Mapper71

We are going out of town for 2 weeks and I am considering having a coworker of mine see if she would like to stay at our house during that time and watch our 4 cats and the house. The longest we've been gone before was a week and we had our neighbor come over and feed the cats twice a day, but 2 weeks is a long time and I'd really be more at ease if we had someone there with them every night. My coworker is 25 and a total sweetheart. She house and pet sits for several coworkers. The problem is I live quite a bit further than where she usually lives and sits (about 25 miles one way to work where she is about 10 miles.) I just don't know what I should offer her for her having to drive back and forth to work those extra miles for 10 days and to live up in an area that is probably a total bore to her compared to the happening area where she lives.

Underhill

We've always paid at least $50 per day/night for cat- and house-sitting.

suze

Why don't you ask her?

suze

Oh sorry, to answer the question, I pay a dear friend $35/day.

But it's only one cat and in an apartment not far from where she lives, and we're close friends. I also leave food/beverages in the pantry/freezer/frig. This is for two weeks at a time.

Mapper71

We would definitely let her have run of the house and leave her food. Although we have 4 cats, they are really no more work than having 1 cat. They are indoor/outdoor and only one of them uses the litterbox while the rest go outside. The litterbox probably would only need to be scooped every other day and then just needs to feed them in the morning and the evening. Other than that, I just want her there to keep them company. The only thing that concerns me is her extra commute. I mean I have to fill up my car once a week and it's about $30 to fill so that's an extra $60 she's be spending. Well probably more like $40 since she'd already be filling up the car for her current commute.

janisj

I'd also ask her -- what she is usually paid. Then maybe tack on a little to cover the extra travel/inconvenience. Say she now gets $250 a week -- then I'd offer maybe $275-$300.

obxgirl

I would offer her whatever she gets now for two weeks of in home pet sitting plus cash in advance for two tanks of gas to express your appreciation for her driving the extra distance.

Although we have 4 cats, they are really no more work than having 1 cat.

Please don't express that POV to your potential pet sitter. Keeping track of the activity, health and well being of 4 cats who don't belong to you & who don't know you is more work than the same for 1 cat.

tomfuller

We have one cat that hides. While we were gone for 13 days our neighbor who is within walking distance took care of the litter pan, food and water dishes once a day (maybe 10 minutes). I left $20 on the food container and intended to give her at least $20 more after we got home.
Our wonderful neighbor refused payment. She never saw the cat in all the times she came over.

suze

How about that? Ask and pay her normal rate, but give a supplement for gas allowance or if she's sleeping over?

newtome

this is a bit different but our cat sitter is about the same age and charges $25 per half hour visit to clean boxes, food etc. and $40 a day to sleep over.we're in San Francisco which may be a more expensive area then you're dealing with - pet sitters are at a premium here!

My point is that is I think there's a premium to stay at your house regardless of whether it's closer or further from her work.

Hobbert

The going rate for overnight let care where I live (outside D.C.) is ~$75/day, depending on the company you use. I'd rather not have someone stay at my house so I board my cat for $35/day. The place I use would charge just a bit more than $75 to board 4 cats, so that's what I would initially offer. She might feel awkward about setting a rate since it's an unofficial side job so I think it's wise to have a number in mind if she hesitates. Maybe scope out what it would cost to hire someone or board your cats and start from there.

marvelousmouse

The only reason I'd hire a house/dog sitter is to save money. I can board a dog for $30 a night. So I'd probably pay a sitter $20 a day per animal. Since it's cats, maybe I'd make it 15 per cat + gas money. She's doing you a favor by doing that commute for 2 weeks, and presumably you'd like her to repeat that favor at some point.

And as someone who has babysat cats before, no, one cat is not the same amount of work as four cats. Sometimes you never see them, but it's 4 times the amount of excrement if they do decide to use the box and 4 times the chaos if they're the kind of cats that act out when a stranger is staying with them. (Unless you don't expect her to do anything for the other three except the food. Do they have a cat door? Do you want her to lure them in at night? The cats I've petsat for have mostly been high maintenance. There's been one that I'd honestly sit for free. No work at all, and the cat is awesome company. But it evens out because there's another cat that I feel like charging hazard pay for.)

Gretchen

Ask her what she will charge YOU. She has a rate and if she is smart, will also adjust (or not) for the gas money.

Macross

I pay 25.00 a day for a dog/house sitter. I always leave food and bring back a nice gift. She is my friend's mom and she loves to stay at our house. It is her mini vacation away from her son who she lives with. But we also pay our dog trainer 30 a day to keep our problem boy. It gets pricey.
Before Mrs. P we paid 40.00 a day. Mrs P won't take more money because she is that way but trust me, no one else would do it for that price. They charge 20.00 a visit here to feed and let out.

A gas card would be a nice bonus up front since she is driving more miles to work.

suze

One cat is NOT the same as four cats.

Christina

I find this an odd relationship as you are treating her like a child. She needs to be more professional if she is doing this as a business, which it sounds like she is. It shouldn't be up to the client to decide what to "offer" someone doing a job, she should tell you her rate.

The only people I know who would do this did not have a very nice home and were kind of in-between apts, or had tons of roommates, otherwise why would someone want to go live in someone else's house? The only reason would be to make money and I'd personally charge a lot for that inconvenience if I had a place of my own and lived in a happening place. She's doing this for the money, right? I think you should pay her at least $50 a night in addition to extra gas money.

I don't have a pet now but my neighbor pays a service $20 a visit for a pet sitter for 1 cat. That's about a 30 minute visit. They also pick up the mail, water plants, etc., and clean the litter box. If she wants 2 visits a day, there is a slight discount so $38 for the day. This is in the Washington DC metro area. These are people who are bonded and insured. Rates go up during holidays.