Question 1

What is your service area?

Accepted Answer

We service many neighborhoods in San Francisco, south of the city and the East Bay (including Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Emeryville, and Rockridge/Piedmont).

We also service several Portland Metro area neighborhoods.

Please view our service area pages for specific details:

SF Bay Area, CA 
Portland Metro, OR

Question 2

How do you register as a new client?

Accepted Answer

Create a new account in our online client portal by clicking the registration link for San Francisco Bay, CA or Portland Metro, OR. This portal is where you can explain care details, see and pay your bills, and schedule your sits.
Fill in all the relevant profile information for both the My Info and My Pets sections under the Petcare tab.
Request a free New Client Initial Consultation and your sits on the My Schedule tab.
 
That's it! We will reach out right away to schedule a time to meet you and your kitty at your home ahead of your trip. At that time, we will go through the profile details in your account to make sure we have all the specific instructions we need.
 
If you would like to reach out to one of our offices, visit our SF Bay Service Area Details or PDX Metro Service Area Details page to message us directly or send an email. Please provide a little information about yourself and the days you require sits and we will respond the same day.

Question 3

What can I do from my account?

Accepted Answer

In short? Everything!

You can:
Read your Pet Care Journals
View upcoming scheduled services
Request future services
Update all your information so we have the most up-to-date info available
View your invoice and pay with credit card or ACH bank transfer
Add a picture of your pet
Send us a message
Change your password
Review the help page if you have any questions on how to manage your account

Question 4

Am I able to add or change information in my account?

Accepted Answer

Not only is it paw-sible; we recommend it every 6 months or any time something changes! The most important sections to review are Home Access in My Info and pet medication instructions in My Pets. You are able to manage your profile details from your account anytime. Simply log in using your email address and password, navigate to the area where you need to make changes or additions and update as needed. Be sure to save before leaving each page. If you need to update your email address, please send us a message to let us know. Because it is used to access your account, it is the only item we would have to update for you.

Question 5

Who conducts the initial consultation, and what should I expect during the visit?

Accepted Answer

The initial consultation is conducted by a member of our management team or senior staff - not necessarily your assigned sitter -  in order to:
Meet you and your kitties, gain insight into your unique needs, and match you with the purr-fect sitter
Answer any questions you may have
Review your profile from a cat sitter’s purr-spective and clarify details to ensure the best care pawsible
Test access and collect your two sets of keys (if applicable)

If you'd like to meet your assigned sitter before your trip, you can schedule a separate Sitter Meet and Greet through your account for a small fee.

Question 6

I need a pet sitter last minute - are you open?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it is likely we are! We keep times open, so we are available for last minute New Client Initial Consults and cat sitting services. However, please be aware that last-minute bookings (any sit scheduled within 48 hours of the beginning of the requested service window) will include a $10 surcharge and we charge for the Initial Consult ($25 because we often have to rearrange schedules to accomodate). However, we will get moving to find you a great sitter-even last minute!

Question 7

When do you visit?

Accepted Answer

We visit our furry friends based on the time window of your choosing between the hours of 6am and 9pm, seven days a week!
 
Available time blocks include:
Early Morning*
Morning 
Afternoon/Evening 
Late Evening* 
Anytime 
 
*Note: There is a $10 surcharge for these shorter, guaranteed service windows.

Visit the details page of your chosen service area for specific hours:

SF Bay Area, CA 
Portland Metro, OR

Question 8

What do you do during a cat sit?

Accepted Answer

We will feed your kitty, change the water daily and scoop litter with every sit, along with additional other small chores you may need (take out trash, rotate the lights, pick up mail, etc.) For a 30-minute sit, this takes ~10 minutes or less, unless medication needs to be administered. Then we focus on making your cat feel special for the remaining time left in the sit. We will play with them, brush them, pet them, have lap/chest time- anything to make them happy.

Question 9

Do you send pictures?

Accepted Answer

Yes! After every sit, you will receive an email with a link to a Pet Care Journal that will include photos taken by your sitter during their visit. Pet Care Journals also include a checklist and a written update. It is through these journals that your sitter will relay your cat's latest antics and cutest moments, as well as reach out to you with any care questions.

Question 10

Do you have staff?

Accepted Answer

Yes! We have an incredible group of sitters that cover our San Francisco Bay and Portland Metro service areas, who are fully supported by an amazing management team. You can learn more about them by visiting the SF Team and PDX Team pages.

