Vanessa is a FANTASTIC cat sitter and a lovely, caring person. I needed to find a pet sitter for my two cats while going out of town for about a week and found Vanessa on Yelp. This was the first time I was leaving my two babies and had never hired a cat sitter before so I was feeling a bit anxious about everything. I called Vanessa and we set up an introductory meeting before my trip. Honestly, as soon as I met Vanessa, I knew it would work out. My cats were instantly comfortable around her and I was, too. She asked all the right questions and really wanted to make sure that all the details regarding their care were discussed. I never felt rushed and it was clear that she really cared about keeping their same routine going while I was gone. She even made sure to remind me to call my vet and put her name in my cat's records and ensure my credit card was on file in case she had to take them to the vet while I was gone. An important detail that I missed. During my trip, Vanessa sent me text message updates every night. Pictures of my cats eating and playing, too. It was so nice to get these updates and the peace of mind they provided allowed me to enjoy my time away. When I returned, I found my cats happy, calm and well cared for. Their litter box was immaculate, their food area was spotless, fresh water was out, lots of toys had been played with, mail and newspaper neatly stacked, garbage taken out, doors locked, security lights on...everything was perfect. No detail was missed! Vanessa is a true professional and takes her job seriously. She's reliable, responsible, trustworthy and a super nice person who will truly love your cats and give them the best care while you are gone. I highly recommend Vanessa and plan on hiring her again. My cats miss you, Vanessa! read more

Vanessa is wonderful! I was anxious about being away from my two cats for longer than I ever have before, especially considering that one of them had recently recovered from an illness that caused her to lose a lot of weight, which she was still regaining. Vanessa definitely put my mind at ease--she kept a close eye on the appetite of the recently sick cat, and she made sure that the other cat (who is somewhat food-dominant and nosy) wasn't too disruptive during mealtime. To encourage appetite, I have been mixing baby food into the wet food, and Vanessa continued to do so while I was gone. I missed the cats dearly, so I eagerly looked forward to her daily pictures and updates! I could tell that the cats were comfortable around her. In one video, I saw that she had already figured out their different playing styles (one cat loves it when a string dangles above her, and the other loves it when the string slithers away on the ground almost out of reach). Vanessa was very conscientious in letting me know what time she would be there every day, even though I was just happy that the cats would get some company every day, at any time! Not only that, she gave me some helpful general suggestions, such as supplementing their diet with probiotics powder or boiled chicken. Vanessa definitely knows cats, and I wouldn't hesitate to leave my beloved pets in her care again in the future! read more

Vanessa has taken care of my cat several times, both for long (2-weeks) and short trips. The first time was about a month after I had got my cat from the shelter. I was really worried about leaving my young cat alone for so long. Vanessa took the time to talk with me beforehand and get to know my cat. While we were away, she sent text updates and photos, which was great. She also left behind a catnip toy which has been one of my cat's all-time favorite toys. She is also a responsible adult, which matters a lot to me when I'm turning over the key to my home. I've always felt confident that Vanessa would act professionally - no worries about someone forgetting to lock the door or inviting friends over to your place while you are gone. At other times, Vanessa has trimmed my cats claws - no small feat considering how much he struggles! She has also been very helpful in giving suggestions on how to deal with behavioral problems. Really, I feel very lucky to have found Vanessa because she has done a lot to help me out as a new cat owner. read more

I can't say enough good things about Vanessa. She is rock solid reliable, trustworthy and knows a lot about animals. I usually worry about my cat when I'm away, but knowing that she is taking care of Remy gives me peace of mind. I get daily updates and always look forward to them at the end of the day. What makes her stand out is that she does extra things she doesn't have to do because she cares, and it is obvious that she loves animals. As an example, the first time I used her, I forgot to water the plants when I left for my trip, and I came back to watered plants. If she notices something unusual, she will let you know. She didn't have to do that, but that is the kind of caring person she is. From my experience with Vanessa, she will be the only pet sitter I use. I give her five stars for taking the best care of my cat, and I highly recommend using her services. - Many thanks Vanessa! read more

