Opinion
Things I wish I’d known before getting cats
by Darina Schweizer
My volunteer cat-sitter turned out to be better than a professional one
16.10.2025
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Darina Schweizer
When it comes to cat-sitting, I’ve been burned in the past. So after my last experience with a freelance sitter went awry, I decided to try out an online platform. Here’s how it went.
«Darn it!» With my autumn holiday on the horizon, two things have just occurred to me. One, none of my relatives or neighbours will be able to take care of my cats. Two, I’m still not over the negative experience I recently had with a freelance cat-sitter.
Her «more than 20 years of experience» sounded good. Her (very few, exclusively positive) Google reviews even better. Alas, when we came back from holiday, we were greeted by a musty smell, lumps of poop lying in front of the toilet and two out-of-sorts kitties. In all likelihood, the sitter had never opened the windows, underfilled the litter tray and barely played with Jasper and Joy.
I’d sooner cancel my trip than hire her again. So what am I going to do? In a flash of inspiration, I remember Cat in a Flat, an online platform recommended to me by a friend. It’s a site where individual cat-sitters can register on a voluntary basis.
The search begins
I start off by signing up and searching for cat-sitters living in my area. Sitter profiles pop up immediately. I didn’t expect to see quite this many. Nor did I expect the prices to be so reasonable. All the sitters charge 20–25 francs per visit – around ten francs less than my self-employed sitter. Having left things to the last minute, I don’t have much hope.
But lo and behold, a woman contacts me a few hours later. «I’m happy to do it,» she says. When I look at her profile, there are plenty of good reviews and a few repeat bookings. Relieved, I suggest meeting up so that I can get to know her and give her the keys.
Radio silence
Then, it all goes quiet. I wait for a reply. And wait some more. Another sitter then cancels at short notice after a long back-and-forth. With my inbox still empty two days before I’m due to go on holiday, there’s only one thing for it. I post a last-minute ad on Cat in a Flat.
Less than ten minutes later, a young medical student from the next neighbourhood over replies. When I skim through her 29 reviews, I can’t believe my eyes. She’s been rebooked no less than 28 times! Plus, 22 people have marked her as their favourite sitter. Rather than an «I’ll do it», I get a «should I just pop over now?» «Erm, yeah sure,» I reply, both pleased and taken aback at the same time.
Help is on its way
The young woman shows up at my door on time. She’s uncomplicated, interested and super experienced. In other words, she’s everything I’d hoped the freelance sitter twice her age would be. I guess quality doesn’t always equal quantity of years. Without hesitation, I hand her the key to the flat. Finally, I can get around to packing my suitcase.
Nevertheless, I have a bit of a nagging feeling at the start of my holiday. What if this cat-sitting experience ends in disaster too? After a few days, the young woman allays my fears by sending me photos of a happy Jasper and a chilled-out Joy on WhatsApp. A glance at the camera we’d positioned in the feeder reveals that she was there for over an hour. She also seems to have spent a lot of time with the cats.
When I come home and open the front door, I’m unsurprised to find no stench, no clods of poop and no sign of distress in the cats. In fact, they’re almost more affectionate than they were before I left.
Either way, it’s certainly not the last time I’ll be hiring this young medical student.
Have you ever tried a pet-sitting service? Let me know in the comments.
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI love anything with four legs or roots - especially my shelter cats Jasper and Joy and my collection of succulents. My favourite things to do are stalking around with police dogs and cat coiffeurs on reportages or letting sensitive stories flourish in garden brockis and Japanese gardens.
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