As a cat sitter on Meowtel, you manage your own business and cat parent relationships. Following a cat parent's specific requests-whether it's taking your shoes off, feeding their cat a particular amount, or attending to the litter box exactly as described-is often key to building trust. When a cat parent has particular requests, documenting your work can show them you are listening and responsible.
When Should You Send Documentation?
First Time Cat Parents
During your first reservation with new cat parents, you might consider putting the cat parent's mind at ease by sending more photos than you would with an established cat parent. This could include photos of the food and water areas as well as the litter area. These photos document how much food and water the cat has and show your cat parent that the area is clean. The same goes for the litter box. Some cats prefer higher levels of litter while others prefer lower levels. If the cat parent mentions their cat has a preference, showing the litter at the proper level lets them know that you are following their instructions. Plus, cats are notoriously messy in the bathroom, so showing you left it clean is key.
Damage or Things Out of Place
Whether it's within the home or outside, communicating if something seems odd is usually appreciated. One time I arrived at an apartment building and noticed potential remnants of a fire by the garage. I snapped a photo and communicated to my cat parent what I saw and mentioned that it wasn't there the day before. The cat parent was able to touch base with their landlord and confirmed that a transient had started a fire in their backyard. While I'm sure most of you won't encounter something that specific, you may encounter something out of the ordinary. Maybe Fluffy pulled down the curtains between visits. You might consider taking a photo and sending it to the cat parent immediately. Maybe Peanut pooped outside of the box. Sending a photo of that is often helpful. While that's obviously not property damage related, it is worth noting, especially if it's something Peanut doesn't normally do. It could be health related.
Last Day Visit
Many sitters treat the last visit of a reservation similar to a first-time cat parent reservation: by documenting the situation thoroughly. You might send photos of the clean food area as well as the litter area. Some cats are not only messy in the bathroom, but they're also messy eaters. Showing the cat parent how you left the home helps demonstrate that if there is any mess later, it likely happened after you left.
Overnight Visit
If you have an overnight visit, you might choose to document the aforementioned items, but consider also sending photos of the areas you spent the most time in, like the bedroom and the living room. This shows the cat parent that you have made up the bed and kept the common areas tidy. Many sitters aim to leave the home as clean or cleaner than when they arrived.
Particular Cat Parents
If a cat parent seems very particular about certain things, paying extra attention (and providing documentation!) to those concerns can be beneficial. For example, let's say you have a cat parent who is very specific about keeping chairs covered so Fluffy and Peanut don't ruin them. Along with the slew of photos of the cats, you might include a photo showing the chairs covered as specified. That way, if the cats decide to be mischievous, the cat parent knows you followed their instructions.
While documenting and sending photos puts your cat parent at ease, it also helps protect your business. If you have evidence that you followed their requests, it helps clarify the situation should questions arise. If you find yourself in a difficult situation with a cat parent, you can email [email protected] with your documentation, photos, and the reservation number. Meowtel Support is there to help facilitate a professional resolution.
These are just some examples of what many sitters find helpful to document. As you gain experience, you'll develop your own system that works best for you and the cat parents you work with.
Photo by StockSnap via Pixabay
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