Hello, I’m trying to finish a sit review and would be grateful for any comments /views.
I spoke with the owner on the phone about a week before the sit. The owner said her cat didn’t usually bite, only with one sitter, who had been playfighting with the cat. This sitter had mentioned in their review that the cat could lash out and needed to be approached gently. It hadn’t occurred to me the cat might bite. He was described as sensitive, nervous, a former stray and often seeking affection on the listing.
The written information I saw when I arrived at the sit mentioned that the cat bites, sometimes hard, could do so in the middle of being affectionate and could still surprise the pet guardian /parent with this, together with advice on avoiding this, especially only stroking him briefly when he approached to avoid him being over excited.
I followed this advice and think I’m generally mindful to avoid overwhelming pets I sit for with more petting than they might want. The cat still tried to bite (and scratch) me a few times. I messaged the owner about this. They apologised and made further suggestions from their experience of the cat eg to stroke his back as he tends get overexcited when face to face, and bite. I did this and the cat seemed to settle down, sitting on my lap sometimes and not trying to bite.
I enjoyed the sit and think it went well. The pet guardian completed my review the day after I left and has messaged me to say it’s all positive.
I intend to mention in the review that the cat bites sometimes, probably that I read it on arrival and that things improved after I followed further guidance from the pet guardian.
What bothers me a bit is the sense of not being told the truth before agreeing to the sit, a previous sitter being more or less blamed for the cat lashing out and whether I could honestly give 5 stars under pet behaviour (whether I was given accurate information about this before the sit). I applied a week before the sit and was the only applicant at that stage. It’s possible I would have been uncertain about accepting the sit if I’d been told about the cat biting. I’m glad I did the sit and they got a sitter in time. I’d like to let other potential sitters know the situation (and that it turned out fine in my case), be positive about what was generally a really good sit, also avoid colluding with pet parents not being entirely honest about the pets.
I’ve drafted a review but would be interested in other sitters’ views on the situation.
I think whether the biting was disclosed or not, you should mention that the cat bites in your review. I think the word “sometimes” is unnecessary. I think that once a cat or dog bites, they are a biting cat/dog and it should be disclosed as such. This is not a negative thing necessarily, but should be disclosed.
It sounds like you were surprised even though the owner told you that the cat bit a previous sitter. It really doesn’t matter what the circumstances were unless the pet was really threatened; in my experience, even then, most domesticated animals will retreat/hide vs biting someone…that’s why I say an animal that has bitten is a biting animal. No matter how domesticated our pets are, we cannot predict how they will behave in all situations.
I am sorry you were bitten and I hope you add that to your review. I think no matter how sweet an animal is, once it bites YOU, you should not, in good conscience, rate the pet behavior a 5. It sounds like the owner may have tried to downplay the biting but she communicated it prior to the sit. If the HO was aware of the biting, it should have been disclosed in their request for a sitter. Maybe there should be a required checkbox that HOs check regarding bahavior (specifically biting), that is added to thier solicitation.
I had a similar sit, where the hosts didn’t disclose that one of the cats would bite and scratch unpredictably. I avoided injury by taking precautions after I learned that — they told me right before leaving. And it wasn’t a matter of just being careful petting the cat, because both of them had to be picked up and taken daily to a detached glassed studio next to the backyard, where they hung out regularly. (I ended up wearing my coat and gardening gloves to pick up and move the cats daily. And I was very careful to pet or brush the risky cat only a little, looking for signs that he’d attack.)
My hosts were hospitable and their waterfront home was lovely, in a gorgeous area. None of the other sitters had mentioned the cat’s potential to bite or scratch. They just said they’d like to repeat-sit.
When I wrote my review, I gave the hosts and their sit four stars out of five in communication, pet behavior and accuracy of the listing. I did that to give other sitters the opportunity to make an informed decision. I was willing to upset the hosts, because I refuse to be complicit, helping to hide risks that should be discussed.
Ultimately, the hosts responded politely to my review. Of course, I don’t expect that they still want to invite me back. They gave me a rave review. The blind review system worked well.
