Leaving a cat alone vs cat sitting in Bangalore

A few hours is not the same as three days

An afternoon alone, with water, food, and a clean tray, is ordinary for many indoor cats. A three-day work trip with no visit is a different brief: litter, water, a stuck window, a power cut, or a cat who stops eating when the house is too quiet. In a Bangalore apartment, there is also the balcony latch and the neighbour who may or may not notice a problem.

If you are unsure, choose a visit. Pet sitting can be a short drop-in, more than once a day, or an overnight stay.

Reasons to book a sitter even for a short trip

Medicine that must be given. A special diet. A very young or very old cat. A recent move. Two cats who must not be shut in a single room without a check. A tray that fills quickly in a small bathroom. Any of these is a good reason for a person to come in.

Festival nights, when fireworks run late, are another. See Diwali and fireworks.

If they truly cannot stay in your house

When keys are not an option, or the building will not allow visits, a trusted friend’s or relative’s home can be the alternative. It is still a change of house, so it needs a slow introduction and a familiar litter. Wiggie does not board cats; we look after them at home through pet sitting.

How to set the flat up either way

Water in more than one bowl, enough food, a clean tray, a closed balcony if they are indoor-only, and a note for the sitter about hiding places. Leave your number and a local contact. If a sitter is coming, show them the fuse box and the spare litter.

We share a quote for sitting or boarding after we know the dates and the neighbourhood — anywhere in Bangalore. Write to Wiggie if you would like a straight recommendation for this trip, without a sales script.

Two cats, or a cat and a dog, change the maths

A pair of cats may be company for each other, or they may need two trays and a check that both have eaten. A cat who shares a house with a dog may be fine once, and not fine if the dog’s routine has also slipped. Tell a sitter the truth about how they live together, including any closed-door arrangement you already use.

If you are leaving both a dog and a cat, sitting in the same house is often simpler than boarding one and leaving the other. We can talk through that as one brief, with one quote conversation, rather than as two disconnected plans. Write with the species, the dates, and the pin code, and we will say what we can do.

Cameras, if you already have them, are your choice to mention; they are not a requirement, and they are not a substitute for a person who can refill water and check the tray. If you use one, tell the sitter it is there. Surprises of that kind do not help a professional visit.

If you decide on sitting, leave a written note about the last time they ate, the last tray change, and any odd behaviour in the past day. The sitter is then continuing a story, not starting from zero. That is especially helpful on a first visit to a new apartment, where the cat may already be a little watchful.

If you have a plant they nibble, or a string of decorations they cannot be left with, move those before you go. Sitting is care for the animal, not a full redesign of a curious cat’s house. A five-minute tidy of the obvious hazards is still your job, and it makes the visit safer.

If this is the kind of care you need in Bangalore, send Wiggie an enquiry or email wiggie.petcare@gmail.com, and we will tell you whether we can help, and share a quote for your brief.

Related: pet sitting, cat sitting at home, cat grooming.