My cat Theo is like my child and I wouldn't trust anyone with him except for Vanessa. Whether it's a weekend get-away up the coast or a trip to the Far East for several weeks, I can rest easy knowing that Theo is having just as good a time as I am. What makes Vanessa different is that she is incredibly skilled and professional yet also extraordinarily loving and playful. She really loves cats (and dogs and rabbits, etc) and goes above and beyond the call of duty, sending pictures of my kitty while I'm away which warms my heart, cleaning the sink or washing the dishes or even bringing in the mail. This is all done without asking. She is that kind of a person. I should also add that she is great with sick pets and can administer meds like a pro. I can't recommend Vanessa more highly, (but don't tell too many folks or Theo won't ever get to see her again!). read more

Vanessa is the favorite cat-sitter of my cat Ubaldo! She took care of Ubaldo a couple of week-ends when I was out of the city. My cat is very shy and generally he doesn't like people and if a stranger enters inside the house he disappears. Vanessa did a great good job with him! Everyday she was sending me pictures and updates and it was clear to me that Ubaldo was pretty comfortable to have Vanessa around. She was very careful and precise checking Ubaldo and she reported me everything in details. She did not only feed him, but she spent time with him. She brought a very nice toy that he loved and she sent me a short video! It was a great relief to me to see that Ubaldo was happy and interacting with her. When I came back he was calm and relaxed. I highly recommend her, she is experienced, trustworthy and she really cares of your beloved pet! read more

Vanessa went above and beyond to take care of my cat while I was away for two weeks! I was concerned because my 16-year-old kitty had issues with dehydration the week before I left, and she wasn't supposed to eat dry food anymore. Unfortunately, she wasn't interested in wet food -- all she wanted was dry. Vanessa did an amazing job of making sure my cat was eating her wet cat food -- as well as drinking a lot of water. Vanessa also bought other food for Cisco, like ground turkey and roast chicken. She even cut up the chicken and put it in individual serving baggies in my freezer, which I'm still using. I also really appreciated Vanessa's email reports and the pictures she sent. Highly recommended -- I will definitely use her again! read more

The friends who usually care for our two cats when we're away weren't available recently, so we found Vanessa on Yelp and she made herself available on very short notice. She took care of our cats for five days, and when we got back they were super content and not at all neurotic or whiny and punishing. She clearly spent time playing with them, and she left the cat box and food area neater than she found it, which I really appreciated. She also texted us photos while we were gone and gave us little updates, which were appreciated. And above and beyond: she took in our mail and watered some plants both in the house and out in the garden. We would totally use Vanessa again, and I recommend her to everyone. read more

I have never had a pet sitter before, so the process was very new and uncomfortable for me at first. Vanessa was great, she came to meet my cat before I was gone. My cat wasn't skeptical of her at all! Vanessa is even accessible by text to make appointments and that is perfect for the working individual! When I was gone, she sent me text updates with pictures, and made sure everything was ok. She even noticed changes in my house and made me aware (my roommate was there, but still, she has sharp eyes which made me feel safe that someone was watching over my home too.) I will always use Vanessa- she is the most affordable in Berkeley by far and is very professional and prompt! Thank you Vanessa! read more

Vanessa was an AMAZING pet sitter for us. I am always nervous about leaving my two cats. I was especially so since one of my cats was recovering from a very severe oral surgery. She was able to give her all different 3 types of medications and monitor my poor toothless kitty's eating and drug-induced upset tummy. This was very important to me as a vet assistant. She also made sure the other cat didn't feel left out played with him loads as part of his weight-loss plan. She kept notes for me about how they were doing and sent txt photos of them. My cats were happy, healthy, my apartment clean, and recovering kitty appropriately medicated. I will always trust Vanessa whenever we need a pet sitter! read more

