I originally gave Laurie 3 starts for caring for my 2 cats for 2 weeks while I was on my honeymoon. CCN is more expensive than some sitters, but they claim to stay longer, giving more attention to the cats. You have to give 2 sets of keys andpay $20 for the 1st time, but you get web updates free the 1st time. Our first meeting with Laurie was somewhat scattered and quick, as she had just had her car stolen. She was only there for about 10-15 minutes. One thing I did not like was knowing that Laurie employs a few sitters, so she might not have been the one caring for my cats. I would have much rather been able to meet that person, and have been able to introduce her/him to my cats while I was there. I did like that she emailed me a summary a few days later so I could make corrections or additions to the instructions and information we had given. Laurie did an okay job sitting for us. We had a previous cat sitter that we loved and that my very skittish cat even liked, so she had big shoes to fill. We liked that we could read the online blog, but were sad to hear that our skittish cat never came out for attention. Our other cat did fine and got lots of loving. Despite the fact that there were some issues, we felt Laurie was competent and caring and we planned to give her another try. I posted all of this in my original review. A few weeks later, I received an email from Laurie asking me to remove or change my review and give her more stars. She said that my cat's skittishness could be attributed to only being in the new apartment a few days. I agreed that it added extra stress but I said that my skittish cat was always like that with new people. She also said that she and Steve tried very hard to get her to come out. I told her that I stood by my review as honest and fair, but I also expressed my disappointment at learning that, in contrast to the policy stated on the website, there were 2 different people (one of who I had never met) doing the sitting. Maybe it was the confusion of two people switching off that contributed to my cat's fear. I told Laurie that I would post her email in my review. Laurie responded with an email that made may jaw drop. She said that Steve lived in a nicer apartment than most of her clients and that they were both used to a higher standard of cat care that included walks in the park in pink or blue strollers (and many other irrelevant pretentious things). She said I dumped my cats in a new apartment and took off and I was not a good cat owner. She said I did not love my cats. The entire email was horribly inappropriate. I emailed Laurie back again and told her that that I felt her email of personal attacks and insults was uncalled for. I reiterated that my review had been 3-stars and that it was a fair and accurate assessment of my experiences using her services. I did nothing to warrant her wrath and personal attack. A few days later I received another email, this time an apology. Laurie went into detail on the tragic personal issues she is going through right now. She said that she has been emotionally drained and that she snapped and was deeply sorry for it. I feel very badly for her and the very unfortunate circumstances of her life right now. I truly hope that she can work through this difficult time and deal with her personal life and her business. I want to be compassionate to her, but at the same time I cannot excuse the unprofessional manner in which she conducted herself. I cannot recommend her service and I will no longer be a client. read more

I have used Laurie and Chicago Cat Nannies probably 4-5 times over the years. I had a diabetic cat who needed insulin shots twice a day and needed to be fed at particular times. Laurie not only did an initial visit; but had the vet tech who would be taking care of my diabetic cat come over before we left one evening to make sure he was able to give my somewhat fussy and upset kitty the shot. Everything went incredibly smoothly and we were comfortable letting both Laurie and the vet tech into our home for our first vacation in years. They were both kind and professional. Unfortunately our diabetic cat passed last summer; but we had a sudden need for someone to take care of our cats (including one new and ramboxious young cat) recently. With only one days notice Laurie was able to fit us in. Of course while we were away our neighbors told us our alarm was going off in the mornings and could we do anything about it - with one call to Laurie, she was happy to unplug the alarm so our poor neighbors weren't bombarded with buzzing at 7am. I know this might seem trivial; but to have someone who you can call to take care of the things you may have fogotten in your home is priceless. We always come home to happy and tuckered out (I think Laurie plays with the cats more than we do!) kitties. Always professional and trust-worthy, I will use Laurie and Cat Nannies as long as we're in Chicago. Highly recommended!! read more

Based on all of the reviews on this site, I actually decided to use this service and they were professional, kind and attentive to my kitties, and definitely reasonably priced. 9/19/2007 Before I left for my trip, I left a laundry list of explicit instructions for caring for my kitties, not to mention brownies and treat in the fridge... I also was happy to see that when I came back from my trip, the brownies were eaten, dishes clean and the sitter actually vacuumed my place and followed my list of instructions for taking care of my pampered felines... (Oh and andes mints on the counter... I felt like I had just returned from the spa) Thanks Chicago Cat Nannies... You loved my babies and they probably got more attention from you in the two weeks than with me... read more

