I’m looking at 2 longer sits that have cats that are 17 and 18 years old. The sits otherwise look good. I have concerns about the possibility of either of the cats passing away while I’m petsitting. I know cats can live longer than that, but of course we can never know.
I also wonder if the homeowners would cancel the sit if the cat passes away before then. Both sits are 2-3 months away and I’d be buying plane tickets and planning other summer sits around this. I’ve had cats. One of mine passed at 18, the other was 14, with an illness.
As far as how they would proceed if the cat died before your sit starts, it might seem like a ‘delicate’ issue to address but definitely a reasonable one, and if it is a big concern for you, it is important that you get clarity on it. A good way to broach it could be saying how you have seen this issue discussed on the forum and it got you thinking…
On a sit we did a few years ago, the cat had died unexpectedly–relatively young with no known health issues–less than a week before our sit. The HOs still planned on taking their trip and said we were still welcome to stay at the home and we happily took them up on that offer.
We also had another sit get cancelled somewhat last minute when a cat accidentally got out on the balcony and fell. When they said they needed to cancel the sit it wasn’t a big deal. At this time, we were staying with my mom for an extended period and would take local sits for a change of scenery and some privacy.
So there was no negative impact to our plans since we could just stay there, and I didn’t feel the need to ask them if they were still planning on taking their trip and if so, could we still stay at the house. If our living situation had been different at the time, perhaps I would have.
One possible issue is that they may not be able to say definitively what they would do and if so, you may want to take a pass if these sits getting cancelled would really negatively impact your schedule, finances,etc…
You should bring up the cats’ ages and ask questions about their health. Are they deaf? Have they had their kidney function tested? What are their current habits? At that age they rarely just drop dead, there’s more often a slow decline. One of our cats is 19 but in pretty good shape. However a test a few months ago showed a decline in kidney function. We have a sitter coming at the end of the month for 2 weeks so I’ve been thinking about what to do if he becomes ill. We would not fly home early from another continent if he was a death’s door so I need to put a plan in place just in case. Your questions may prompt the owner to consider the unthinkable.
If you are sitting for more than a month and looking for a place to hunker down, I could see thinkng twice about a set up with older pets. If it is a shorter sit in a great location, I’d chance it. I’m sure if they did stats on this, a big reason for owner cancellation is probably pet illness. While something serious is more likely to happen to an older pet or a pet with a preexisting condition, something could happen to any pet any time. It’s why my flights are always changeable – even if I’d lose a fee in the transaction. It’s also why I have premium.
As a pet parent, I’ve cancelled trips because one of my pets got sick. It hasnt happened yet with THS. But when it did happen, it wasn’t expected. I’ve sat for cats with chronic conditions who have lived with those conditions for years and seem healthy enough – just like people live with thyroid disease, diabetes, etc. It’s always a risk.
One of my cats has malabsorption. It’s serious and his risk of developing intestinal lymphoma is high as is his risk of getting diabetes from the steroids he takes daily to control it. But it’s been over 2 and 1/2 years since his diagnosis and at age 13.5 he doesn’t act or seem like a sick cat in any way shape or form. I’m sure some sitters have picked other sits over mine because there’s a “sick” cat. Their loss. He’s a sweetie.
On one occasion, I encountered a situation where an older cat I was supposed to look after had to be euthanized due to illness. Despite this unfortunate circumstance, the owner proceeded with her travel plans, and I was welcome to stay in her place.
On another occasion, I had to administer various medications to an older cat using a syringe, which I found somewhat challenging. Additionally, I had to give the cat liquids every other day, which I found to be quite traumatic. It’s essential to discuss any potential medication needs with the owner beforehand and ensure you’re comfortable with administering them, as it can be very stressful, especially if you’re not a professional.
p.s. This happened right at the beginning of my time signing up with THS, during sits number 2 and 3. Today, I never apply for sits where cats need to be medicated.
We’ve just looked after a very elderly cat at 19+ on & off for two sits over three months. Before the owner left for the UK we talked about what to do if he didn’t make it. Tough but necessary. Three days before she came home he was really ill & stopped eating & thought that was it. Rallied with some chicken skin & strokes and made it for their return . It’s a sensitive but essential conversation to have with the HO before they leave.
@Traveler99 these are the types of questions we ask the homeowner on the video call before accepting the sit. There’s nothing that the forum members here can do.
I strongly feel that THS should have HOs fill out forms with their wishes about end of life issues, so every single sitter does not have to ask these sensitive questions.
Yes but pets get sick unexpectedly too & their health issues change or they pass away between sits so it would be one form every time. If you’re taking care of pets then you have to take on the tricky issues as well as the easy bits IMHO @Traveler99#itsgoodtotalk
. It’s a sensitive but essential conversation to have with the HO before they leave.