CatVacay.com Provides Sitter Services in the US and Canada

As a cat parent – or any pet parent for that matter – the excitement of a weekend away can quickly be tempered by the realization we’ll be away from our fur babies and need someone to care for them in our absence. Guilt sets in and boy do our cats know how dial that one up (pathetic looks, planting themselves firmly inside or on our suitcase, or maybe even giving us the cold shoulder before we leave).

And why some prescribe to the, “oh, we just leave enough kibble and water out for the cats to last a few days,” theory, cats have feelings and emotional needs just like we do. Well, I think they do anyway. And heaven forbid something gets knocked over and consumed in your absence, or like me, inadvertently leave a cat trapped in the bathroom (I’ve since learned to do a ‘head-count” so I have visual on all three before I close the door behind me!).

And no kitty likes a dirty litter box, we know what unsightliness THAT can lead to! Regardless, you don’t want to live with the guilt of wondering what’s going on when you’re not there, or without photos of them so you can see how they’re doing.

So, to meet the needs of their clientele the couple who started DogVacay in 2012 announced the launch of CatVacay.com this week.

According to Forbes.com, DogVacay.com was started by couple Aaron and Karin Nissim Hirshchorn as an alternative to using kennels or relying on friends and family during trips away. The company states they have over 20,000 vetted and insured sitters across US and Canada with average ratings close to 5 out of 5 stars.

CatVacay.com offers two tiers of cat care options:

Check-in (approximately $10-$15) which entails a pit-stop to refill water, food and clean litter.
In-Home Visit (approximately $20-$25) includes everything the “check-in “ does with the addition of quality play time spent with your fur child – or children!

AND as an added bonus, first time I HAVE CAT readers can use promo code “IHAVECAT” for $10 off a CatVacay visit, valid through 5/31/15.

As far as how sitters are selected and approved for the service, their press release states:

Each sitter goes through a 5-step vetting process that involves references
Only 20-33% of applicants receiving approval.
Every sitter is insured and all reviews that receive less than 5 stars are looked into with in 24 hours.
Added bonus – you get pictures of your kitty while you are way as part of the service!

So for those of us who don’t’ have a regular sitter or friend we can rely on while we’re away, CatVacay.com could be a good way to vet and select a caretaker for our loved furbaby (or furbabies!) in our absence.

If you give them a try, please come back and let us know about your experience!

NOTE: The site has not yet been updated to reflect a “cat-sitting” filter, so you’ll have to select the “sitting at my home” versus “boarding” option when searching sitters. Many sitters have experience with both cats and dogs and it will be noted on their profile. Once the company can demonstrate interest by cat parents, they will invest to enhance their interface to be more cat-specific within search.