Frequently Asked Questions

We do not provide services for dogs. However, if your household has other pets that need attention, we may consider providing services for that animal as well. Additional charges may apply.

• A complimentary in-home consultation so we can meet you and your pets and learn about habits, routines, and anything else we need to know to provide your pets with the best care possible.
• A permanent client profile record in our secure pet sitting software
• 24/7 access to our software app to make reservations, reach out to your sitter, and more.
• Registration and nondescript tagging of the keys to your home.
• A customized care plan to ensure that we perform all of the cat care up to your expectations.

No. We are professionally liable for the care of your cat from the start date to the end date of our contract so it is important we check on the safety and care of your cat daily. We want to ensure your cat is properly cared for every day while you are away.

Sorry, we do not share cat or home care duties with third parties (friends, family, neighbors, or other pet care companies) for liability and safety concerns. We provide our clients with the peace of mind knowing your sitter is bonded and insured. However, a third party entering your home voids this since it makes it impossible to know who the liability falls on if for example, doors or windows are left unlocked, property is damaged or missing, or your cat is not medicated correctly. We want to provide our highest quality cat and home care — to your exact instructions. In order to do this, your Cherished Cat pet sitter needs to be your sole cat caregiver and house sitter while you are away.

We take our responsibility for your cat care and for your property very seriously. We carry an industry-leading and expansive commercial liability insurance and bonding policy specific to the pet sitting industry that covers ALL our cat sitters. This is something you will not get with others – especially family, friends, or neighbors! Furthermore, the insurance covers all the following as a result of our sitter’s negligence or willful misconduct: injury or loss of your cat, limited emergency veterinary care, property damage to your home, and bodily injury of the pet sitter. Additionally, the bonding policy covers theft of your property as a result of the negligence of the sitter (such as losing your house keys or leaving a window or door open or unlocked that leads to a burglary) or dishonest act of the sitter. We are proud to have this coverage in place so that we are held to the highest accountability for our actions in your home and with your cat. We are more than happy to furnish a certificate of proof of this coverage upon request.

At Cherished Cats Pet Sitting we believe your cat sitter should be a person who is reliable, responsive, and responsible. But often, well-intentioned family, friends, and neighbors (who might seem like an affordable and trustworthy option) actually fall short in these areas. Simply put, they might lack the commitment that comes with a contractual obligation. We bring that to every job along with our love of your feline baby! We offer a convenient phone app that allows you to receive daily visit updates of your cat while also allowing you to communicate directly with your sitter. Finally, unlike the new and trendy pet sitting apps that are part of our modern gig economy, all of our cat sitters are background checked, insured, bonded, and undergo a very selective application process. You will always have the opportunity to meet your assigned cat sitter beforehand so you can be sure they are a good fit for you and your cat. We are all about developing long-lasting relationships with our clients and such a relationship can only be built on a solid foundation of trust and transparency.

It is extremely important that you notify us when requesting our services if your cat has a history of aggression or if you have any reason to believe that they may bite, attack, or intentionally harm our sitter. We are usually unable to care for such cats as it jeopardizes the safety of our sitters. While we are experienced with many different kinds of cats and their individual demeanors, we are not behaviorists and strongly urge owners of such cats to seek the opinion of a professional cat behaviorist. We reserve the right to refuse service if a cat shows any form of aggression towards our sitter at the meet and greet.

We require two sets of house keys from all clients, no exceptions. One set of keys remains in the care of your primary pet sitter during your scheduled care and the other with the owner of the company. When you do not have visits scheduled, the keys are kept in our office safe to be used in the case of a lock-out or emergency. All keys are coded for your security. We cannot offer services without two sets of keys.

We absolutely encourage the use of security and doorbell cameras for your peace of mind and so you can see how wonderful we are with your kitties. However, cameras should not be placed in bathrooms where personal actions may take place and there is an expectation of privacy. Should we find cameras in the bathroom we reserve the right to cancel services and board your pets at your expense. Also, please note: Virginia has a wiretapping statute which prohibits a person from capturing simultaneous audio and video recordings of someone without that person’s consent. The single best way to avoid violation of these statutes is to ensure that any video equipment you install does not have the capability of capturing any audio. VA Code §19.262.

A 50 % deposit is required for first-time clients, long-term assignments, and holiday bookings. Payment in full is required within 14 days of billing. Forms of payment accepted are cash and checks payable to Cherished Cats Pet Sitting. If you would like to pay by credit card you can do so by logging in to your Pet Pocketbook account.