Sitters for Savannahs and Other High Energy Cats

Sitter Questions, Advice & Chat
1

I’m new to THS as both a sitter and HO. I am currently looking for my first sitter and have made my listing very honest in the hopes of getting qualified applicants. Most notably, that my cats are young and high energy so require daily playtime, and that my house must be kept orderly as “everything is a toy” and the cats will eat things they aren’t supposed to.

So my question for home owners is, how do you solicit for sitters when you have special cats? Mine are Savannahs, but I suspect Bengals and some other breeds are similar. Is there a THS sub-network of cat people who are sitters and/or HO with experience with these kind of cats?

My question for sitters is, are my cats too high maintenance to want to sit for them? Am I not getting applicants because the sit is over Thanksgiving? Any suggestions to making my posting (linked in my profile) more attractive are appreciated!

Many thanks in advance!

1 Like
2

Some folks love active pets, including certain breeds or ages.

Holiday season is more competitive than normal for sitters vs. the increase in the number of available sits.

You might want to share your listing link and ask for feedback from sitters here, so you can boost your odds of landing a great one.

Meanwhile, also line up a fallback plan for sitting.

3

I would love to sit for Savannahs. There are lots of cat lovers on here like me that would be happy to give them plenty of playtime. Thanksgiving is tough, lots of available sits and less sitters since many spend the holiday with family.

You might want to mention how long they can be left alone so sitters can determine how much time they will have to explore the area.

1 Like
4

Thank you! My sitter and home links are in my profile.

5

Thank you! I currently say “The cats cat be left alone for long stints (6-8hr) while you go out sightseeing, but need to have their two meals in a timely manner (morning and early evening).”

6

I assume that as they are a cross-breed of the serval which is not a domesticated animal it would require somewhat more to get a good match (here it is prohibited to keep servals and cross-breeds in private homes as it is considered
to have needs of wild animals).

So it would be extra important I think with a thorough description of behaviour and tasks, as I think people with unanswered questions often will be more likely to go to next listing rather than ask.

The holiday season is ofc a hurdle, high demand for sitters and many sitters will be with their families.

7

@sd_in_htx I see that now, I initially just did a quick scan and missed that. I think the issue is the dates.

8

Hi @sd_in_htx, welcome to the forum and to THS community.

I have sat a Savannah and I was fascinated by his intelligence and activity. I am sure you will have experienced people applying.

Your listing is OK and you make it quite clear that they are not low maintenance so you should only get applications from people interested in engaging with active play and interaction.

I see you already have three applications, hopefully one of those will be a good fit. Make sure you talk to them and ask relevant questions so that you can feel comfortable leaving your cats in their care.

Good luck

2 Likes
9

No your cats are not too high maintenance… THS is full of people who sit both dog and cats, and dogs require a lot more attention and time, so whilst a cat sitter who prefers a passive, and relaxing stay isn’t necessarily ideal for you, there are plenty of others that are, and that are used to more active pets, including mischievous cats. No, there are no sub-networks I’m afraid.

Your profile is pretty good, so I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but in your responsibilities section, you kick it off with a negative about what you don’t want… DON’T DO THAT! Stay positive, focus on what you DO want, too many pet owners say what they don’t want, and it just puts a negative tone in the mind of the sitters reading their profile, instead of being happy, positive, and excited to be reading about cats they clicked into because they wanted to care for them, it take someones positive frame of mind, and lowers their energy slightly, and when someones energy lowers slightly, they decide to click away. So focus on those sitters you want, not the ones you don’t want, write your profile for those sitters who love highly active, enquisitive, curious, and highly playful cats.

Also, you mention the intestines thing at the start of the same section, but that should wait until a little lower down. If sitters are attracted to your listing, they get to the responsibilities section and it starts with doom and gloom, instead of the focusing on the actual responsibilities first or nature of your cats. Put your head in the mind of the sitters, with the intestines part being at the top of your responsibilities section, you are indicating your sitters top responsibility is to take them to the vets on a regular basis, instead of focusing on their food routine, etc, and playtime routine in your particular case etc, their habits… and then you can add in about the other bits if you like.

Plus the sitter who knows what you wrote lower down as they refer to it in their message when they apply for your sit, is likely to be the sitter that you are attracted to most, simply because they took notice.

You’ll know-know when you find the right sitter for you. It’s not about the number of reviews, it’s about a gut feeling, and intuition… you will know.

4 Likes
10

Thank you @HappyDeb; that’s very helpful. I’ve restructured my listing a little bit to make it a bit more positive, but also honest with the fact that my cats need and want attention.

1 Like
11

You haven’t specified if there is a yard; the listing mentions outdoor space but then just a balcony and rooftop. Sitters might like to see more of the exterior.
Certainly I think you’ll get sitters. (I’d enjoy coming to TX again sometime!) There are lots of cat-lovers who’d be thrilled to have cats who will play with them rather than just hiding or ignoring them. I’d be trying to teach them tricks :wink:
I imagine you’ll have cat-proofed your house as a matter of course re non-edible things, but, when preparing for a sitter it might be a good idea to go over the place again and put away “absolutely everything” that you can.
They’re beautiful kitties – hope you get a great sitter.

12

Thanks @ABGM. No yard per se, but a wonderful seating area with fire pit (and catio) on the roof with a great view, and a two-top table and gas grill on the patio. I’ll add some photos of the roof to my listing!

13

I’ve sat for a one year old Bengal and now two 3 year old Siberian forest cats. The Bengal was a blast, i nicknamed her Kenzi de Cat du Soleil for her acrobatic expertise, she was fun! The two Siberian Forest cats, particularly the female are also very active and as well incredibly gorgeous snd photogenic, the female has required daily brushing and play time. I think there’s something for eveyrone on this platform.

2 Likes