These paw-some individuals have years of experience volunteering at shelters, owning cats themselves, and even working with other cat sitting companies. All of our sitters are employees of Precious Fur Cat Sitting and have been background checked, bonded, insured and trained.

Question 11

Do you allow every other day scheduling?

Accepted Answer

While we don’t encourage it, we will accept every other day visit schedule requests. However, for the welfare of our kitty clients, we are unable to accept sit schedules that have more than one day between visits. Even with smart and automatic care devices, too much can go wrong and important health queues can be missed. Your cat’s physical and emotional health is of the utmost importance to us.

Question 12

Do you offer overnight visits?

Accepted Answer

Currently, we do not. Instead, we'd suggest booking an Early Morning visit (6-9 am) and a Late Evening visit (6-9pm) to serve breakfast and dinner and give tuck ins. Additional services can also be scheduled for the same day to provide even more time for snuggles and play! Just let us know and we'll be happy to make recommendations that meet your needs.

Question 13

What medical services do you provide?

Accepted Answer

We can administer pills, inhalers, transdermal ointment and liquid oral medication for an additional fee per visit. We can add medication to food at no extra cost. We do not offer diabetic injections or sub-q fluids, but upon request, will gladly provide you with contact information for a few local vet techs we trust that may be available to help.

Question 14

Can you provide cat sitting services if someone else will be in my home while I’m away?

Accepted Answer

To maintain the highest standards of safety and comply with our liability insurance requirements, we’re typically only able to provide pet sitting services when the home is unoccupied during our scheduled visits. This includes the presence of roommates, family members, or other service providers. If others will have access to the home while you're away, please let us know in advance — we're happy to coordinate a schedule that allows us to tend to your kitty when no one else will be present.

Question 15

Do you have insurance?

Accepted Answer

We are insured and bonded through Pet Sitters Associates and are a member of Pet Sitters International (PSI), a professional pet sitters organization.

Question 16

What are your business hours?

Accepted Answer

We visit our clients 7 days a week, 365 days a year from 6 AM to 9PM! However our standard office hours are Monday-Sunday 9 AM to 6 PM.  Area managers are ready to help!

SF Bay Area: sfmanager@preciousfur.com 
Portland Metro: pdxmanager@preciousfur.com

Question 17

Do you have a referral program?

Accepted Answer

We do! There is no greater compliment than when our valued clients refer us to friends and family. To show our appreciation, we have a Re-FUR-All Program: Give a Sit, Get a Sit. Simply have your friends enter your name when creating a new account or mention it during their New Client Initial Consult, and you both get credit for a free 30 minute sit!
Visit our Re-FUR-All Program page for full details.

Question 18

Do you recommend any local vet services?

Accepted Answer

Yes! We can recommend businesses that have been personally used by Precious Fur staff and clients.  Just ask!

Question 19

Do you offer grooming services?

Accepted Answer

Our sitters will gladly brush your furry pal, if that is something they enjoy! However, we do not provide extensive grooming or nail trim services.

Question 20

Do you have a flea policy?

Accepted Answer

We do not require that clients provide proof of medical flea control; however, should fleas be found by a sitter, all remaining services will be changed to Economy sits to reduce sitters' exposure to fleas. The cost difference will be credited to the client; however, a $25 Flea Fee will be added to each remaining service performed by Precious Fur to cover additional hazard pay for the sitter and a fresh hazmat suit for each visit.

Question 21

What is your policy on aggressive behavior?

Accepted Answer

We know that cats can be the most loving companions for their humans, but that when stressful things happen - like being left alone - they may act in unexpected ways. Our sitters are trained to monitor the happiness and wellbeing of each kitty client and report any concerning behavior. We also know that (like people) cats may vibe more with some folks and less so with others. If a cat becomes aggressive or actively territorial with a sitter, we will always let the owner know and try another sitter to see if we can get the right fit. We may also recommend seeking counsel from your vet or a pet behaviorist to address separation anxiety.  Because the health and well-being of both our kitty clients and our sitters is paramount, if we are unsuccessful after three tries, we may no longer be able to provide services cat sitting services. Should we get to this last resort, we will return keys free of charge and gladly provide a local vet tech reference for cat sitting services.

Frequently Asked Questions