Cat Sitting in Main Street District

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.

Phil

Anna was an excellent sitter - she took great care to understand all of the intricacies of taking care of the house and cats, asked lots of questions, and arrived on time and ready for the sit. During the trip, she checked in with updates, and upon returning home, left the space tidy and clean. The cats were happy and healthy, and seemed to have had a great time during the sit. Thanks Anna!

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!

Jenny

Young was the perfect house sitter for us. From the moment you meet her, you can tell she is animal person and is detailed oriented and will take great care of your house and pets. She exudes a peaceful and grounded energy.  She was comfortable with each our pets from the high energy dog to the shy skittish cat. She played with the dog in the yard every day and took him on walks. And she was also very attentive to our cats and figured out how to maintain the equilibrium in the relationship between the cats and dog. She is an excellent communicator; she asked questions when our directions weren't clear and kept us updated on the pets. She is also an amazing photographer. She sent us pics of our pets every day that totally captured each of their personalities.

Meghan

Kristi was an absolutely incredible sitter -- I think our favorite one ever! She was easy to communicate with, kind and personable, and took great care of our pets and our house. It was the first time we had left both our dog and our cat with a TH sitter and Kristi went above and beyond. She was very self-sufficient but provided fun updates and pictures and our pets loved her. Highly recommend!

Esther

We are thoroughly pleased with and impressed by Daniel's kind, generous, and careful care of our cat and our house. He is a committed and experienced sitter who completely understands his role and responsibilities and also how to gently win the confidence and affection of a pet. He is an excellent communicator, and he kept us regularly up to date on our cat's well being--sending us texts and photos at least once/week as we requested. Our cat who is a little afraid of new people, grew fond of him, and we have returned to a very calm, contented cat. We highly recommend Daniel, and we ourselves would be thrilled to engage him again when the need arises.

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.

Joanne

Catherine was a wonderful sitter for our 17 year old cat Zabba. She sent us pictures twice a day and kept us informed about Zabba’s daily activities. We came home to a clean  home and would definitely recommend her as a pet/ house sitter. My only concern was that she doesn’t drive and with an older cat, I just prayed that Zabba didn’t need to go to the vet…. And he didn’t 🥰. We will ask her again for sure.

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!

Natalie

Ann Marie was an excellent house sitter who went above and beyond. She flew in a day early and stayed at a local hotel so we she could meet my cat and get the keys before my early flight the next morning. 

When I returned, she and Tryke were best friends and the house was immaculate. She even washed the sheets and towels, and remade the bed. I strongly recommend Ann Marie for any future sits!