What do you pay your pet sitter???

[mdurette Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mdurette]

We usually get our 16 year old neighbor to come over and feed the cats twice a day and pick up our mail and we pay her $10 a day.

But, she won't be around for our next trip and I have asked an adult cousin in her mid 20's to stop by after work to let them in and give them supper. Do you think $10 a day is still ok?

My cats have a routine that will be broken. They typically are allowed outside during the day and at 7:30 on the dot they are both sitting at the door waiting to come in for their supper. I worry if she shows up at 5:30 they will be nowhere to be found and she will have to hang around waiting for them to show.

Yes, I could keep them in the house the entire time. But.....one of them gets very ornary when kept inseide and takes out is frustrations on the smaller one. Tormenting for her for the week.

[Fern Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fern]

I have a full time pet sitter, who stays in my house when I am gone. She walks Brianna, feeds her, keeps her company, gets my mail, and does a light shopping for me before I get home. I pay her $30./day. The "going rate" here is anywhere from $30-45./day. Some charge more for more than one pet, some do not. Those who only make "visits" for food and walking still charge a minimum of $25. Of course these are adults with a business, not neighbors.

Fern

[Presley Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Presley]

I only use certified, bonded, pet sitters because I have so many animals. The sitter stays in my house. I pay $85./per night, but I have 14 pets.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

I only use certified, bonded, pet sitters because I have so many animals. The sitter stays in my house. I pay $85./per night, but I have 14 pets.

14 pets!

I'm hoping a bunch of them are in a tank.

[Presley Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Presley]

14 pets!

I'm hoping a bunch of them are in a tank.

None are in a tank, but half of them are chickens.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

None are in a tank, but half of them are chickens.

Interesting........My aunt had a couple of chickens as pets, and she didn't own a farm. She owned a small home in Brooklyn, NY. Lol.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

How far out of her way is the woman going to take care of your cats? If it on her way home, I think $10 is fine to feed and litter once a day. If she's driving a good distance out of her way I would up it to $15 or $20. Gas is $4/gallon.

Who is letting them out each day?

[mdurette Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mdurette]

Well....I just met with her. I was hoping she could come in the morning and night. But, she only wants to do the evening after she gets out of work. I live about 5 minutes from her work - but it is in the opposite direction from her house. But, she is also not going to be at work every day I'm gone - so that would mean about a 20 minute drive to my house on those days.

My mother will be stopping by during the day a couple times during the week to check up on things...litter, let them out if they want to etc.

Well....maybe I will increase to $20 per day. Heck if I had to board both of them it would be $40!

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I had a friend who did it for love for many years - her circumstances have changed so now I pay her $10 per day - she stops in once a day for a 1/2 hour and checks on my indoor cat.

When I have used a friend of my DD in the past, she would stay at the house (away from her mom - smile) it was $50 + duty free vodka for the week.

[dcwojo Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dcwojo]

We have three cats and our pet sitter charges us $12 a day to come in feed the cats clean the litter boxes and bring in our mail. We usually give her a $25 tip as well.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

My niece is studying Vet tech and she comes and takes care of my two cats and two birds. She usually comes every other day to clean the kitty boxes and feed them a can of food. I've got them dry food trained for when I am not home and they seem to do fine with just the dry food. But my boy cat loves to play with the water and he spills it out of the feeder container so I have to make sure they have enough water. I pay her $25 each visit. My neighbor picks up my mail for me. Been working so far.

[mikey0531 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mikey0531]

This is a great thread.

I pay $37 a night to board my dog and then my neighbor just comes in as a favor to feed the cat once a day. We reciprocate when they are away.

I think $20 sounds great if you're only 5 mins from her work. But, I would also look at how many days she has to drive the 20 mins there and back from her house. If it's more than half of the time, I might up it a bit.

I work 25 miles from my house and it costs me about $12 in gas there and back.

Debi

[PHILL12 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PHILL12]

What state are you in?

Here in N.California these sitters wouldn't show up if not getting at least $30-$35 aday!

PHIL

[bevvy5 Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close bevvy5]

My undying love and affection. My parents dog sit for us and we return the favour. Great deal for us as they go away for a few days at a time and we go away for a few weeks at a time.

But we usually take them for a nice dinner or buy them a gift card at their favourite casino or spring for a hotel for them to stay there once in a while.

[vinolover Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vinolover]

We pay at least $25 per visit for 3 dogs, one cat. Now we need three visits per day because one dog is a senior citizen and has to out more often. Often we pay extra too because we foster cats and lately have a few extra duties for the petsitter to do. It is an adult who has a petsitting business, she will take in the mail, clean up after the pets (including sweeping up dog hair ) and make runs to the vet or the store in emergency situations.

Thank goodness we can travel inexpensively in timeshares because the petsitting can cost more than our daily expenses for ourselves while on vacation!