I know some sitters warn about candid reviews potentially scaring off other hosts, so I might take a hit for being honest. But I’d rather never sit again than help hide problems that could lead to another sitter being hurt. Cat bites have a high infection rate and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Having been badly bitten once by my own son’s cat, I have been very cautious ever since. Even though the accident happened more than 1.5 years ago, I am still not completely over it. It really wounded me deeply. Now, one of my very first questions during a video call is whether the potential sit scratches or bites. To my surprise, in about 70% or more cases, the answer is “it happens.” Also to my surprise, the biting and scratching are hardly ever disclosed upfront and never if they are love bites, but are only mentioned when asked.
Pic — three weeks on and the wound is still visible. Yet it was a pretty soft love bite. I really wish people were more open about their pets biting and scratching so that sitters can be warned and take adequate precautions.
This sit should never have been listed. THS terms state:
5.2.4 Ensure that no pets be left under the care of a sitter have ever caused a person or animal any physical harm (no matter how minor ilthe injury)
Cat bites can be nasty - i ended up at the hospital 5 times with infected cat bites from my own cat (now deceased). I decided not to put a sitter at risk even before I knew of this condition.
Thank you. That’s very helpful for my review. The cat didn’t press down but I could certainly feel his teeth! I wouldn’t wish another sitter to be bitten and do agree I should mention it in my review.
Thank you. I very much appreciate your comments and want to also behave with integrity as you very much did.
The cat owner messaged me saying she’d given me a positive review so I could get more sits in future and she was very appreciative and pleasant. Although I tend to get as many sits as I want, I’ve still felt influenced to downplay the negative part. I’ll be honest and accept that the owner might decide not to invite me to sit again. I gave an honest review in my previous sit while emphasising the positives and have felt nervous of not getting future sits for giving less than 5/5 reviews. In this case the owners didn’t take offence and I’m sitting for them again this year.
I’m sorry to hear about your experiences of being bitten. Thanks for sharing them though. I certainly think owners should be honest about pet behaviour. It may well not mean they’d stop getting sitters and would be better for everyone concerned, not least the pets.
I didn’t know that. Thank you. I do think it’s irresponsible of an owner to not mention harmful pet behaviour before a sit’s agreed. You’ve obviously had some really bad experiences following cat bites and have wanted to ensure avoiding this happening to others.
You say you hadn’t been told the cat bites but also state (as above) that you were told. So I’m confused as to which it is.
Cats biting when you stroke them for too long or when you touch their belly is very common. It’s overstimulation and a product of them being instinctive hunters. It’s actually behaviour that has to be trained out of them when they are kittens and so for cats that were strays and for cats that were raised as kittens by people who don’t know to do this it’s almost 100% the case. They get used to their owner so often don’t exhibit this with them (but only with them) so they don’t always know to warn people.
By all means mention that the cat will bite when overstimulated but if left alone or only given the amount of attention he wants then mention that as well.
For future cat-sits I recommend assuming the following as the default and only adjust your behaviour as you work out what the cat likes:
No cat wants to be picked up
No cat wants belly rubs
Cats only want x seconds of back sctratches
Cats only wants y seconds of head scratches
Anything fast moving is prey
Anything they allow the owner to do does not translate to anyone else
I was told on the telephone that the cat had only bitten one sitter, who had been play fighting with the (described as sensitive and nervous) cat, implying, I thought, that the play fighting led to it.
When I arrived at the sit, the written information I was left stated that the cat bites, has a habit of biting when least expected and that the suddenness of the biting still shocks the owner. Advice to only give a few strokes at a time to avoid him getting overstimulated followed.
I followed this advice in turn. After the cat tried to bite and scratch I followed further advice specific to what the owner had learned about her stray cat (eg stroke his back, not his head). I don’t try to pick cats up or give belly rubs and try in general to avoid overstimulating them, respecting their space. I’ll note down the other advice you have given and bear it in mind for future sits. Thank you.
I also appreciate what you’ve written about cats biting and scratching in general, particularly strays who have not been trained out of it.
I think perhaps the most important thing is that sitters are made aware at the outset if a pet has bitten /scratched and ways the owners have managed to avoid that with their pet/s. I’ll continue updating my cat care knowledge in the meantime.
The most important thing is for sitters not to have to sit for a cat that bites - you need to report this listing to membership services, as mentioned earlier.