I've been using Chicago Cat Nannies for almost 2 years and I'm finally getting around to posting my review. When I first started using CCN, I was new to Chicago and apprehensive about leaving my cats with strangers. My fears were quickly wiped away when Laurie came over and spent 30 minutes meeting with me and my two little ones. She later emailed me a very long and detailed list of about my kitties (meds, habits, playtime games, hiding places etc.) I was impressed. During my trip, I was able to view on her website details about her visit -- (my kitties are my life) so it was comforting to read about them and know they were in excellent hands. Since that first visit, I've received the same excellent quality of service I've always expected from CCN. I recall one visit last Christmas, Laurie called me concerned about one of my babies because he had diarrhea and we were able to address and resolve that problem over the phone. Go ahead and go with a cheaper pet sitter if you don't care about your pets. But honestly now, how much is your time worth if you were in their shoes, the time spent to drive to your place (I'm in the city so it's hard to find a parking spot). They feed your pet, give them medications (at an additional charge but everybody charges for that), clean up the litter box and the mess around it all. They spend time to play with your pet. They even get my mail and leave it on the table (that's so nice). Then go home and write about the time spent with your pet. My gosh how much time is that - like 2 hours depending on where you live. Three months ago, my one of my beloved little ones was diagnosed with the deadly VAS cancer (he had just finished radiation treatments) and I found myself needing to go out of town. He needs special care and meds because he's still recovering. Leaving my precious babies with Laurie is like leaving them with my sister. I know they're in the best care I could possibly have. read more

My husband had a death in the family and we needed to get back to Detroit for a couple of days. Since we are pretty new to Chicago, we don't have anyone to check on our big fluffy while away. Laurie came to the rescue. She came by our place to meet our spoiled little monster and get info from us as quickly as possible. She was very warm and understanding of the last minute plans. When we returned our place was nice and tidy, especially the litter box area. It's a constant battle to keep clean since our boy is a crazy kicker in his box. It was so nice to come back to it being clean! I highly recommend Laurie and will definitely utilize her services on our next trip. read more

We've used the Chicago Cat Nannies several more times over the years. I hate to say it, but their service has gone a bit down hill since we first used them. For starters, their prices haven't changed much over the years, however originally the price was for a 1 hour visit, the visits are now said to be 30 min long. Add that to the fact that their prices are higher than most competitors, Also, in the past we'd come home to a nicely vacuumed rug and cat condo. This wasn't the case when we returned from our recent trip on June 2 (we weren't even gone during the during the holiday weekend.) Also, we're not sure whether or not they were using our Litter Genie, but if they were, they failed to empty it. We now have 4 cats, 1 has special needs because of her diet, so we required 2 daily visits. 9 (30 min) visits were $310. We also received a status call while we were gone, and it became clear that the sitter didn't have a print out of the extensive form we had to fill out, so she may have been confusing our 2 youngest cats. Not a big deal, but why spend a lot of time filling it out if it's barely going to be used. I also want to mention a different time we used Chicago Cat Nannies. It is very possible that our cats may have gone 24+ hours without food, which is very dangerous for cats. The reason we know this happened? We arrived home in the evening, and it was obvious the sitter hadn't been by that day. When we called Chicago Cat Nannies to cancel the last visit, we were told that the sitter stopped by our apartment the previous morning. That info definitely concerned us. I hate to say it, but we will be trying a different service next time. read more

I love them! I have used them in the past and will not use anyone else in the city. I know that they actually come and stay the full 45 minutes that they are supposed to be there. They also offer other "extras" that you can purchase. I have to admit that I'm not sure if Izzy would enjoy a manicure however I'm sure there are some Chicagoan felines that would love some of the spa services. They also make sure that your place isn't covered with fur when you come back which I appreciate since I have black couches and a calico cat! I truly wouldn't consider or trust someone else in the city. Laurie Higgins the owner is fabulous and you can tell she really cares about her feline clients! Prices are pretty standard and listed on the website upfront which is nice. Also for the slightly crazy (like me) she has a blog where you can log in while on your trip to see what you cat was up to that day. It usually is something like... "I came in and was welcomed by... we sat on the couch and played with the red ball watched animal planet and then she ate some food etc." I love it! read more

