Though cats have a reputation for being aloof, cats need company — and care — just as much as any dog. If you’re going away for more than one or two nights, you need to arrange for someone to look after your kitty.

Not all of us can be lucky enough to have a kind-hearted neighbor or cat-loving BFF ready to take over feeding and litter cleaning duties. Most of us will need a cat sitter.

Finding a cat sitter isn’t difficult. A quick Google search will bring up all kinds of pet sitting companies. But which one is right for your cat? You wouldn’t hire a baby sitter for your human kids without asking a few questions, right? The same should be true when looking for a cat sitter.

We reached out to Missy Zane, owner of Pampered Pets Cat Sitting in Columbia, Maryland to find out what kinds of questions she’s gotten from perspective clients over her 40-years of cat sitting, as well as what she recommends people ask.

Here are 13 questions you should ask a potential cat sitter before making a decision, along with steps cat sitters would like you to take to ensure the entire cat sitting experience is seamless for everyone.

Are you licensed? Do you have insurance?

All professional cat sitters should be licensed and carry insurance, so this should be an easy question for them to answer (and prove).

The insurance will cover you if your cat gets injured while in the care of the sitter and it’s her fault, and will also cover any damage to your home if she breaks something.

Or in a worst-case scenario, and while there’s no way to put a real “value” on your fur baby, the insurance will pay up should kitty go missing or die under the sitter’s care.

How long have you been in business?

While all businesses need to start somewhere, a cat sitter that’s been around for a longer time has a variety of experiences under their belt. They’ve been there, done that so they’re ready for whatever your cat throws at them.

However, if a relatively new cat sitter checks all your other boxes, you don’t have to let their lack of experience stop you from hiring them. As always, trust your gut.

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Do you have cats or have you had cats?

Most generalist pet sitters are dog people. They have dogs at home, their clients are mostly dog parents, and their experience is mostly with dogs. And, as Zane so succinctly puts it, “cats are not small dogs with attitude.” Their needs are different from a dog’s and you need a sitter that understands that.

You want a cat sitter that knows cats. If you can, find someone who specializes in cats and doesn’t do dogs at all.

If you must go with a “pet” sitter, try and find one who has, or has had, cats.

You want someone who loves cats just for being cats, Zane says. Those people will understand your cat’s needs best and your cat will instinctively feel more comfortable with them.

How many people will be caring for my cat?

Generally speaking, most cat sitters are one- or two-person operations, but the same can not be said of large pet sitting companies. These companies can be serving lots of people, mostly dog parents, and will squeeze your cat in between dogs walks and visits. They may also send whoever is free on any given day, resulting in a different person throughout your absence.

As much as possible, you want only one — or at most, two — people taking care of your cats. Cats are creatures of habit and many are slow to trust, so you want them to become familiar and comfortable with their caretakers.

What time of day will you be visiting my cat? How many times a day will you be visiting?

Again, you want to ensure your cat sitter will follow a set routine that your cats can adjust to while you’re away. You don’t want someone coming at 6 in the morning one day, but 7 at night the next.

And, if you want someone coming more than once a day, you need to find out if they’ll do that and if they’ll charge extra for it.

Zane says most cat sitters she knows don’t do twice a day. If that’s important to you, you need to raise the issue right away.

Can my pet meet you first?

Assuming your first contact with a potential pet sitter is over the phone or via e-mail, you absolutely want your cat to meet her before making any decisions. How does your cat react? Is she purring and rubbing up against the potential sitter? Or is he hissing and running away?

Some cats might run away just because the person is a stranger, but you still want to see how that person reacts to your cat. And, you want to see their temperament. Do they seem in a hurry? Bothered that your cat has bolted? Do they give off calm energy?

Do they come with treats or toys at hand? You can be sure that someone who shows up with a laser pointer ready to go understands cats much better than someone who shows up with a tennis ball.

Is the person asking you questions? Are they trying to get to know as much about your cat as they can?

How do you feel about this person? Trust your gut.

Can you give my cat medicine?

If your cat needs any kind of medicine, whether it be pills, a transdermal gel, or injections, you need to be 100% sure the pet sitter you hire will be able to give the medicine.

Ask potential sitters if they have experience giving medicine and how comfortable they are with it. If your cat needs injections, make sure they’ve given shots before. If your cat is a fussy pill taker, ask them if they have any tricks and share any tricks that have worked for you.

However, if your cat needs pills but you know he’s nearly impossible to pill, you might need another solution. Find out from your vet ahead of time if there’s an alternative to pills. You don’t want your cat sitter and your cat fighting against each other; it’s not good for anyone.

