Cat Sitting in Peralta Hacienda

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!

Amneris

Ally was great! 
We got to meet for a few minutes before I headed out and I felt super reassured that both Goose and my home were in good hands. 
My cat is picky when it comes to strangers, but he was comfy in Ally’s lap right away the first night! 
She communicated well and sent cute pictures while I was away. My home was clean and Goose was happy when o got back. 
I highly recommend Ally as a sitter and she’s welcomed back anytime!

Elizabeth

Marianna was an incredible house sitter and cat sitter. She gave our property and sweet kitty top notch care. She is kind, easy to communicate with, thorough, etc. Would highly recommend her, you will not be disappointed.

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.

Emelia

My partner and I left our cat Mango in Lindsey's care for a month so that we could get married.  We were going from FL to ME, so it was a long way from home.  We were gone for a month.  Picking the right houses sitter was important.  We are so glad we picked Lindsey (and she picked us). From before Lindsey got on her plan to fly down, until she was back home again Lindsey was communicative, considerate and positive. We felt like we had a family member staying at our place and because of who she is, Mango and our home's well being was a weight off our mind during the wedding. If the need arises in the future we will definitely be giving her the right of first refusal. Thank you so much Lindsey!

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!

Stacey

Florence is everything you want in a cat sitter!  We have two cats that need a lot of human attention.  One takes multiple medications twice a day and they both are used to eating on their own schedule and having people around so it is always very important to us to find a pet sitter that will be spending a lot of time in the apartment and that doesn't mind being very attentive.  We were able to meet Florence before our trip and felt 100% confident that she would take great care of our cats.  Florence is comfortable giving medication, she sent us photos and updates and left our apartment spotless.  We were so happy that we had her come back the following week when we went away again for a short trip!  We will definitely contact Florence again whenever we travel and hope that she is available!

Bridget

Lindsey watched our cat and dog for a long weekend when we went out of town. She was a very communicative sitter sending frequent pictures and voice notes with updates. She did a great job of following their schedules and giving them attention. The animals seemed to be happy and relaxed when we returned home and I believe Lindsey enjoyed getting to discover all of the eateries our town has to offer. A win-win for everyone!

Ned

Pennee and Bill were the BEST pet sitters and guests ever! I really wanted them to stay forever ! Our cat, Miss Kitty bonded so  much to them, that she really wasn’t that happy to see me when I got home .Our cat is a finicky eater and they tried all different types of food and treats for her.  They sent me regular photos of miss kitty and I knew everything was great when most of the pics had miss kitty on their lap. Our cat doesn’t take to many people but she immediately fell in love with them. 
Pennee sent us our mail and prescription meds  on a regular basis , and went out of her way to take care of any issues .  They fell in love with the neighbors and community and just made our lives so easy . We experienced the Covid 19 virus outbreak  quarantine  during this time and Pennee and Bill agreed to stay a month longer at our home . They were extremely flexible with their travel plans so that everyone would be safe. 
Upon our arrival home, we were greeted with a bouquet of flowers , beautiful hanging basket of flowers for outdoors and a beautiful bottle of wine .  And our house had never been cleaner ! 
 Bill and Pennee are a pet owners dream couple !I felt extremely lucky to have found such a great petsitter and new friend . We will be visiting each other in the future .