I have used Chicago Cat Nannies on several occasions to watch my very needy cat whenever I am away. My cat is frightened of most people, but she always comes out of her hiding spot for the cat nanny. Laurie and the other nannies have always taken great care of my cat and given her extra time when they feel like she is lonely. The daily updates on the blog are very helpful, and if Laurie is too busy to post updates or the website is not cooperating, you can always give her a call and find out how your cat is doing. Also, whenever I come home from a business trip, my place looks better than it did before I left. Laurie truly goes the extra mile. read more

I recently used Chicago Cat Nannies sitting service while I was away for week. Having been highly recommended by my neighbor group, I was disappointed in the level of service, to be honest. As an adoring cat mom, I will gladly pay for my 2 boys to get all the care they need. However, the $45 consultation fee caught me off guard. Prior to booking the service, it is required that an in home consultation is done to ask questions, point out food/litter. I had no problem with the consultation, but I thought the fee was included with the actual sitting service. $45 for about 30 minutes, most of which was spent describing the cats' personalities, seemed a bit excessive. I requested 5 days for one 30-minute visit each day. I left out automatic feeders and water, and wanted the sitter to just check on the boys and give them a little attention. Quite honestly, I have no idea if the sitters actually came. No email, no texts, no calls. Absolutely no communication that the sitters ever showed up - I can only hope and assume they did. Scheduling the consultation and service was also a little bit of a hassle. I had to call to confirm the appointment, had to email to request the paperwork I was told I'd be sent, and I also had to email to request an invoice to pay for the service. From the beginning, it just felt like I as a customer had been forgotten. While Laurie seemed nice and well experienced with cats, In planning another vacation now, I will definitely try another sitting service. read more

I have been living in Chicago for three years and have tried several pet sitting services for my two cats while traveling (I travel often). Of course, my cats are my babies and knowing they are in good hands is essential....after three years of coming home to anxious, angry, lonely cats, we finally have found Chicago Cat Nannies and we came home from our week long vacation to two happy, spoiled, well taken care of cats....and a very clean home! Finally!!!! Things I appreciated the most: - The owner Laurie came to our home to meet our cats and us....our cats loved Laurie right away, which is not usual; - All my requests and preferences were honored and stated in writing -Our cats were visited twice a day by the same sitter (one of our cats needs meds every 12 hours). All meds were given to our cat, which is essential because with no meds he ends up at the vet ER! - We can tell our cats were played with, not only was every single toy out, but they ask for playtime every second since they got so used to having Laurie interact with them all the time! -I emailed from abroad and Laurie replied right away with a report on how they were doing. From her report I could tell she knew their personalities very well -Hairballs and any litter box messes were cleaned and food bowls were washed. That was one nice surprise! Overall my interactions with Laurie have all been positive, service was great, we are happy as can be that we have found CNN and plan on using them as our go-to cat sitting service every time we travel....and when we travel, we will be able to truly relax knowing they are being well taken care of! :) I do highly recommend this service to any other at owners. read more

I absolutely love this service. It is so nice knowing I have a trustworthy service, that cares about my cats, reliable, and available. The prices are great and I love getting a text update when the employee leaves. They give so much detail and it puts me at ease when I am away. Thank you!!! read more

CCN and Laurie are wonderful. Right before I left for my week long trip my cat fell ill and needed to go to the emergency vet. I had never needed an emergency vet and called Laurie in a panic. She recommended a vet and told me to update her as soon as I knew what would be needed. I had to change my visits to twice daily due to medication needs and Laurie was happy to do so, even on Thanksgiving. I returned home to a clean apartment, happy and on the mend kitty. This service is top notch. Couldn't have been more thankful for their service and care. read more

I have been using Chicago Cat Nannies for a few months now and could not be happier with their level of service. Having been a "cat nanny" in the past and using a few other services I feel I can judge a good visit. When I get back from a trip the cats are HAPPY and not to see me! The cats, litter, and food area are always clean (yes, the cats are brushed). A perk is how easy it is to make a reservation; even when last minute (sorry!). I just send an email, get a paypal request & easy as that confirmation! Much praise to the team at Chicago Cat Nannies! read more

