Can anyone recommend a Cattery?

[Panther Rose 10]

My cat doesn't have any special requirements other than likes to either go out all day or stay in all day. No disrespect that do cat sitting services but do they have insurance whilst the cat is in their care? And considering that you are going into a strangers home, how/what does the owner of the pet do about reassurance that you will do what you are supposed to do? Hope that makes sense

[teeny 10]

My cat doesn't have any special requirements other than likes to either go out all day or stay in all day. No disrespect that do cat sitting services but do they have insurance whilst the cat is in their care? And considering that you are going into a strangers home, how/what does the owner of the pet do about reassurance that you will do what you are supposed to do? Hope that makes sense

 

 

We have insurance for dog walking, pet sitting and small animal boarding. Most of us have insurance for this kind of service. If you are employing someone for this please check references and ask to see CRB (we have enhanced crbs as we work with children too!)check and ask to see the buisness insurance certificate. we have ours as we pay for each year up front. As for thes rest any good pet sitters references will back up the service they offer. You can also ask a neighbour to keep and eye out for the times they are coming to see you pets, check how long they stay etc. Also ask neighbours/ friends who they use, how long they have used them?

Most of our Cat customers we have had for 4 years and they will happily tell you we are trustworthy and how well there cats have been cared for. We know all our cats by name before we care for them , we visit you in your home to meet you and your pets, we also speak with you in days up to you going away , to make sure you are happy and that there is no problems we don't know about. Please have a look at our web site the guestbook has comments from customers on there many of which are happy to referee us. and have used us time and time again.

Edited April 13, 2009 by teeny
miss spelt

[holidayhutch 10]

My cat doesn't have any special requirements other than likes to either go out all day or stay in all day. No disrespect that do cat sitting services but do they have insurance whilst the cat is in their care? And considering that you are going into a strangers home, how/what does the owner of the pet do about reassurance that you will do what you are supposed to do? Hope that makes sense

 

We are fully insured for dog walking, pet sitting, small animal boarding and also have enhanced CRB checks and references from customers.

 

E.g The house with 19 cats previously used another pet sitting company and the cats were stressed and not eating on their return and litter trays were dirty. These are championship show cats most worth over £1000 each. They had also let the males in with the Queen resulting in an unplanned and unmatched mating. Another cat aborted it's litter which they are sure was through stress and the litter was not removed:rant: It totally indicated to the owner that they had literally done a quick in and out, spent no time at all with the cats and didn't know which cat was which.

 

They employed us, we have a photo file of each cat, spent time getting to know them and on each visit they are are all fed, the 10 litter trays are cleaned out/changed, they are groomed and they are played with. We are there a good 2-3 hours per visit. We even hoover and clean the house through for them, as after 2 weeks the cat hair builds up with that many cats if it is just left. The reference they gave us clearly indicates how settled and happy the cats were on their return and now they will use no one else.

 

References and reccomendations are often the best way forward.

[Panther Rose 10]

I am not doubting anyone's ability to cat sit for me however, the way I see it is, I'm supposed to allow a stranger to come into my home unsupervised and I know NOTHING of this person, their ability to look after my cat, their professional background and the obvious, I'm supposed to feel comfortable allowing some one I don't know access to my home. PLEASE someone give me some reassurance

[holidayhutch 10]

Only you can know if you are happy with the thought of a stranger coming into your home whilst away - BUT - any reputable pet sitter will allow you to see and check references, they will also do a free visit(or more if requested) to meet you and your pets, assess them and find out their exact needs and your requirements. You should be able to ask anything you want and be answered honestly - look for direct eye contact (Liars rarely give it) rather than them scouring the room. Do they interact well with your pets too and do your pets seem comfortable around them. During this process most people will pick up vibes from the pet sitter and know if they feel happy and comfortable enough to trust them with their pets and their home.

 

Pet sitters I admit are not for everyone, some people just dont like the idea of a stranger having access to their home, but for others it works really well knowing their pets can stay in their own environment. Also consider though that it may well be the pet sitters main income and they will often rely on good feedback, a reference from you and recommendations for further business. If they do a bad job their business and income could well suffer. If you ask to see their insurance certificate you could also report them to their insurers who may then refuse to cover them in the future. HTH a bit

[teeny 10]

I am not doubting anyone's ability to cat sit for me however, the way I see it is, I'm supposed to allow a stranger to come into my home unsupervised and I know NOTHING of this person, their ability to look after my cat, their professional background and the obvious, I'm supposed to feel comfortable allowing some one I don't know access to my home. PLEASE someone give me some reassurance

 

The reassurence comes from meeting with the pet sitters , checking references, insurance, and CRB checks.

