Don't use this service! To be clear, it is not a cat boarding place. It is a dispatch that connects you with pet sitters, and there is clearly no quality control. Here is my recent terrible experience with a Kitty Sitty boarder.
The Kitty Sitty dispatcher, Faith, put me in touch with a couple who boards cats - Lori and Mark. Faith told me that Lori and Mark were reliable and professional. But when I arrived at their house, I was taken aback. The living room was devoid of furniture and occupied by several yapping, growling little dogs. Another room was dedicated to cats. It did contain cat accessories including a cat tree and scratching post, but it smelled bad as if the space was never cleaned. Mark had me sign an agreement indemnifying him, but he did not ask me for vet records. No matter, he assured me, my cats would be the only ones in the cat room for my four-day trip. I left my two cats there with some trepidation, and I'm sorry I did.
Four days later when I picked them up, I found a horrible scene. In the living room there were now five yapping, growling dogs. In the so-called dedicated cat room, contrary to what Mark had assured me, there were now other cats, all using the same two small litter boxes and food bowls, mine. My cats could have contracted toxoplasmosis from those communal boxes.
The food bowls that I had provided for my cats were lying around the floor half full of stale-looking food available for all the cats to eat. The food itself was not just my cats' food but meat scraps and other food that I don't feed them. Wet cat food was also clumped on the floor, and there were lumps of food in one of my cat carriers. The entire room smelled rancid and sour. One of my bowls was missing until Lori left the room and came back with it.
When I told Lori that I was not happy other cats being in the room with mine, she became aggressive and began to video me aggressively, screaming , "You stop right there! I'm getting this! Stop! Stop!" Not wanting to engage, I paid her the $280 for four days and left with my cats.
At home, I threw away my canvas cat carriers because the bad smell had soaked into them. I was able to wipe down my cat food holder with a mild bleach solution.
I want to add that Lori and Mark had several hours advance text notice that I was coming to pick up my cats. They could have at least collected and cleaned my bowls and cat carriers, but they didn't. They are utterly unqualified to take care of other people's pets.
A day later, my cats came down with kennel cough. The space was clearly not sanitary.
As for The Kitty Sitty, it could not have vetted them. It is not professional service. read more