First, you cat won’t like or trust your cat sitter, which will make it ever more difficult for the sitter going forward.

And, secondly, you do not want the cat doing any real damage to the sitter. In many states, a cat scratch or bite that requires any kind of medical attention has to be reported and that can be bad news for you and kitty!

If you have trouble giving your cat medication, you can assume a sitter will too. In which case, you should be looking to board your cat at a vet that offers it.

What are your backup plans if you can’t make it?

Life happens, but that can’t interfere with your cat’s care. Find out what contingencies a potential cat sitter has in place in case they can’t make it to your house.

How close do you live to my house?

This question is particularly important if you live someplace where the weather can impact people’s ability to get around. Say you live in Minnesota and you’re going away for two weeks in February, there’s a good chance it’s going to snow while you’re gone. If your cat sitter is within walking distance of your house, you’re in luck, as walking could very well be the only way she’s getting around.

If the cat sitter does not live close by, you might need to come up with your own backup plans. Is there a way for the sitter to leave out more food the night before hand? Do you have a timed feeder she can use? Can you leave a key with a neighbor just in case the sitter won’t be able to get there?

Do you have any kitty first-aid training or experience?

According to Zane, while having some first-aid training is good, knowing pet CPR isn’t necessary. Should your cat go into cardiac arrest for any reason, the chances of any pet sitter getting there at that exact time, or in enough time to help, are slim.

You do want your potential cat sitter to be able to clean a small wound, but anything bigger than that, and the sitter will most likely need to take the cat to the vet.

Is there a contract?

You want a cat sitter that provides a contract for both of you to sign. The contract will set prices, ensuring there’s no unexpected surge in pricing once you’re home. It’ll also set the pet sitter’s expectations of you and what she wants you to do to prepare. She might want you to stock up on food, so there’s no chance of it running out. Or she might require you to contact your vet, to pre-arrange for any type of emergency visit.

Are you a new cat parent? Make sure you know which vaccinations you cat needs on a yearly basis.

Can you provide references?

Unless the sitter you’re talking to has been referred to you by someone you know and trust, always ask for references. And, if it’s a general pet sitter, make sure the references are for cat parents, not dog parents.

You want to speak to someone whose cat has been under this person’s care. They might be the best dog sitter in the world with glowing reviews from hundreds of dog parents and still be a lousy cat sitter.

Can I check on my cat while I’m away?

Being away from your cat can be hard. It’s easy to worry if she’s ok. If he’s eating. If they’re feeling comfortable around the sitter. It’s perfectly acceptable to want to keep tabs on your fur baby and your cat sitter should be ok with that.

We don’t endorse inundating them with texts every hour, on the hour, but a once a day check-in after you know the sitter has been to see your cat is fine. A good sitter will even take a photo or two while there to send to you.

Will you bring in my mail/newspaper/packages?

It may seem like such an innocent question, but you should never assume that a cat sitter will automatically bring in things like your mail or the newspaper. Always ask the question. They want you to stop your mail if you’re going to be gone for a long time. Or they may ask that you plan to have a neighbor pick up packages if they spot them first. 

What Your Cat Sitter Wants from You

Leave Instructions

Regardless of whether you met with your cat sitter beforehand, went over instructions over the phone, and even if you e-mailed the instructions ahead of time, you should always leave typed instructions at your house.

Make sure the instructions have pertinent information about what foods your cat(s) eat. If you have more than one cat and they each have different feeding requirements, make that clear in the instructions.

Spell out where everything is located including food and litter boxes, as well as plastic bags for cleaning the litter, the litter scoop, and extra litter so the sitter can refill as needed.

Leave contact information for yourself, an emergency contact, and your cat’s vet.

Let Your Vet Know You’re Away

Before going away for more than a couple of days, be sure to let your vet know you’ll be away, that someone else is caring for your cat, and that they have permission to treat your cat as needed. If it’s legal, leave your credit card on file so your vet doesn’t have to pay. In states where businesses are not allowed to keep credit cards on file, ask a trusted friend or family member to be available with a credit card number the cat sitter can use in case of emergency.

Board Critically Ill Cats

Yes, boarding is more expensive than hiring a cat sitter, but if your cat has diabetes, heart disease, or any other serious medical condition, a sitter isn’t necessarily the best choice.

Some diseases can turn on a dime, turning a relatively stable cat one day into one in need of emergency care the next. Or, worse comes to worst and the sitter (or his backup) can’t get to your cat for a day. Missing a day of insulin or heart medication could be fatal.

Zane doesn’t accept diabetic cats anymore, for that very reason. She recommends they be boarded at a vet where they can be monitored regularly – at least throughout the day.