You donot have to employ someone to look after your cat without you feel comfortable, Like holidayhutch says watch how they react to pets,.

One thing the police said to us when we set up was to advise customers to check out who they are employing , I always say to people even if they don't choose us please check out who you are giving access to your home. If you have contacts in the police ask which pet sitters are on their intrenet which is and internal system the police use themselves, that may help you find someone you trust. We work for several policemen and women regulary dog walking and pet sitting. I hope that help with reassurence. I have to say I checked out our cleaner like this, I spoke with all her referees and checked her out with other locals who use her before employing her.

[Panther Rose 10]

All I can say is, holidayhutch & teeny you've both answered my questions. In all honesty, I WOULD prefer my cat to be in his own environment. I especially like the idea of CRB checks . What I now have to do, is ring round a few places/people. I don't need anyone for at least 3 months, but like you've suggested, I (and my little puddy cat ) need to get to know the cat sitter.

[jennyhenny 10]

All I can say is, holidayhutch & teeny you've both answered my questions. In all honesty, I WOULD prefer my cat to be in his own environment. I especially like the idea of CRB checks . What I now have to do, is ring round a few places/people. I don't need anyone for at least 3 months, but like you've suggested, I (and my little puddy cat ) need to get to know the cat sitter.

 

Hi there Mushroombabe, I like you found it hard to trust a pet sitter. I have several bad ones who came with good references, and were insured, But unfortunatly let me down badly. I have Ms so walking my dog was a big problem. I had one guy who drove Max round for 40mins walked in the enterance of Graves park walked for 10 mins and back in his van. I had my friend follow him for a week each day was the same. I reported him to the police but they said it was a private matter and nothing could be done, as it was his word against mine and my friends. However the lady police woman told me who she used, which is Waggytails, she told me that several members of the police station used them and were very happy with them, that these guys were trustworthy, and that they had a proven track record of good care for the pets in there care, she also said that she had no hesitation in giving me this recommendation. Since then I have used waggytails for the last 4 /5 years , they even take my 2 children to school everyday as the childminder let me down too often, I trust my home with them when I go away. they come when they say they do and do whats required and more. Their other referees whom I checked the references with were a vet, and a justice of the peace both whom were also well known in the area so i did feel a degree of trust restored. I realise trusting you pets and animals to a stranger is hard but I do feel the right way to go was for me with Waggytails, when waggytails is on holiday I will be using Helen from Animal Crackers with the same degree of trust. If you are thinking of using Waggytails I am more than happy to talk to you , please pm here with your phone number I will get back to you ASAP.

[db130 10]

Since my post in October re Morningside cattery, we have been on holiday again. This time we left our cats at home, and had a family member visit twice a day to feed and look after them. I'm happy to say they were both fine and happy. My advice is ask a trusted friend to look after your cats at home.

[CaptMewalot 10]

Hi mushroombabe,

 

I'm sure you're inundated with options of Cat Sitters but just wanted to add another one to your list to check out; Captain Mewalot.

 

We're a Sheffield based pet sitting company, specialising in cats! A few things that may be a bit different from other pet sitting services include;

 

• Online daily photo diary (with secure log in). Meaning you can check up on your pet while away, and see photos of what they've been up to
  
• Online quotes available on our website
  
• Complimentary cat toys
  
• We specialise in cats; we're all cat owners ourselves and have years of experience in caring for them including cats with special needs
  

 

In addition to meeting the basic needs of your pet our main aim is to socially interact and play with them, we're only happy once we've managed to make a new friend.

 

Of course we are also CRB checked (copy of certificate provided on request), we can put you in touch with some of our current clients to provide references and we are insured through Pet Business Insurance.

 

Hope you get chance to have a look at our new website, please feel free to contact us for more info.

[mrs m 10]

I would not take my cats to Morningside cattery at Ecclesfield if it was the last place on earth!!!!

 

Mum has taken her cat there the last few times she has gone on holiday. The last time she went, she came back absolutely starving, and also had a patch of fur missing from under her neck - it looked exactly like she had had clippers to her neck, it was a perfect square bold patch about 2 inches long.

 

She's not the most socialable of cats anyway, so whatever happened to her must have caused her a massive amount of stress!!!

 

My cats go to Storrs cattery at Loxley - its a lovely place to taken them to.

[Ceridwen 10]

I can recommend Willow Tree Cattery in Spinkhill. The pens are spotlessly clean, large and heated and set in pleasant surroundings. I hate leaving my cats but I have the peace of mind that they are always well looked after by Bridget who is a cat lover, in fact they look better when I pick them up than when I leave them.