Besides being a cat behaviourist I work as a cat sitter as well.

People ask me whether I just feed and clean litter trays all day. Well, yes and no. I mean I do feed cats and clean litter trays, but there’s much more to it.
In the series of posts I’ll share some anecdotes from my life as a cat sitter. I promise these stories are all true, though the cat’s names have sometimes been changed to protect their identity 😉

On a nice, sunny day many cats enjoy spending time outdoors. When cats have outdoor access via a cat flap they may decide to stay out rather than have cuddles with the cat sitter. This is England, after all. It might well rain again the following day!

However, when cats do not have outdoor access they usually come and greet us. Sometimes they are snoozing somewhere nice and cosy, but at least we see them. Although….

Some cats seem to enjoy a game of hide-and-seek. I know they are inside because they did not leave when I opened the door, but where are they??? I’m not talking about hiding under the bed, sofa, or on dining chairs, all well-known hiding spots. Some of my clients’ cats have hiding places that I still don’t know about! One meows to attract my attention and is quiet when I walk through the room looking for him. However, as soon as I leave the room he meows again. He must be having fun watching me trying to find him 😉

Another cat likes to sit inside cupboards. A telltale sign is of course an open cupboard door. Except when he opens it slightly, squeezes through and then the door closes behind them. It’s a good thing hisowtold me that’s what he does or it would have taken me ages to find him!

Some cats are so nervous around strangers that they rarely show themselves. I always feel for those cats. Luckily this is very unusual, but it does happen sometimes. Most owners know when their cats are nervous around visitors so they will warn the cat sitter before visits. All I can do is wait patiently and hope they decide to come out and this has worked – eventually – on several occasions.

Another favourite hiding place: on top of the kitchen cupboards.