Do you have cats? Or, as many might say, are you the STAFF of a cat or two? Or six? If the answer to that question is yes, have you ever thought about what to look for if you needed a great Dallas cat sitter to take care of them on your next trip out of town?
Well, we think about that all the time, and we would like to share our list with you.
First and foremost, a great Dallas cat sitter has to love cats—but do not let that be your only criteria. There are so many other things to keep in mind when finding the perfect cat sitter for your feline family.
We recommend they possess all of the following criteria:
- They work for a professional pet sitting company with employees. Why does this matter? When you hire a Dallas cat sitter from a professional pet sitting company, you can verify they are bonded and insured, and you can also inquire about what kind of training they receive. Many professional pet sitting companies (like Park Cities Pet Sitter) have training that their staff must undergo when they are hired, and they also receive ongoing training throughout their employment. At PCPSI, our staff actually go through specific cat behavior training that teaches them best practices when caring for cats, how to identify signs if a cat is not feeling well, and how to keep themselves safe when interacting with a cat.
- They are detail-oriented. When you meet a great Dallas cat sitter, they will ask and note all of the important details about your cat(s) and home, like:
- your feeding and medication schedule for them;
- where important supplies are kept;
- all of your contact information and backup contacts;
- any special need they need to watch for with any of your cats.
If you have specific requirements—even strange ones—they will remember to adhere to them, because they have noted your request(s). A great Dallas cat sitter will also send you updates about your felines if you would like them, and will follow all of the steps you have outlined.
- They come to take care of your cat on the dates and time windows that you have requested. This sounds like a silly thing to even have to point out, but unfortunately, it is not always a given. This also is one of the reasons we recommend using a professional pet sitting company with employees, because many of such companies utilize scheduling software that reminds their staff of their visits each day, and also tracks that visits have been completed. Knowing that there are safeguards to ensure your cat’s visits aren’t ever forgotten are part of what makes a great Dallas cat sitter.
- They understand how to care for cats with different kinds of temperaments. Let’s face it, cats can have as many different personalities as people can. Some are quiet and shy, some are gregarious, some are spastic little bundles of energy that want to play all day. You may actually have cats with all of these personality types and more in your home! That is why when you are looking for a great Dallas cat sitter, you ask your potential sitter how they would work with each of these personality types. A “one size fits all” approach just doesn’t work with cats—it takes time and patience sometimes to gain a cat’s trust, and the best Dallas cat sitters know that the cat has to dictate that pace and their comfort level. When your sitter sends you a photo of themselves cuddling or petting the shyest kitty in your household—that is when you know you have found the right person for your cats.
- They bring up things about your cat that you may not have considered. Knowledgeable cat people simply know things about cats that the average cat owner may not. If your Dallas cat sitter asks you about whether your cat has had issues using the litter box recently, or is noticing excessive licking or heavy water drinking—these may all be signs of health issues. Having a knowledgeable professional pet sitter care for your cats means they may have helpful information about cat care they could impart on you if you are interested and wish to ask. If they don’t happen to know the answer to your question, they should say so and direct you to a veterinarian or other pet professional who could help answer your question(s).
A great Dallas cat sitter is simply a priceless asset to have if you are living with cats. Remember, don’t assume someone will be a great cat sitter simply because they love cats. Dig deeper, and ask about their training, their experience and how they would handle different situations they could be faced with—and then make the right decision for you and your cat(s). The peace of mind you discover after finding the best Dallas cat sitter for your feline family is meow-velous!
