Schedules should be disclosed in the listings, then sitters can make an informed choice about whether or not to apply. It’s nothing to do with whether sitters ‘can adhere to that kind of schedule’, but about whether or not they choose to. A fair exchange must suit both parties and the best sits - in our experience - are when HOs are clear about their expectations and sitters feel fully informed. No significant surprises, please!
8 Likes
That’s possible if the host is transparent upfront. If they lie or withhold info, or even if it’s totally innocent and they goof, that means the sitter has been sold a sit that they wouldn’t necessarily sign up for in the first place.
And @Cuttlefish was actually trying to be helpful, which would benefit the host, so they don’t get dropped by the sitter for info that wasn’t shared from the start, as it should have been.
If I follow your reasoning — sign up or not — then I’d say that the host is now creating new parameters and if they’re not negotiable (or the sitter doesn’t want to try renegotiating), then the sitter should just pull out. Is that what you think should happen? Or are you saying it’s alright to just spring new parameters onto sitters, including you?
6 Likes
The sitter is an autonomous human being who can either do the sit or pull out of the sit. People make mistakes, they forget things, we are ALL human, even you! I am more than certain you make mistakes and don’t do things maliciously, or to purposefully “get one over” on someone, so assuming the HO is doing that and suggesting that the sitter tell them they’re going to back out of the sit to get them to change their mind about their cats’ feeding schedule sounds pretty irrational. I’ll say it 1000 more times - I have done hundreds of sits over the last 28 or something years, literal hundreds, few of those sits have been absolutely perfect, if you’re looking for perfect then rent an Airbnb where you have zero responsibilities but chances are that Airbnb is going to have some issues as well. I put my two-pence in and that is that, I stand by everything I’ve said. As a long, long, LONGtime sitter, I stand by absolutely everything I’ve said. Happy Holidays!
2 Likes
The HO is the one who only gets 5 applicants, from my experiences you as a sitter need to have every question you can possibly think of at the ready for that first video meeting. HO’s are HO’s, you can’t change who they are or try to threaten them with cancelling to get what you want or because you think they conned you. People are busy, maybe you aren’t that busy but a LOT of people are and they forget things. I forget things pretty often and I am lucky enough to have people actually forgive me for not remembering every single thing.
(edited by Forum team to keep post within our Community Guidelines)
2 Likes
Cuttlefish suggested they threaten to cancel the sit therefore encouraging the HO to change their cats’ feeding schedule. End of.
I try not to think that HO’s are being deceitful and trying to get one over on sitters, that’s a terrible way to go through life, especially pet-sitter life. Let it go!! HO’s only get 5 applicants and it’s up to you as an applicant to ask every question you could possibly think of and if they change the succinct answer to your very succinct question later down the line then, yes, perhaps they are being less than honest. But human forgetfulness? 
(Edited to meet the Forum Guidelines)
2 Likes
Using your memory issues to project onto half the population doesn’t seem rational to me, so I’m out of pursuing further logic with you.
6 Likes
@Cuttlefish’s post included more than one option and was nowhere near threatening or bullying
9 Likes
I’m not sure that this forum is the appropriate place to start labelling half the population as hormonal and forgetful. I am sure there are other forums more suited to that.
6 Likes
I have cats and I sit cats. Unless there is a cat with a lot of anxiety or a health issue like diabetes where regular meal times are super important, having wet food at a slightly different time is not going to matter much. The cats are getting dry food drops several times a day. They aren’t going hungry. They don’t have clocks. Even Rover sitters or sitters from a pet service can’t always be scheduled for drop ins at exact times.
It’s not bullying them into accepting something, it’s a question of communicating with people and maybe hiding your own displeasure.
While the sitter mentions the hosts weren’t crazy about changing the time, it sounds like they might have accepted it and it’s also possible that they sensed some real pushback from the sitter. I’m wondering if some of this was based on how she took in the information and spoke to them. There’s a difference between:
“That’s not in my notes! I have a lot scheduled in the evenings! I guess I can do it later or earlier or something.” (That sounds like this is a problem. And suddenly the hosts are anxious and feeling like there is a problem.)
