Cat Sitting in Northwest

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.

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!!!

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!

Jenner

Great pet sitter - took perfect care of our cat and our home. They were super communicate leading up to and during the sit and left our apartment in great shape. I'd absolutely recommend them to any future sitters!

Adrienne

Stefany helped me out big time by stepping in when I asked.  She's a local sitter and I wasnt' having any responses so I contacted her and she fit me into her schedule even during the holidays and right after another sit across the country.   She took great care of my two cats and home and I very much appreciate it!

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.

Kathleen

Toby and Chloe were one of the best house sitters we have ever had! As a small animal vet I have seen many types of pet sitters and these guys are top notch. Our pets are not easy either. We have special needs dogs, cats on medication, dogs with behavioral issues, horses, chickens, goats and a large (100 lb) Sulcata tortoise who needed close monitoring of the temperature in his barn. Everyone was thriving and happy when we came home. They read through the packet and asked thorough, thoughtful questions. They went above and beyond grooming, mucking and grazing the horses and goats everyday. They chopped greens and fruit daily for our tortoise. If we had known how amazing they were we would have booked a 3 week trip instead! Can't recommend them enough.

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!

Paola

Chris was a fantastic cat sitter for our elderly and high maintenance kitty.  Chris was the perfect combination of responsible and on top of her medication needs while also being calm and relaxed about her picky eating habits and the need to monitor her food and medication consumption.  He was prompt, easy to get a hold of,  responsible, and overall, a great sitter.  I would definitely recommend him and most certainly hope to have him stay with her again.