Home & Pet Sitting made easy.

What is a pet sitter?

A pet sitter will come to your home and look after your animal. This allows your pet to stay in familiar surroundings of their home while you're away. Think of pet sitting as babysitting for animals!

How does pet sitting work?

Our pet sitting service at Cat in a Flat is an online platform where you choose a local pet sitter from our screened and trusted pet-loving community of local sitters. You and your pet can get to know your sitter and find the perfect pet sitting match with an optional meet & greet.

Our screened and local pet sitters take care of your pet from your home while you're away. This relieves the pressure of relying on friends or family to look after your pet when you're away. Pet sitters will adapt their pet care services according to the type of pet you have and your animal's personal needs. The stellar cat sitters on Cat in a Flat have experience of looking after all types of cats.

Some services that pet sitters can provide include:

• Exercising your pet. This can include activities like keeping an eye on them when they’re in the garden or playing with them.
• Feeding, cleaning up after your pet and other basic care.
• Taking care of your home while you're away. In some cases, this can include the option of overnight care.
• Specialised services such as bathing your pets or giving them their medication.

How to know if I need a pet sitter?

Many animals prefer to stay in the comfort and familiarity of their homes, especially if their owner is away. Having someone pet sit for you depends on your pet’s personality and whether a pet sitter would be a more stress-free option for them.

In some cases, taking your pet somewhere else, e.g. to a pet boarder or to the home of a friend or family member, while you’re away just isn’t a feasible option. This is especially true for pets who require special equipment or are easily stressed.

Differences between pet sitting and pet boarding

Both pet sitting and pet boarding are popular options among pet owners, but what is the difference between the two?

With pet sitting, a pet sitter comes directly to your home to look after your pet in their regular environment. The pros of hiring a pet sitter are:

• Your pet is your sitter's sole focus.
• Tailored care for your particular pet.
• Your pet sitter can stay overnight if needed.
• Your pet does not have to adjust to a new environment.

Here are the pros of pet boarding:

• Can be more inexpensive.
• If your pet is social, they may enjoy being around other animals.

How do I find a good pet sitter?

If possible, start looking for a pet sitter early. Carefully look at sitters' profiles to see what sort of qualifications and reviews your potential pet sitter has. Make sure they are able to accommodate to and adapt to your animal's unique needs. Bonus points if a pet sitter owns or has owned the same type of animal as yours!

Once you've found a pet sitter who you believe is a good match, send them a request on Cat in a Flat so you and your pet can meet them. Make sure your pet gets on with them and do ask your sitter plenty of questions! You are leaving your cherished pet in their hands, so you'll need to know as much as possible about the pet sitter's qualifications and experience.