Before you book
The questions we actually get asked
If yours isn't here, call us. We'd rather talk it through than have you guess.
- Do you come to my street?
- If you are on Balboa Island, Little Island, Harbor Island, Linda Island, Bayside Dr., Irvine Terrace, Promontory Point, or Villa Point — yes. That is a deliberately small map. We live on Bayside, so every house we sit is a few minutes from our own, which is why we can promise the same two people every visit.
- Who actually shows up?
- Peter or Katie. Not a contractor, not a rotating team, not somebody we found last week. We are a two-person business and we keep it that way on purpose. If your cat learns one set of footsteps, that is the whole point.
- How many visits does my cat need?
- One a day covers most healthy adult cats on a normal schedule. Go to two for kittens, seniors, cats on twice-daily medication, multi-cat households, or any cat who reliably gets into trouble when bored. We will tell you honestly at the meet-and-greet — talking you into visits you do not need is a bad way to keep a neighbor as a client.
- Can you give medication?
- Yes — pills, liquids, ear gels, insulin injections, and subcutaneous fluids for cats already established on them. We continue the plan your vet set. We do not diagnose anything, change a dose, or start a new medication.
- What if something goes wrong?
- You hear from us immediately, with a photo. We keep your vet on file along with written authorization to transport, so nobody is hunting for permission during an emergency. We also ask for a second local contact at the meet-and-greet.
- How do you handle keys and codes?
- We collect keys at the meet-and-greet and return them after the trip, or use your lockbox or smart lock if you prefer. Codes are never written down anywhere that identifies your address. For Harbor Island, Linda Island, and Villa Point, just add our names to your gate list.
- How far ahead should I book?
- A week is comfortable for ordinary trips. For Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, and spring break, book as far ahead as you can — we cap how many houses we take at once, and those weeks close early.
- Do you look after dogs?
- No. Cats only. It is in the name, and it is the reason we are good at this.
Still wondering about something?
Going away?
Tell us your dates and we'll come meet your cat before you book anything. The meet-and-greet is free, and it's how we both find out whether this is a fit.
Every day, 7:00am – 9:00pm · hello@balboaislandcatsitting.com