Pares is an experienced and quality sitter and we knew our cat Juniper (and a few plants) was well cared for. We received regular updates and photos which was really nice to have during our travels. While we missed Juniper, we could see that she enjoyed receiving cuddles and attention from Pares. Upon returning home, our flat was clean and tidy, and Juniper was very happy! Thank you for taking care of her!
Our review is written by Steven (house owner, host + my father) + also by Kim (the daughter). Written by Kim: This was our first house sit since the passing of my mother in late Dec 2023. I was helping my father Steven (whose profile it is) manage all the emails + try + find a great house sitter + came along Gretchen’s profile! Not only is she a cool cat + someone you might want to get to know, I found myself quickly talking to her. I shortly found out her profile is just a glimpse of how interesting she is but talking to her was so much better! She is a world traveler with many experiences + stories to share. We quickly became conversationalists who could talk forever + probably will continue to do so! Thank you TH! She is easy to communicate with + continued the consistent communication all along our journey of having her as our *first* guest after my mom’s passing. It was clearly a time filled with anxiety + sensitivity so there were some sensitive topics to go over + Gretchen got it right away. A few of our rooms in the house were off-limits (as they housed my mom’s things) but we reassured her the house has ample space for her to enjoy + there are many lovely outdoor spaces to boot! When she arrived she felt she was in paradise + really relished in the outdoor beauty + the indoor coziness. We were happy to share it with someone who appreciated it so much! She also was very understanding with the fact that both my dad + I would both be involved as we both handled different parts of the stay. Me, writing + setting up the Welcome Guide + would go over the situation but then upon her arrival my dad would take over + answer any questions mostly during her sit. The good part of having 2 people is she had accessibility to us both, in the case she needed it + sometimes it came up! She juggled all the communication oh so well. My mom usually handled most of the logistics so this being our first time we were nervous something would come up we might not know but it didn’t! It was new territory for us + we wanted to make sure she had everything. Gretchen handled it all with such ease, seamlessly, really respecting our wishes/desires + taking all the information into her hands + making it seem easy on her end to do so. She was easy to coordinate schedules with! There was a gap in her 1st + 2nd sit but everything went seamlessly even when my flight had a day long delay. She was able to coordinate schedules with me arriving in between, then leaving, my dad arriving different days + us extending the trip too. It all worked out! We were all a good team! She absolutely loved our older cat, Benny + he fast + furiously fell in love with her oh so easily. When I saw him, he looked oh so loved + after saying hi to me went over to ‘her’ bed + slept there waiting for her to come back. She sent many pictures, videos + even cute creations + toys she made for our Benny + it was obvious the house + our Benny were her first priority. She even asked us if she could help prune our flowers/shrubs, something my mom used to do + honestly it was an honor to hear her ask that. She was welcome to set up her art studio + play away. She was very communicative when our house cleaner, landscape gardener + house manager showered up for different reasons. When I arrived back for a short stint before she came back the 2nd time our mail was so well organized it was an assembly line! She also offered to take down our xmas tree (as we were a bit behind in taking down our xmas decorations) + she was sensitive to the fact that we were adjusting to a new normal. Thank you so much Gretchen! You made our first sit in a long time so seamless + such a relief that we are ready now to host again. We only wish we could have more Gretchen’s! (She’s also a super talented artist!) Written by Steven: Overall, Gretchen has been an absolute treasure. She has fulfilled our goals for a house sitter perfectly - she took good care of the house, great care of our treasured pet, Mr. Benny + took care of the grounds such as watering a few plants + trees. She excelled in all the above + is welcome back anytime I will be out of town in the future.
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.
Cung is a diligent and communicative cat sitter and house guest, and we'd highly recommend him! We hope to have him back again soon
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.
Angel was absolutely the best house sitter we could have hoped for. She is a very warm, open and diligent person and our two cats adored her. She looked after our house and garden with really conscientious care. She won over our very timid cat, Billie, and sent regular photos of both cats looking supremely content which gave us perfect peace of mind. The house was completely spotless on our return and the garden was fabulous... no mean feat since there was a heatwave while we were away and she kept everything watered and in great condition. We would have Angel back at the drop of a hat and cannot recommend her highly enough.
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!
Jinnie was an excellent house sitter for me and my cat Felix. Completely responsible and reliable and helpfully flexible. She was willing to work with me as I dithered on whether I was actually going to go on my trip (which was dependent on good weather), and when I finally decided on making my trip one day shorter. House was clean and organized on my return, and, more importantly, my cat was calm and relaxed on my return. I would happily have Jinnie come sit for me and Felix again.
My husband and I reached out to Toby & Chloe after reading their profile and impressive reviews only a week before our trip, since our scheduled sitter had to cancel at the last moment. They were very friendly and quick to respond to chat from the very beginning, and ended up exceeding our expectations during their two week stay. It was evident they had thoroughly read our Welcome Guide beforehand, as they arrived knowledgeable and prepared to care for our home and pets. They were very willing and happy to take the necessary time with us to walk through the house and meet our cats, as we got them acclimated with our daily routines and answered any questions. Shortly after we left, our city had a heat wave come through, and after immediately notifying us, Toby went beyond the call of duty and inspected our struggling AC unit to pinpoint the issue. As far as cat care is concerned, we have two seniors (who have more sensitive tummies) that can get irritated after a fur ball or swallowing anything out of the ordinary. When this occurred, Toby & Chloe stepped in and took wonderful care of our cat duo; softening their food and even cradling while hand-feeding them for extra comfort. We truly could not have asked for more affectionate and responsible sitters. We returned to a spotlessly clean home, happy cats, and well maintained plants and pool. (They even cleaned our dusty Kitchen pendant lighting, which requires a steady hand and is definitely a time-commitment …We felt like professional housecleaners had been there!) On our way back, Toby & Chloe stayed in communication with us to monitor our arrival time, allowing them to care for our cats until just before we got home. Overall, they are very reliable and trustworthy sitters whose genuine goal is to provide a top-quality sit, while maintaining your household and seamlessly transitioning to your pets daily schedule.
Tonya was great and filled in after our other sitter had to cancel. She was very self sufficient and navigated acclimating herself to everything since she arrived after we left. She gave thoughtful updates on my cat and I could tell she really enjoyed her, so that means the world to me! She left the place immaculate and we will certainly have Tonya back!
Is it better to board cats or leave at home?
Veterinarians advising to leave cats at home with a pet sitter who will stay overnight in your home, boarding is not recommended for cats as they are stressed in a new environment, you can find a sitter who will care for your cats and home for free at Zeewoi.
How much should you pay someone to watch your cat?
At least $20 per visit, per overnight watching in your home, otherwise you can find a free sitter at Zeewoi.
What do people do with their cats when they go on vacation?
Inviting a cat sitter to your home, boarding the cat with a local business, asking a friend, family or neighbour to feed and check the well-being. The most efficient way to leave your cat during your vacation is with Zeewoi cat sitters for free, in this way, you will save cat sitting costs and make vacation not only for you but also for your cat sitter!