Versus:
“No problem. I can feed them canned food in the evenings. You didn’t mention this before, and I already have some plans for some of the days, so I might be giving them the canned food a little earlier or a little later some evenings, but they’ll always get it!
Even something like this: “Well, as I mentioned. I’m taking an internship and the workday ends at 5, so I won’t be able to get there till 6:00 most evenings, but I’ll make sure to feed them canned food every evening.”
Both of those replies remind the homeowners that this is on them. They didn’t mention it before. However, it’s not a problem and the sitter will do their best to accomodate them.
I sit and I host. As a host mine is not the world’s easiest catsit but my location is great, the apartment is comfortable and sitters are usually happy to come back when schedules align. I am open about the feeding schedule in my listing. Sometimes sitters ask questions about it on chats and I discuss the reason, the flexibility on timing and how we usually navigate when we are going to be out later than usual. Those conversations are fiine. But sometimes I’ve had sitters literally roll their eyes while mentioning the 3 feedings like “Seriously?” as though this was some strange quirk of mine that they could talk me out of. Those sitters never get the sit.
6 Likes
Not sure if you are a homeowner or a sitter, but in either case OT but homeowners don’t only get 5 applications. They get up to 5 application at a time. In really desirable places they often get more because if someone opens an applicaiton and the spots filll, they can still send in the application they started. Homeowners can decline as many of those appications as they want and “unpause” the listings to get more applications.
I host in a popular location. I never feel that I am limited to the first 5 applicants. I’ve sometimes gotten lucky and found sitters from the first five, but often I’ve gone through many applications to find the best fit.
1 Like
I have two cats, and they normally get wet food at 6 p.m. Occasionally I forget and feed them at 8 or 9 p.m. Unless a cat is older or has a health condition that requires a very strict schedule, I personally don’t see an issue with feeding them a bit later. Cats tend to be quite low-maintenance, and based on my experience, they do okay with some flexibility.
4 Likes
It really depends on the cat though. One I sit for a couple of times a year is very sweet and chilled out - until it comes to food. I’ve never seen a cat act that way before, very anxious, almost hysterical, at feeding times. You’d think it had never been fed in it’s life and it definitely has an accurate body clock! Feeding on the dot is vital to avoid causing more distress. Poor thing must have had a difficult time in the past (rescue cat).
But then the owners are sensible - auto feeder does the early morning dry feed. They provide freeze blocks so you can also set this for the afternoon wet feed if you’re not going to be around.
1 Like
Last sit in Kuala Lumpur the two cats rarely, if ever, came out from the room. But like clockwork, 4pm on the dot, every day, there they both were, looking up at me like long deserted and starving strays 
6 Likes
Yes, there are such pets and it’s their humans’ responsibility to look out for them and be transparent from the start. If they can’t manage that, they risk their pets being shortchanged or having their travel plans disrupted.
Unfortunately, there are hosts who are irresponsible or clueless (or have memory issues). That shouldn’t make it the sitter’s problem, because THS terms say you’re supposed to make clear what the responsibilities are upfront.
If the parameters change and both parties can’t come to agreement, no one can force a sitter to show up or stay. Hosts should keep that in mind. And sitters can protect themselves from bad hosts by always having backup plans.
4 Likes
Fair play for a special circumstance that you worked out with the owner, but the requirement should be noted up front in the listing with those details, not sprung on the sitter in the Welcome Guide or on arrival.
I just see too many of these expectations where it seems extremely unlikely the HO can even fulfill those requirements. It would make them a prisoner in their home — and that’s definitely not a normal expectation for sitters (particularly free ones). It also sets an unreasonable standard for the service & for other members, imo.
