Pet Sitting 101

Finding the right care for your four-legged family

By Lourin Sprenger | Sept. 12, 2026

For pet owners, going on vacation can come with anxiety, leaving you wondering who will take care of your pets while you’re away. Finding someone you trust to care for your animals can be just as important as choosing the destination itself. We asked two local pet sitters how to vet (pun intended) candidates to watch your furry friends.

In Your Place Pet Sitting

Jennifer Estala’s company In Your Place Pet Sitting grew out of an unexpected connection with animals and the people who love them. While managing a pet supply boutique in New Jersey in the early 2000s, Estala quickly became a familiar face to the dogs (and their owners) who came through the door.

“People were like, ‘we’re going away on vacation, and I can’t find anyone to sit with our dog. Would you come sit at our house?’” Estala recalls. And she found that the answer was yes.

After moving back to Michigan in 2020, Estala decided to turn her longtime passion for animals into a professional business. She built In Your Place from the ground up, including obtaining insurance, creating a website, and establishing an online presence.

“At first it was very slow because I didn’t have a following here,” Estala explains. “But I did a little bit of advertising … and I was just amazed at how quickly it took.”

Estala now has bookings nearly a year in advance and even stopped accepting new clients for about two years because she was at capacity.

Routine and Patience

One of Estala’s biggest philosophies is simple: when owners are away, their pets shouldn’t feel like their entire world has been turned upside down. Rather than primarily boarding animals, Estala typically stays in the pets’ homes, allowing them to remain in the environment they know best.

“My whole concept is I want it to be just like it is when they’re home,” she says. Her business tagline captures that philosophy: “If you can’t be there, I’ll be there in your place.”

Her services can include overnight stays, hourly visits, and 24-hour care, depending on what each pet and family needs. Estala describes her approach as “concierge level pet care.”

“I want to make it just like when the owners are home with their pet,” Estala says. “I want their pet’s life to be pretty much the same. So whatever they require, that’s what I’ll do.”

She adds that the individualized approach is particularly important when caring for pets who aren’t immediately comfortable with new people. For shy or anxious pets, Estala says the key is not forcing a relationship.

“You want to come in and you just want to be quiet and not approach the pet,” she tells us. “You just want to speak quietly, move slowly.”

She recommends allowing shy animals to make the first move rather than immediately reaching for them. In some cases, that can mean simply ignoring the pet for the first 15 or 20 minutes.

“They’ll eventually kind of loosen up and maybe come back into the room, or they’ll come over to you and kind of check you out,” Estala says. Treats can also help, but only after making sure the pet is allowed to have them. For cats, even a little catnip can be useful.

Most importantly, patience matters. Estala recalls one shy 16-year-old cat who took years to fully trust her. (“It’s taken me, and I’m not exaggerating, four or five years to be able to touch the cat,” she confides.) For years, Estala would complete the cat’s basic care—putting out food and cleaning the litter box—and then simply sit on the floor nearby. Rather than seeing the cat’s behavior as unfriendly, she knew that the animal simply needed time.

Age is another factor pet owners should consider when choosing care. Senior pets may have different mobility, hearing, vision, or eating needs than they did when they were younger. Estala says older animals may need shorter walks, additional encouragement to eat, and a little more patience when accidents happen. Despite those additional responsibilities, Estala has a soft spot for senior animals.“Older pets are pretty awesome,” she says.

Learn more about In Your Place at jen64681.wixsite.com/inyourplacetc.

Mitten Kitten Cat Sitting

The right pet sitter understands that animals have their own language, routines, and personalities. Anne Baker, co-owner of Mitten Kitten Cat Sitting, knows that firsthand. The business she established with her husband is focused exclusively on cats, filling what she saw as a specific need in the pet-sitting market.

“Cats make wonderful companions. Every cat has a distinct personality,” Baker says. “Some are timid and laid-back ‘lap cats.’ Some cats are quite vocal talkers! Some love to play, and others are happy to watch the birds and squirrels out the window.”

Like Estala, Baker has seen transformation with cats in her care, including cats who were recently adopted after difficult or traumatic situations. Some cats initially described by their owners as not particularly social have become friendly after a few days of patient, consistent interaction. Several repeat clients have even called Baker and her co-founder “cat whisperers.”

Finding the Right Fit

When it comes to finding the right sitter, Baker believes creating a client relationship with someone that you know and trust before you need them is the key to comfort for yourself and your fur baby while you’re away. She recommends starting the search for a sitter well before planned travel dates, particularly for owners who need care during busy travel periods.

From there, a meet-and-greet before a pet sitter begins caring for an animal can be an important part of the process. It gives the sitter an opportunity to see the pets in their own environment, learn their routines, get information on dietary or medical restrictions, learn what makes the animal comfortable, and understand exactly what the owners expect.

“Each cat sitting job is different,” says Baker of the services offered at Mitten Kitten. “We always meet with clients and their felines before accepting a job. That way, questions can be answered in person, and we can get a feel for each pet’s personality.” The visit also gives her an opportunity to learn where food and litter are kept and get the ins and outs of the home.

Baker also has clients complete a Cat Sitting Information and Medical Emergency Release form and encourages owners to provide as many specifics about their cats as possible so she can keep their typical daily routine intact.

And last but not least, Baker wants the pet parents to stay in the loop once they’re on the road. She says many owners appreciate receiving daily text updates and photos while they’re away.

Learn more about Mitten Kitten at mittenkittencatsitting.com.