Cat Sitting in Bon Air North

winslow

I am struggling with naming our top adjective to describe Michael and Jeanne.  "Conscientious" will likely be it but then again, "personable," "reliable," "organised," and "animal-loving" are top contenders. 

If you are reading this review and contemplating inviting this couple to watch your pets, then look no further. We have had a number of excellent house sitters but this pair was next level in terms of the love they showed our cats, Maxx and Nala.  When we came back, we could our animals already missed them.  These cats, who have never slept with anyone other than us, were getting in bed with them each night -- and that meant climbing stairs! 

The day before our trip, Nala got an ear infection and had to be put on steroids for asthma.  Michael and Jeanne did not sign up for that when the sit was booked but they took it in stride.  In the last-minute rush, I relayed that Nala needed her oral steroids morning and night.  Michael read the RX label, indicating one dose a day, and contacted the vet to clarify.  So you can see why "conscientious" is right up there.  They saved Nala from an overdose!

We were gone three weeks and they sent us just the right amount of pictures and videos.  They bought cat toys (I forgot to put ours out!) and actively engaged with them, including 20-minute massages for Maxx.  I truly believed them when they said they fell in love with our fur babies.

The house was spotless (which was not important to me but truly appreciated) but I smiled when all six water stations in our yard were filled.  They took seriously my love for and the needs of the wildlife in our yard.  Our plants were all in good condition as well.  

Sensing they were "next level" when I met them, I predicted they would want to leave a meal for us upon our return.  I asked them not to but they found another way to bow out with class.  They made a donation to a nonprofit I work with instead.  This I learned from the lovely thank you note they left. 

I hope they will consider Charles and I friends because we certainly feel that way about them now. What special people.  If you book them, treat them well because they are going to do that for you for sure.

Joel and Esme

Kathy and Ron have sat for us several times in the past and have always been excellent. They are our "go-to" pet and house sitters and we always check their availability before we post a sit. They are trustworthy, organized, communicate very well, and take great care of our cats and our house. We hope they will continue pet sitting for many years to come!

Sandi

Chris and Julia were our very first sitters and are the most perfect house/pet sitters anyone would ever want!!! Julia sent video/pictures of our fur babies everyday and we noticed early on that our animals were very relaxed and happy!! This made our trip so enjoyable and stress free knowing that our animals were safe and being spoiled and loved the whole time. They even trained our dog to sit while her leash was being attached and was able to pet and hold our cat that is somewhat nervous around strange people he doesn't know. When I got back from the trip, the house was very clean along with Julia/Chris had washed the bed sheets, bath towels, vacuumed, dusted etc., and even washed the pet bedding. They also left some SE Asia treats for us to try which so sweet of them. Definitely the perfect house sitters!!!

Julie

Sabre is a sweet, honest person who stepped up at the very last moment (after the prior sitter flaked out) to watch our dog and cat for 17 days. When there were a couple minor accidents, she informed us of them right away. One involved a burnt pan (easy to do if you’re not familiar with an induction stovetop) which she offered to replace. 
   Sabre also washed the towels and sheets, and made up the bed before we got home. The yard was pooper scooped and litter box was clean. Pets seemed well-cared for.
   When she had to leave town for several hours one day, she made sure to arrange for our neighbor take care of the pets.
   Additionally, I appreciated how she didn’t assume that it would be ok to bring her cat. When we found out she was going to keep her cat in a kennel during her stay here, we told her she could bring him which worked out fine. 
   Overall, I would confidently recommend Sabre to watch your pets and house.

Tonya

Brian is a very professional sitter that does a good job, pays attention to details and is easy to work with. I have a lot of plants. A lot. He suggested me do a video for the plant care so he could be sure of which ones needed what. Brilliant! I’d never thought of that. They were in great shape when I returned. 
I explained that I needed some flexibility with travel dates, he agreed and rolled with the punches like a champ when my dates did indeed change. Unfortunately, he was a bit allergic to my cat but made it work anyway. He was really awesome about everything including a tree that fell next door in a storm and blocked the road for three days. I appreciate that he appreciated how funny and how much personality Boo has. They got along well and I received some great videos. I returned home to a happy cat and a house well taken care of 😊. I would definitely recommend Brian.