I have used the Cat Nannies for several years to care for my two cats when I have been out of town. I highly recommend them. My cats are well cared for and happy. The litter pan is clean. My mail is collected. I am moving out of the area or I would continue to use their service. read more

I cannot say enough about Chicago Cat Nannies and Laurie. They are friendly, professional, and my cats love them. I have been using them for years, and am moving so I wanted to make sure all the Chi town people know what a wonderful service they provide. When I first began to use the service I had a diabetic, elderly cat. Laurie was always prompt and attentive with him and communicating with me about his health and general well being. He was correctly medicated. He has since passed on, and I now have a crazy young cat who is also in love with her! She is attentive, spends time with them, and even waters plants, tidies up, and brings in mail! There is never any problem getting on her schedule, she is very accomodating and willing to fit my cats in whenever I need it. I never worry about my pets or my home when I entrust it to Chicago Cat nannies. I only wish they would come out to the far NW suburbs, I will miss Laurie!! Cheers! read more

Laurie was absolutely amazing with a cat that is both old (15 years) and can be more than a bit "temperamental" when left alone for longer periods of time. We had originally planned to be gone for 10 days but the Iceland volcano kept us there an additional seven days and Chicago Cat Nannies were more understanding and flexible than we could have expected given the situation and continually undetermined return date. Our cat was in great condition when we returned, as was the apartment, the mail was even sorted! I cannot recommend Laurie and Chicago Cat Nannies enough!!! Thank you so very much. read more

I contacted Chicago Cat Nannies 2 weeks before my 3 day vacation. I was nervous having someone I didnt know in my house taking care of my two cats. She met up with my husband and I and met our cats. Our cats seemed comfortable with her so that put me at ease. She stopped in our place 3 times a day to feed and take care of my little guys. They also took special care of my cat that needs meds. I came home to a very clean kitty box and kitchen. Im sure my cats missed me but they took care of them very well while I was gone. Great job guys! read more

We have been using Cat Nannies for years now and have been very pleased with the service. Our cat is a real pain in the butt and does not take to strangers but she appears to have gotten used to Laurie and will come out for her. It seems that over the years our cat is more relaxed when we get back. One time when we got back from vacation I thought initially that our cleaning lady had been at the house because everything was picked up and tidier than we left it. read more

Another enthusiastic customer here! My wife and I have been using the Chicago Cat Nannies for the past two years. As we've left on long vacations we have trusted our cat to the Nannies service. In our absence our kitty has been well taken-care of, fed, watered, and played-with according to our recommendations. We have nothing but nice things to say about this service. It is a must for jet-setting Chicago cat owners! read more

I've been using Laurie / Chicago Cat Nannies for years and they take great care of my two cats! I don't worry about them when I'm out of town because CCN are professionals and understand how to care for cats and love and play with them too. Also, they are always able to accommodate my last-minute reservation requests, which I often have to make due to work/travel demands, and I greatly appreciate how easy they make it for me and my fur-kids. read more

I have been using Chicago Cat Nannies' services for 4 years now. I'm sorry that I'm just now writing my review! Laurie is wonderful with my 2 cats. She's attentive, great at giving them their medicines and I always come home to a clean house. She goes above & beyond by getting my mail and water plants. At times I've ask her to look in on the cats with just 1 day notice and she's always able to squeeze us into her schedule which is greatly appreciated. I never worry about the cats when I'm gone because I know that they are in good hands. read more

We have been using Chicago Cat Nannies for a few years now. Our cats are members of our family and their well being in extremely important to us. We are so grateful we have found Laurie. Both of our cats (one known to be aloof with strangers and another one known to hide with strangers) love her and let themselves be pet, pampered and medicated. We know that Laurie comes twice a day because one of our cats is on medication that needs administered every 12 hours or else he gets very sick, and everything always goes so smooth when Laurie is taking care of them. I can also tell they've been played with a lot because when we come back they beg to play every second of the day for weeks before they resign to their usual play times only. It is complete piece of mind to rely on the professional and EXCELLENT service provided by CNN and know that our cats are relaxed, healthy, and pampered while we are away. I highly recommend CNN, feel free to send me a message if you have more questions about this service. read more