2 Likes
This is the most rational of responses I’ve seen yet in this topic thread. Clear, calm communication is essential to any successful relationship and to have some here advise to tell the HO they’re going to cancel since the PM time is inconvenient and wasn’t agreed upon during the first convo, to encourage them to change the PM time, sounds emotional and irrational a response. If the cats are healthy then, and they’ve an automatic dry feeder, they will certainly be fine if she’s an hour later with the PM feeding, or whatever they could agree on. Just talk it out, don’t threaten a HO with cancellation to get what you want, you are staying in their home and, again, while this is a mutually beneficial arrangement, you couldn’t ask for an easier, more freedom-filled sit than a healthy-cat sit, to not appreciate that or recognise it is pretty rubbish.
That all said, even on a cat-sit I don’t spend more than 5 or 6 hours (dogs 4 maximum) out collectively throughout the day, that’s not why the HO has offered me the sit, to have me just popping in for sleeping and showering. If you’re completely focused on the location and the sightseeing I’d strongly suggest renting a place for a few days instead of costing a HO money (in utility usage) whilst not paying their pets any mind. I reckon I come from a different school of thought as a sitter, having done it for so long and loving animals as much as I do, and I’m okay with that.
2 Likes
Sitters should not get surprises after a sit is confirmed. If a change is sprung on a sitter after confirmation, the sitter has every right to be upset and/or even consider cancelling the sit if the new requirement is something they don’t want to do. It doesn’t matter what the new requirement is, the fact is it wasn’t agreed to. It’s not ok to just say well sometimes HOs might forget. It’s the HOs responsibility to make sure their pet’s requirements are clear prior to confirmation (preferably in the listing so sitters don’t waste time applying to sits they are not going to accept). In this case the HOs neglected to mention the 5pm feeding and they can either choose to be flexible or potentially lose their sitter.
Also, a sitter not wanting to be home at 5pm each does not in any way mean that they plan to be gone 8-10 hours a day. They might not be planning to leave the house until 3pm. It also doesn’t mean they don’t care about the pets. It amazes me sometimes when I read things implying (or specifically stating) that if the sitters wants to leave the house they shouldn’t be a sitter. This is an exchange, sitters should be benefitting too. Why would a sitter spend money to travel someplace to just sit in someone’s house. Travel and sightseeing can very easily be combined with pet care - that’s the entire premise of THS and why it has worked so well. Personally, I’m on a cat sit now, the cats generally get fed around 6 or 7 in the evening, but I’m going to a concert tonight so it’s not a problem at all for them to eat earlier tonight. I’m also home the entire day before going out tonight. Going to concert for a few hours in the evening doesn’t mean I’m neglecting the cats.
Having done 60+ cats sits, the vast majority have been fed morning and evening - the times have mostly been very flexible within about a 2 or even 3 hour window. I’ve done a few that were fed 3 times a day and/or had health conditions, so the feeding and medication schedule was more precise. In all of those sits, I was provided the schedule prior to confirmation and was aware of the requirements before I agreed to the sit. I would not have appreciated changes be sprung on me after confirmation.
I think it’s important for all to remember that this is an exchange and details need to be agreed prior to confirmation.
12 Likes
Well, I’ve been at the sit bit for more than 25 years, I’ve done 30 sits alone this last year with THS, and have done, quite literally, hundreds of sits over the years. Thank you for sharing your numbers, I never get enough of that.
This whole situation could be easily resolved if the sitter just took initiative and had an honest conversation with the HO about their understanding of the feeding schedule and what their own plans are for when they are staying in this person’s home with the responsibility of conscientiously caring for their pets. Pretty simple business.
Thanks for joining the convo, this shall be my final response here. Happy Holidays to you and everyone else.
(Edited to meet the Forum Guidelines)
2 Likes
Since I’ve done a lot of cat sits, I can speak to what has been typical in my experience.
Yes, a conversation is certainly in order. However, sitters are not required to agree to changes in pet care requirements that were not discussed prior to confirmation. This is just a matching platform and both sitters and hosts can and should have their own expectations about what they get from the exchange. The goal is to get a good match where both parties benefit.
11 Likes
Right, and to ensure a good match there needs to be good communication, from both sides of the deal. HAPPY HOLIDAYS
1 Like