Anne

Wow, what a find Justin is! I feel as though I won a lottery. As I was revelling in the communication we were having during his stay, I looked over his profile and realized either that he had updated it during his stay OR I never even read it. I was so impressed with his initial application that described multiple stays taking care of cats in Turkey that I knew he was going to be a great choice. So I'm not sure that I even read his profile or reviews. Turned out...he was more than I could have EVER hoped for.
Justin is VERY organized and clear with his communication. Just  as--or maybe more--important, he is a poster child for what zeewoi can be: more than just an economical way to get a pet sitter or a place to stay.
Justin embraces the barter economy and the opportunity it presents to get to know people. Although we only met the day that I turned the house and my 2 cats over to his care, we had delightful communication throughout his stay. He wanted to be sure he was providing the right care to all living and non-living elements of my home as well as just chat beyond what we'd had an opportunity to cover when we were face to face on the handoff day.
Bottom line: I'd have Justin back even if I wasn't going anywhere! I've met a friend. And my neighbors did as well!
Oh yes, and my two cats were well looked after, the house was in ship shape, and Justin was able to brief the next sitter in person (I'd had to extend my time away and Justin already had another commitment). To say I felt confident leaving my pets and home in Justin's care is an understatement.
Justin is a real adventurer and believer in the power of both human and animal connection. Without a doubt, I would recommend him as a sitter...and a friend!
Thank you, Justin for a great example of how to wrestle so much more meaning out of zeewoi.

Erin

Ruthee was a fabulous pet sitter for our three cats while we were gone for a month. Prior to the sit, she was consistent and communicative; she even came over early for a meet and greet to learn the routine. During the sit, she took great care of our three cats by playing with them (she made a fun cat toy!), scooping litter, feeding and watering them, and sent us text updates and pictures. We came home to happy fur babies and a clean home. She left the place very tidy which was greatly appreciated! We are so thankful for Ruthee and would recommend her should the opportunity arise. Your fur babies would be lucky to spend time with her. Thank you again for everything, Ruthee!

Monica

We can not exaggerate the care and love Juliet and Laurent gave to our cat, Piero, during his the last few weeks of life. While we left for our trip thinking he merely had a bladder infection, his symptoms turned for the worse a weeks into their sit  and later revealed he had cancer. No one would wish their sitter to  need to hospice their cat but Juliet and Laurent showed such compassion for Piero and volunteered to be with him when we made the decision to put him down. It was an emotional time for all of us and we will be forever grateful to our two caring cat and house sitters.

We have had many fantastic housesitters through zeewoi but Juliet and Laurent top the list. Their professionalism, constant communication and compassion were exceptional.  

Should you have the opportunity to have them in your home, do not hesitate to book them, you will have no regrets. 

We do, however, regret that they had such a short time with Piero and had to experience such a painful event.

Marni

Danny and Jo did a great job caring for our 3 cats and fish AND lots of plants (and home of course) while we were out of town for 3 weeks. We came back to a very clean house, sheets, and towels all clean and folded and fresh sheets on the bed they were using. The plants were all alive too, which is a first for us (again, we have a lot of plants!). The cats were happy to see us and they were all accounted for (a past sitter lost a cat for a week - they escaped outside as a non-outside cat). Everything was in its place and looked great. We received regular updates (via text) with photos of the cats lounging about which was important for us. Danny asked good questions when they visited us before the sit, and when reviewing our pet/house sitting instructions. The only thing we noticed that was different was that our 2 young cats were a little lighter (not necessarily a bad thing) but we understand that being gone for that length of time can be stressful on our furry family, which almost always affects their eating habits. All in all, we would definitely have them again!

Katie

Karen was an extraordinary house and pet sitter who I hope to invite back again soon. You would be extremely fortunate to have her take care of your pets and home. From the very beginning she radiated calmness, knowledge, caring and curiosity. We had a great initial conversation where Karen answered questions I didn't even know I should be asking, and asked excellent questions so she could be prepared and understand the special needs for both my cat and home. She flew into my city the day before I was leaving and stayed at a nearby hostel so that we could meet in person and do a walk through of my home. They say pets have an intuitive nature about people, and I knew Karen would be a winner when my normally very shy/nervous cat came right up and let her pet him. Karen sent wonderful pictures and updates while I was gone and asked questions when she wasn't sure about something. When I returned home everything was spotless and my cat was content. Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better house sitter experience. Thank you Karen!