Frequently Asked Questions

Cat sitting

Q: Are you a cattery?
No, I am not a cattery. I provide in-house cat sitting service in the comfort of your own home. So that your cat(s) don't have to be transported, it saves on costs and hassles and your cat(s) will probably be happier since cats generally don't like to be moved around too much and they hate the carrier.

Q: How does this cat sitting thing work?
You can send me an email on the Contact Us form, so that we can set up an appointment. This 'Meet-and-Greet' appointment is free of charge. I will come in your house to meet you and your cat(s), so that we can all get to know each other better. You can have a look here to see a demonstration.

Q: So are you against catteries?
Not at all! I think catteries and cat sitting services are very different services for both of which there is a need in the market. Basically, it's just like creches and nannies for children, everyone has a preference and their children have different needs. I would love to have my own cattery one day as I strongly believe there is a need for certain people (e.g. relocation, moving houses, extended absence, etc).

Q: Why are you so expensive? So-and-so can do it for cheaper!
Honestly, my price is very competitive for what you get out of the service. Especially if you have two cats and above, it will end up cheaper to hire a sitter than a cattery as I charge per family not per cat. There are indeed some individuals out there on internet classifieds or supermarket notice boards who charge much less. I am sure they are lovely people but we don't know if they are trained for the job. They are probably not insured and honestly, I am almost certain they are not full time sitters as there is no way one can make a living wage with the price they charge. Also, at Maow Care, what you see is all you pay. The price is clear and there are no hidden charges.

Q: What is so special about your service then?
Maow Care is a serious company, I am commited full time to the job, 24/7 all year round. If I go on holiday or am indisposed, I arrange a locum. When I say 24/7/365, it means what it says seriously. I entertain many family emergencies all year round for customers who have to go somewhere immediately, e.g. funerals, early labours, hospitalisations, etc. Your call will be answered in the middle of the night, even when I am on holiday to make sure all requests are dealt with as soon as possible. I am also a genuine cat lover, I am involved with a lot of rescue missions regularly, you can read about my work and my involvement with charities on my blog and my YouTube channel that I have kept since I started this business. Seriousness aside, I am also a strong-believer in the charm of family-run businesses. We all know it is much more pleasant to shop in a family-run corner store than a chain convenience store. You can talk to the person on a one-on-one basis and the shopkeeper remembers your favourite items. That's what I want to do with Maow Care.

Q: Is it going to be the same sitter every time?
99% of the time, YES! I am a one woman business, I do everything myself.

Q: What happened to that 1%?
It's when I go on holiday (not more than two weeks a year), or am indisposed (haven't been sick since I started this business), or during the Christmas season when it is really busy. If I go on holiday, I arrange a locum from another pet sitting company. If I am sick or I have too many requests during the holiday season, my husband Jason will give me a hand, you can read about him on here. In the case of a replacement provided (another pet sitting company or my husband Jason), I will let you know before hand to seek your agreement and authorisation before going in your home.

Q: How do you know you will do a good job?
You can read all the testimonials I received from my customers, I also update my work on my blog and my YouTube channel regularly. If you still have doubt, you can contact me and I will put you in touch with my existing customers who will be more than happy to share their experience with you.

Q: Can you just come in, put down food and charge me less?
It depends. All my prices are for one full hour of service. I understand that all cats are different and each customer has different needs. I do tailor-made quotations for people who have special requests, e.g. twice a day visit, half hour visit, etc. But as a cat lover who is involved in animal welfare causes, I believe cats will need a minimum amount of attention and care. Because of that I cannot accept request to just put down food and go, as it will be against my belief in cat care as a behaviourist and professional sitter.

Q: Can you give me a deal?
If you book for a longer holiday, I do generally arrange some form of discount. Give me a shout, I am sure we can figure out something we are both happy with.

Behavioural Therapy

Q: What is that about?
In short, it is a procedure to 'solve your cat problems'. A lot of people think cats just "have their own ways", but it is not true! Most of the feline behavioural problems are caused by misunderstandings between human and cats. You and your cat (s) can both live better lives if the behavioural problems are modified.

Q: What does it involve?
1.An initial phone call will be arranged (free of charge) to get the basic story of your problem
2. A detailed profile of the cat's history will be filled by the owner before the consultation
3. Two hours consultation: observation of the cat's body language, interaction to his/her environment, human, other cats and stimulants (e.g. food, toys, etc)
4. A written report will be provided within one week with all the detailed advice given during the consultation, different modification programmes will be set up to follow.
5. Follow up phone calls and emails are included in the fee and are arranged as certain behavioural problems will need weeks or months to be modified.

Q: What if it doesn't work?
As with all treatments, human and animal (e.g. vets, doctors, chiropractors, psychotherapist, etc). No one can guarantee 100% of the result of the treatment. It will be, in fact, unethical to guarantee anything. The only guarantee I can give is I will try my best to help you and your cat(s) to the best of my capacity. You can also refer to the testimonials page to see what other customers say about their experience with the treatment.

Q: How much is it?
I do provide consultation to the whole island of Ireland, so it really depends on your location. Please give me a shout to arrange an initial phone call so that I can give you a quotation. Also, if after hearing your story and I realise it is not a behavioural issue, I will be able to refer you in the right direction to seek alternative advice.