What areas do you service?

Desert Whiskers Cat Sitting provides professional in-home cat care throughout select neighborhoods in Buckeye, Goodyear, and Litchfield Park, Arizona.

My primary service area is generally west of Loop 303 and south of Bethany Home Road, with selected exceptions for established service neighborhoods.

Buckeye: Verrado, Victory at Verrado, Sienna Hills, Blue Horizons, Buena Vista, Desert Moon, Sundance, and Coyote Ridge.

Once-daily visits only: Tartesso and Teravalis.

Not serviced: Sun City Festival and Festival Foothills.

Goodyear: Las Brisas, El Cidro, and Canyon Trails.

Once-daily visits only: Palm Valley and Estella Mountain Ranch.

Litchfield Park: Windrose, Canyon Views, Arroyo Mountain Estates, and Litchfield Farms.

Once-daily visits only: Litchfield Greens.

I also accommodate select established service areas of Waddell and Surprise, Arizona

with once-daily visits only.

Waddell: Zanjero Pass.

Surprise: Paradisi and Surprise Farms.

Additional neighborhoods within Buckeye, Goodyear and Litchfield Park, Arizona may be

serviced depending on location, travel distance, existing routes, and current bookings.

Not all neighborhoods within these cities are serviced.

All roads must be paved. I do not service properties located on unlit, dirt, or gravel roads.

What kinds of pets do you care for?

I specialize exclusively in caring for cats. Each cat is unique, and I tailor my care to meet their individual needs, personalities, and routines.

What services do you provide?

I provide professional in-home cat sitting visits tailored to your cat's individual needs

and routines. Visits include feeding, fresh water, litterbox maintenance, playtime, companionship, medication administration when needed and basic home care.

I offer 30-, 45-, and 60-minute visits, with 1-2 visits per day depending on your cat's

needs and location. For full-service details, please refer to my Services page.

How much does cat sitting cost?

Desert Whiskers Cat Sitting offers the following in-home cat sitting visits:

30-minute visit: $45

45-minute visit: $60

60-minute visit: $75

Rates are per visit, per household, not per cat. Holiday rates and additional fees may apply.

For complete pricing and service details, please visit my Services page.

Why should I hire a professional cat sitter?

Cats are creatures of habit and generally feel most comfortable in their own homes. Professional in-home cat sitting allows your cats to maintain their familiar routines, surroundings, and daily comforts while you're away.

With Desert Whiskers Cat Sitting, your cats receive personalized attention, fresh food and water, clean litter boxes, enrichment, and daily wellness checks. They also avoid the stress of transportation and unfamiliar boarding environments.

Your cats stay comfortable at home, and you can travel knowing they're receiving experienced, professional care.

Why are daily cat sitting visits required?

Cats require daily care and monitoring, even when they appear independent. Daily visits allow me to ensure your cat has access to food, water, and a clean litter box, and that they are safe and healthy.

Cats can become trapped in rooms, experience health issues, ingest unsafe items, or be affected by environmental concerns such as extreme heat or an AC malfunction.

Daily visits allow concerns to be identified and addressed promptly, helping prevent situations from becoming emergencies and reducing unnecessary stress.

For these reasons, Desert Whiskers Cat Sitting requires daily visits for all cat sitting services.

This policy is in place to prioritize your cat's safety and well-being at all times.

What are your Service Hours?

Service Hours:

Daily, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Office Hours (scheduling, non-urgent messages):

Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.

Office Closed:

Saturday and Sunday

Cat sitting visits continue 7 days a week, including weekends, subject to availability.

Can I drop my cat off at your house?

No. Desert Whiskers Cat Sitting is a cat-only, in-home pet sitting service. I do not offer boarding or kenneling in my home. My services are designed to keep cats comfortable and stress-free by caring for them in their own home environment.

What qualifications and professional experience do you have?

With over 40 years of animal care experience and professional pet sitting business established in 1998, I bring extensive knowledge, training, and hands-on experience to caring for your cats.

My qualifications and experience include:

Certified Professional Pet Sitter (CPPS) through Pet Sitters International (PSI)
Fear Free Certified Pet Sitter
Fear Free Certified Veterinary Professional
Pet First Aid and CPR training
Feline health, behavior, and daily care
Medication administration, including insulin injections
Care of senior, special needs, and medically complex cats

My professional background also includes veterinary technician experience, animal shelter and sanctuary work, and caring for a variety of animal species.

I continue my professional education to stay informed about feline behavior, health, safety, and best practices in pet care.

Are you Bonded and Insured?

Yes. Desert Whiskers Cat Sitting is bonded and insured through Pet Care Insurance, providing an added layer of protection and peace of mind while your cats and home are in my care.

Do you have references?

Yes! References are available upon request. You can also read client testimonials and reviews on my website and other trusted review platforms.

