Cat sitting questions, answered

The aim of every visit is simple: that your cat is safe, well fed, comfortable and as settled as they can be while you are away. As much as anything the visit is about keeping their day feeling normal.

So I feed to your instructions, provide fresh water, clean and top up the litter tray, and give any agreed medication you have set out. I keep an eye on how they are eating, drinking and behaving, and spend proper one-to-one time with them - play, brushing, or just sitting quietly nearby if that is more their thing.

I also take care of the small things around the house while I am there - post, plants, blinds, curtains - so your house looks lived in while you are away.

Around half an hour, which is enough to do everything properly and still have time left for your cat rather than just the chores.

Cats being cats, some days they are waiting by the door and other days they stay put under the bed, or they are out and about and I do not see them at all. That is normal, and I will always tell you either way - along with the evidence that they have been in: food gone, litter used, cushion warm.

If you would like longer visits, or three or more a day, just ask and we can work something out.

Most healthy adult cats are fine on one visit a day. Two suits cats who are older, on medication, need feeding morning and evening, or simply prefer the company. Kittens usually want two or more.

If you are not sure, tell me a little about your cat when you get in touch and we can agree something that works for your situation.

I am happy to give routine medication - tablets, liquids, spot-on treatments and the like - as long as you show me how your cat takes it at the pre-visit and leave clear written instructions.

I am not medically qualified, so anything that needs a trained hand, injections for instance, is better arranged with your vet or a qualified nurse. Do mention any medication when you first get in touch, so we can be sure I am the right fit before we book.

Every day, with photos. It is the thing clients mention most. Typically that is a message over WhatsApp after the day's visits, telling you how your cat has been and what they have been up to.

Some people like to be kept closely up to date and others are happy with less frequent updates, so just say what suits you and I will match it.

Visits are priced per day, not per pet. One visit a day is £15, two visits a day £25 - for more visits, or for visits longer than 30 minutes, just ask. Most cats do well on one or two visits a day depending on their age, health and how much company they like.

School holidays carry a 20% supplement and bank holiday weekends 50%, and only the days that actually fall in those periods are affected. The full cost is always confirmed in your quote before you commit, and you can check any dates on the premium rate calendar.

There is no minimum notice, but the earlier the better, and the honest reason is capacity: I only ever take on a handful of homes a day, typically up to five, so that every pet gets proper time rather than a rushed drop-in. School holidays and bank holiday weekends tend to fill up first.

Any dates I am already fully booked or away myself are crossed out on the premium rate calendar, so that is worth a look before you get in touch. And do still ask about short notice - it is often possible, particularly outside the busy periods.

There is no deposit. Payment is by bank transfer in full before the booking starts, and if plans change there is no cancellation fee: anything paid for visits I have not yet made is refunded.

Plans change, and there is no cancellation fee for it. Cancel or shorten a booking whenever you need to and anything you have paid for visits I have not yet made is refunded. All I ask is as much notice as you can reasonably give, so the dates can go to someone else.

Delayed getting back? Let me know as soon as you can and I will carry on visiting wherever I am able to, charged at the same rate and settled on your return.

Always. Once we have agreed a booking I come over for a free pre-visit a week or so beforehand, so your cat can meet me on their own territory and I can see where everything lives - food, litter, medication, hiding places, the cat flap, the quirks.

It is also when I collect a spare key, and it is your chance to ask anything you did not think of over email.

If it has been a while since I last looked after your cat, I will suggest another pre-visit then too. Routines change, and it gives us both a chance to catch up on anything new.

Yes to both. I hold specialist pet business insurance, which includes public liability and cover for animals in my care, custody and control, and I am happy to send proof of insurance on request. I am also DBS checked.

The full detail of how bookings work sits in my booking terms, which come with every booking confirmation.

Keys are labelled with a code only, never with your name or address, and are kept securely. Alarm codes and entry instructions are stored separately from the keys and treated as confidential. When we finish working together, keys are returned to you or disposed of securely, whichever you prefer.

I contact you, or your emergency contact, straight away. If your cat needs a vet and I cannot reach you, you have authorised me in the booking terms to seek veterinary attention on your behalf - from your own vet wherever possible, or the nearest available one in an emergency.

This is exactly why the pet information form asks about existing conditions, medication and your vet's details before the first visit.

Yes. As well as cats I look after small pets - rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and more. If you have something a little more unusual, just ask and I will let you know honestly whether I am the right person for it.

I cover homes within roughly two miles of Brackley town centre, which takes in Evenley, Turweston, Halse and Westbury. If you are just outside that, ask anyway - if I can get to you reliably, I will.

Cats are territorial, and most of them cope far better with a stranger visiting than with being moved somewhere unfamiliar. Staying home means their own smells, their own routine, their own windowsill, no stressful car journey at either end, and no risk of picking anything up from other cats.

It also means your house is checked on daily while you are away, which is worth something on its own.