So I travel with my retired father, sister, and our two animals (my dog and my sister’s cat). We completed one sit, but I think we got lucky with the family and location because since then we have not been able to find or book anything.
My concern is that people get overwhelmed with the size of our group and will automatically reject us. We wanted to be able to travel across the UK and Europe this summer (staying in some hostels of course to match up timing), but we aren’t having any luck. Are we being foolish thinking we can make this work? Does anybody else have a similar background and experience with traveling with their family and pets?
Since we only have one review, I am trying to bolster our profile with outside references, but outside of that are there any other tips or pieces of advice you can offer us? I certainly know that sometimes it’s just because the HO pets won’t get along with either another dog or a cat, and obviously, it’s a double whammy to find accommodations big enough for three adults.
We are completely vaccinated, responsible, and our animals are all very sweet. I appreciate any help whatsoever. Thank you!
It will definitely be more challenging, but therefore not impossible.
I would suggest to apply for sits that could do with a lot of ‘hands’. Sits with a larger number of dogs, maybe some donkeys, goats, horses, sheep, … (only if you are comfortable with these animals of course)
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As a home owner the fact that you are three wouldn’t necessarily disqualify you. However we wouldn’t choose sitters that travel with dogs or cats because that would cause unnecessary stress to our cat. It’s exactly what we want to avoid by having sitters in the house so that she doesn’t have to be moved from her surroundings or spend most of her days alone.
I would guess that it may not be so much the 3 adults as that can be quite handy when there are several animals to take care off but more that you are travelling with a cat and a dog.
I have seen several posts where people are welcoming of a sitter bringing a friendly dog as a playmate for the home owners dog if they can have a meet and greet beforehand to check compatibility. However most cats I have met do not seem that they would be comfortable having a strange cat move in. Dogs that don’t live with cats may also have difficulty adjusting to their new housemate.
Good luck and hopefully some sits that match come up.
I’m really surprised you manage to travel with your cat and plan to sit with him!
Cats hate to be moved in a new place, vets always advise owners who move to keep their cat in one room of their new home for a few days (even weeks) to prevent the cat from going back to his previous home.
How do you manage to keep safely your cat in a stranger’s home where he will face another pet?, another hard change of his routine, I’m curious…
I agree with other responses here. I’ve never heard of sitters travelling with a dog and cat. Even sitters with just a dog have difficulty getting sits, adding a cat to the mix would really complicate things. I think you’ll struggle
We are currently traveling in our motorhome, not house-sitting, but have met French and Dutch people traveling with their cats who seem quite happy. As a human, I would hate it, thinking my cat would get lost.
This is different from house-sitting though, where I think taking a cat would be very difficult
Hi Batyal, I think you will struggle. Most home owners state they will not have other pets. But a cat is extra difficult. When moving home you are advised to keep them in for a couple of weeks, so they do not escape and head for previous home etc. and get used to new surroundings. A friend I know moved and cat stayed under bed for four days before being pursuaded with gentle nudges etc, to come out. Then saw slightly open very high window in kitchen, leapt up and jumped through. Big drop the other side and was off and never seen again not even at previous home. If home owner has cat flap as many do, you could have a problem. Your best bet is to contact HO with mutiple pets and hard to fill sits, such as four dogs, cats, horses, ducks, chickens etc, etc. Where a lot of work just for one. Good luck.