Becoming a Cat Sitter: Part 2

In my last column, I discussed the realities of full-time cat-sitting and what you need to be prepared for. The most important aspect of the business is to understand that your busiest times will be weekends and holidays. Also, cat sitting is a very responsible job — people and their cats are counting on you and house calls must be made no matter what. So, for all those cat lovers who are still interested in becoming cat sitters, I now will tell you how to get started.

• Think of cat-sitting as a business right away, and print business cards. Post them in local pet stores, veterinary offices, libraries, supermarkets or any place where there is a community bulletin board. You also may want to place an ad in the local newspaper or online.
  
  
• Check the going rate to determine what you should charge per house call. Your local veterinarian or pet store should be able to help.
  
  
• Decide how far you are willing to travel to make your house calls. When I started, I needed the business and went all over Manhattan. I soon realized I was spending too much time traveling and not enough time making house calls, so set your travel boundaries.
  
  
• You will not need to travel with cat food or litter — make sure that is supplied in the home — but I always carry cat treats and catnip. Check with the owner to make sure it is OK to give their kitties either one. Sometimes a treat does the trick with a shy kitty.
  
  
• When new clients call, offer to go to their homes to meet them and their cats. People like to know who has their keys. It also allows you to see the cat’s home environment and ask important questions about special feeding and care instructions, the vet’s name, where the family will be and the name of someone else who has the house keys. Keep a detailed list of each client, their cats, special needs, addresses, phone numbers and more.

You probably are not going to get rich being a cat sitter, but I have been able to support myself doing something I love because I am always available to my clients. That is the key to this business. Good luck, and enjoy meeting all the wonderful kitties that share our homes!

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