Trying to find awesome kitty sitter situation. Suggestions? (Decatur: house, live in)

[Alicia64]

Besides getting a nanny cam, I can't quite tell what's happening w/ my current sitter. She says she's visiting twice a day, but when got home two UPS stickers were on our front door (the same door she uses.)

I know she was here, but geez, did I have to tell her, "oh, by the way, pull off the UPS stickers if they're left on the door. Otherwise it's pretty obvious nobody is home."

Isn't that kind of obvious??

Plus the mail today wasn't brought into the home. We get our mail around 11:30/Noon. I asked her -- and she agreed -- to do one early morning visit and one afternoon visit because we wouldn't be home until late.
I think she was here in the a.m. (I hope), but that was it or she would have picked up the mail.

I know I must sound persnickety. I'm really not. I just want to know what's happening.

Can anyone recommend a good nanny cam?

Btw, my cat is super friendly and cuddly and leaving him is rough.

Alley

[evannole]

Have you asked your vet for suggestions? Ours usually has several techs who are willing to come see them, and the fees are reasonable. Plus, if one of the cats needs medication, that's a cinch for a tech.

E

[flamadiddle]

If you're not in a hurry, there's usually a good Foscam deal on slickdeals for around $50 >

*Looks like the last couple have expired, but they pop up pretty regularly.

Slickdeals: Searching for "foscam"

I have a wireless Foscam and and it works well and will do motion detection. It will even send you alerts with screenshots when motion has been detected.

[stillinthesouth]

Nah, you sound very reasonable. Wish I could make a recommendation, but my sitter does some similarly head-scratching things. I wonder if we have the same one

Edit: I like evannole's suggestion.

[lorilove]

I have used Critter Sitters for 20+ years. I have had various sitters during that time and never had an issue. My mail is always taken in - they thankfully take my trash out. I have had some that watered my plants. The only issue if you can call it one is that my neighbors used to complain they were not at my house for very long. But honestly I had older cats that basically ate and slept and they were totally fine when I got home so this was not my concern.

Pet Sitters stick to a region - so what area of town do you live in because that makes a difference.

[Grey40]

I second the Critter Sitters recommendation. We live in Decatur and have found the sitter for our area to be prompt, reliable, and kind to our pets.

[Tryska]

So I actually have a pet sitter question.

2 of my cats like to go outside. They both like to go out at dawn, as soon as we wake up - come in for breakfast - and one (he's not actually mine, he lived next door, and then decided he liked my family better) goes back out and spends all day outside until dinner time, and the other one comes in after breakfast and stays in all day, until after dinner and then he goes out for another hour or so. The first one might go out with him, but he might stay in.

My point is, that if I don't give them the running around time, my house will be destroyed, and or pooped on. This has been cramping my vacation taking a bit - is this something that sitters can deal with?

Letting them out in the morning, but making sure they are in at night? They do come to a whistle so they are trained.

[lorilove]

Originally Posted by Tryska

So I actually have a pet sitter question...

My point is, that if I don't give them the running around time, my house will be destroyed, and or pooped on. This has been cramping my vacation taking a bit - is this something that sitters can deal with?

Letting them out in the morning, but making sure they are in at night? They do come to a whistle so they are trained.

Well taking that approach, you end up paying for two visits which can get expensive.

The issue is that if the cats may not come immediately especially for someone they are not yet familiar with, how long do you expect the sitter to wait around trying to get the cats back into the house. This could become an issue.

Another problem is that they work their schedule what works best for them - they are trying to work a reasonable shift just like the rest of us. So you would have to find one that is willing to come late when you think the cats want to come in.

My cats are no longer indoor/outdoor cats but in the past I had a cat that was the extreme escape artist. No matter how careful someone was, the cat seemed to get out. I had to install a cat door (into the garage and then leave the garage open a smidge). So that way, when the sitter called to say Cosi got out again, I told them to just open the garage and she would come home. It worked great of course be warned that over the years I had a few stray cats come in for a visit and even a few small dogs (with their owners right behind).

[Tryska]

Originally Posted by lorilove

Well taking that approach, you end up paying for two visits which can get expensive.

The issue is that if the cats may not come immediately especially for someone they are not yet familiar with, how long do you expect the sitter to wait around trying to get the cats back into the house. This could become an issue.

Another problem is that they work their schedule what works best for them - they are trying to work a reasonable shift just like the rest of us. So you would have to find one that is willing to come late when you think the cats want to come in.

My cats are no longer indoor/outdoor cats but in the past I had a cat that was the extreme escape artist. No matter how careful someone was, the cat seemed to get out. I had to install a cat door (into the garage and then leave the garage open a smidge). So that way, when the sitter called to say Cosi got out again, I told them to just open the garage and she would come home. It worked great of course be warned that over the years I had a few stray cats come in for a visit and even a few small dogs (with their owners right behind).

yeah - I've been pondering a cat door. The one that spends his day outside collects "cat buddies" like nobody's business though. Maybe one of those remote controlled access ones. I'm just worried that he would decide to go out at night too. I'm not fully comfortable with him out and about freely, but that's how the next door neighbors raised him from kittenhood, and it's a tough habit to break. But I would rather he be out during the day when nothing much happens outside of napping, than at night, when it's ultimately more dangerous.

I will have to ponder it more. (and I do agree with your comments on schedules and cost).

[Alicia64]

Originally Posted by evannole

Have you asked your vet for suggestions? Ours usually has several techs who are willing to come see them, and the fees are reasonable. Plus, if one of the cats needs medication, that's a cinch for a tech.

E

The person who left the UPS stickers on the front door works at our local vet office as a tech!!!

Alley