What does Fear Free Certified mean?

Fear Free certification means I focus on minimizing fear, anxiety, and stress during every visit. I use gentle, cat-friendly handling techniques, respect each cat's individual comfort level, and allow interactions to happen at their own pace.

I never force attention or interactions. My goal is to help your cat feel safe, comfortable, and secure while you're away.

This approach is especially beneficial for shy, nervous, or easily stressed cats.

What is Pet Sitters International (PSI) and what does CPPS mean?

Pet Sitters International (PSI) is a professional organization dedicated to promoting excellence, education, and ethical standards in pet sitting.

CPPS stands for Certified Professional Pet Sitter. Earning this certification requires demonstrating knowledge in animal care, health and safety, emergency preparedness, client communication, and professional business practices.

As a CPPS, I am committed to maintaining professional standards and providing safe, knowledgeable, and dependable care for your cats and home.

Do you Administer Medication?

Yes, I am experienced and comfortable administering a variety of medications to cats, including insulin injections, transdermal medication, and oral medications (pills and liquids). Many of my clients have diabetic cats or cats requiring medication every 12 hours, and I am comfortable providing this level of care.

Please note: During the initial meet-and-greet, clients with cats requiring medication are asked to demonstrate their preferred method of administration. This helps ensure consistency, reduces stress for your cat, and allows me to provide the best care possible.

For everyone's safety and well-being, cats must be cooperative with medication administration. I use gentle, Fear Free handling techniques and do not force medication on cats who become highly stressed or aggressive.

Medication limitations: I do not administer subcutaneous (Sub-Q) fluids or inhaled medications of any kind, including inhalers.

What happens if my cat gets ill or injured?

At Desert Whiskers Cat Sitting, your cat's health and safety are my top priority.

If your cat becomes ill or injured while you're away, I will contact you immediately. If emergency veterinary care is necessary, I will arrange transportation to your designated veterinarian or an emergency clinic. Veterinary information, emergency contacts, and authorization for medical care are reviewed during the initial meet-and-greet so I can respond promptly if an emergency arises.

How much advance notice do you require before service?

Advance booking is strongly encouraged, especially during holidays and peak travel periods.

Current clients: Please submit service requests as soon as your travel dates are known. Short-notice requests may be accommodated based on availability. Same-day requests are considered for emergencies only.

New clients: A minimum of 3 to 4 weeks' notice is required to allow time for account setup, profile completion, and the required meet-and-greet before services can be confirmed.

All reservations are first-come, first-served and subject to availability.

Do I need to give you a key to my house?

Yes. A physical key is required. At the meet-and-greet, I will request a house key and any applicable garage or door codes.

A physical key is necessary in case of power outages, keypad failures, or battery issues with keyless entry systems. Clients may request to have their key securely retained on file for future services. If you prefer the key to be returned after service, a key pickup or drop-off fee applies each time.

Can I come to your house to drop off and pick up the key?

No. For privacy and security reasons, I do not allow clients to visit my personal residence for key drop-off or pick up. Desert Whiskers Cat Sitting does not operate from a storefront, and all key handling is arranged directly at the client's home or during the

meet-and-greet.

Can you share pet sitting responsibilities with my family, friends or neighbors?

No. As a solo professional pet sitter, I do not share pet care responsibilities with family, friends, neighbors, or other pet sitters.

Multiple caregivers can disrupt a cat's routine, create confusion, and increase the risk of missed or duplicate medications.

For personal safety and clear accountability, I must be the sole caregiver during your scheduled service period.

What happens if I can’t return on the date I’m supposed to?

I understand that unexpected delays can happen. If your return is delayed, please notify me as soon as possible so I can adjust my schedule.

Cat sitting visits will continue until you confirm that you have returned home. Any additional visits will be charged at the regular service rate.

Please note: Continued care is available to established clients who have provided either a physical key and/or an access code.

Do you have a referral program?

Yes, Desert Whiskers Cat Sitting offers a referral program.

Current Clients:

Receive 20% off one booking of up to 7 consecutive days when a referred new client completes their first booking.

New Clients:

Receive 10% off one booking of up to 7 consecutive days on their first completed booking.

Referral credits are applied one time only after the referred new client completes their first booking. Discounts are not transferable and cannot be combined with other offers.

Rescue and Shelter referrals:

Desert Whiskers Cat Sitting is proud to support local rescues and shelters. When a rescue or shelter refers a new client, a donation will be made in appreciation of the referral. Donations may be made via direct payment, applied toward a veterinary bill, or fulfilled through an approved wish list.

This is my way of saying thank you and giving back to the community.

If you have a question that isn't answered here, please send me an email. I'm always happy to help and welcome suggestions for additional questions to include in this FAQ.

Frequently Asked Questions