I’m currently on a Sit with the cats air tagged and GPS tracked w/ collar, along with the Neighbors’ cats!
In specific, this gated community of Cat carers, have a system setup where the Neighbor releases their cats in the evening and then the other House is notified and has their cats released in the mornings. This system has helped prevent cat break outs and aggression, and has enabled the cats to freely roam the backyard and inner gated community courtyard with low friction.
The Pros..:
On one hand- it’s innovative, where the AI tracking app. will sound a Christmas jingle and Branch, has actually picked up on the GPS Tracking’s sound, and will be notified to / come home.
The app.’s GPS map also has the ability to show you how far the cats are roaming and at what hour they were potentially fence hopping.
The Cons..
As a Sitter and also as someone growing in Animal Knowledge and training, it DOES take a lot of preparation beforehand. And it is Best to have all this communicated and setup for the Sitter beforehand. Aka: have clearly typed instructions, demonstration of how the tracker is charged, what the app. is and how to have that properly setup and installed, when the tracker should be charged and taken off the cat, what routes and areas are okay for the cats and sitter to roam.
My current experience on THS:
When I first arrived to the house, I immediately thought it was ok to take off the tracker cuz I noticed it was not charged.
The home owner immediately panicked and instructed I only take off the tracker when the cats were back home at a certain hour.
I felt some kind of friction in the air as the Neighbor also seemed a bit panicked and was instructing different areas of the house where I should make sure windows are locked so cats wouldn’t slip out.
Overtime- we worked it out.
As someone who has been now growing on her 3rd year in professional pet sitting and also gaining certification in animal knowledge & training., I def. have GRown over time to air on the side of TRUSTING cats to come home. And InSTILLING the *Belief* that if I am building a loving, force-free bond to an animal - it is MUCH more likely to warm up to me- and want to come home.
(Vs. picking up a cat when it clearly looks agitated or forcing a cat to come to you)..
As a sitter, I have witnessed and grown accustomed to both sides of the “Anxious Pet Parent” and the more “Assured/Trusting Pet Parent” - where one is less trusting that their cat will come home and while the other— KNOWS & TRUST that their cat will come back home— and isn’t fretting.
Of course this can only happen, with experience over time. And this goes for the sitter as well.
At my last sit in Orinda— it was proved to me- that when a cat is conditioned to be able to freely roam far— yet still be able to come home to a loving, safe environment- provided with feed, warmth, shelter, and love — it BUILDS their internal & instinctive trust muscle AND adventurous side, as well.
(I was able to walk a cat named Ziggy, offleash and freely, alongside a Senior dog, Roxy). (Isn’t that so Cool?!)
I feel geography also matters a lot here for the safety of certain pets and Pet Parents.
That last sit with Ziggy, Raven, and Roxy had an expansive backyard / nature-like area in the hills of Orinda (we’re talking farmlike areas, lush forest areas, and wine vineyards) vs. at my current sit - in SF - it’s an urban environment with more busy streets, cars, and tourists. There is much less a “free roaming” friendly environment for the cats and for the ease of mind of pet parents.
Def. at the end of day tho— it’s about building bonds with the animals, and with the communication & Trust between home owners and the Sitters - which should happen ideally before, during the meet & greet, and with updates throughout the housesit.
Hope this can help.
And Cheers to the New Year!
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