Vanessa took great care of our cat over a week long vacation when my partner and I were out of the country. She also was willing to water my plants, take in any mail/packages, and alternate lights to make it seem like people were home. She sent an email update with pictures every day so we could have a glimpse into how our cat was doing, which we greatly appreciated. Vanessa was easy to communicate with, courteous, and most importantly, caring to our cat. She's highly observant of pets' behavior, for instance she set out extra water dishes since she noticed our clumsy kitty likes to knock hers over. All in all, Vanessa was an excellent cat sitter and we could recommend her 100%. read more

Our "pups" are our babies. We have 3- Red, our geriatric Red Bone Hound, Jackson, our 6 year old Chesapeake Bay Retriever, and Hannah, our 2 year old Pit Bull. I know they are in great care when Vanessa watches them when we are out of town. Not only does she come and make sure they are fed and "let out to potty", she actually spends time with them, playing, talking, and cuddling with them. She's not only professional, but she genuinely LOVES animals. So, anyone can be assured that their pet will not just be taken care of, but LOVED. And, as mentioned by her other clients, having her send photos via texts was very much appreciated ;). read more

I've known and worked with Vanessa for the past eight years. She took care of my two elderly kitties that had a multitude of health problems with ease and compassion. Since their passing we now have a two year-old cat with a ton of energy. We always think of Vanessa first if we need someone to watch our kitty. She truly loves animals and is a responsible, trustworthy house-sitter. I know if any problem occurs, she has the skill and good judgement to handle it. It gives us great peace of mind to know Vanessa is taking care of our cat and home while we're away. If you need a cat-sitter, I can recommend Vanessa above all others. read more

Vanessa provided wonderful care for my slightly skittish cat while my husband and I were out of town for a few days. We were a bit nervous about taking our first vacation since picking our cat up at the shelter in the fall, but we shouldn't have worried because Vanessa took great care of her, provided us with text and photo updates, and even let us know when she would be stopping by a bit later than usual so we wouldn't worry that something was wrong. I'm very pleased with her excellent service and hope to be able to call her again for a trip later this year! read more

Vanessa took care of our cat recently, and we were very happy with her work. She went out of her way to make sure everything went smoothly when we were gone. Our cat is getting older, and has a variety of medicines and feeding regimes; Vanessa wasn't intimidated by any of it. In fact, she had encountered much of it before. She's very prompt via email, sent us pictures of our cat lying in the sun (great for worried parents), and left everything in perfect order. Our cat liked her, too, which isn't typical for grumpy old Stan. We'll definitely use her again. read more

I found Vanessa on Yelp and am so glad I did! I travel often and have a very quirky and territorial cat who has exhausted the patience of all my friends - for this reason I've had to explore other options for my longer trips away from home. I trusted Vanessa immediately and could tell she understood and respected Charley's personality and space issues. She kept me up to date on her visits with texts & pictures and I felt totally at ease while I was gone. She is worth every penny she charges :) read more

Vanessa is absolutely amazing. I had never left my boy with a cat sitter before and was anxious. Vanessa quickly calmed my nerves by being very responsive and sending me pictures and videos of my cat while I was away, and giving me regular updates. She definitely went above and beyond! She clearly is very caring with her charges and very professional, and was a pleasure to interact with. I can't recommend her enough, and would give 6 stars if I could! read more

Vanessa has been wonderful and an incredible help for me and my cat. I travel a lot for work and her kindness and care has put me at ease while away. She always sends photos of my cat and updates me on my home. She gives wet food, changes water, takes out the litter, and most importantly spends time for some TLC. She sometimes uses calming spray or brings a new toy which is great! I highly recommend her services to anyone. read more

Vanessa is a wonderful cat sitter! I've had lots of cat sitters before and she is the best. I felt totally confident leaving my cat in her care for 3 weeks. Every few days she sent me photos of my cat (she is an amazing photographer too!), brought up any concerns she had and was quick to respond to my emails. She really cared about the well being of my cat! She also kept my plants much healthier than I left them. read more