoid too. I often thought of getting a nanny cam, lol! Well not a hidden one but something my maid could turn on once a day on my computer with sound and a camera so I could see them and talk to them while I am gone. We don't have that available yet here in Argentina but someday. I sometimes talk to them on my answering maching while I am gone. Make sure the sitter knows where the cat carriers are in case a vet trip is in order. Also finding a vet that makes house calls also comes in handy.

[funnyfelines]

thanks for the advice...I don't have any family to watch them, we will be in Ca for a family reunion. and no one else I really want to watch them.