Yes. Slinky Cat at Home is a licensed California business and carries insurance for our professional kitty care, including Animal Bailee coverage for pets in our care. Our team is also covered by workers’ compensation insurance.
We begin with an in-home Meet & Greet so we can meet your kitty on their own turf and review their care instructions, routine, purr-sonality, and preferences. Before kitty care begins, we’ll make sure we have everything needed to care for your cat and home, and we can recommend ways to help prepare for a comfortable staycation while you’re away.
Not necessarily. At your initial Meet & Greet, we typically introduce two Slinky Cat Kitty Caregivers—a primary caregiver and a backup—so your kitty can begin building relationships with more than one trusted member of our team.
Depending on the length of your staycation and scheduling needs, additional team members may sometimes provide care. New caregivers are thoughtfully introduced, either through an additional Meet & Greet or by shadowing one of your kitty’s established caregivers during a visit.
Our approach is rooted in understanding feline behavior and respecting each cat’s individual comfort level. Over the years, we’ve seen many shy kitties become increasingly confident as they develop relationships with multiple trusted caregivers. Some eventually become such Slinky Cat fan favorites that our team practically has to draw straws for their visits!
Our kitty care visits start at 30 minutes and are tailored to your cat’s individual needs. During each visit, your Kitty Caregiver provides focused time with your kitty for attention and enrichment, while also taking care of feeding, fresh water, litter boxes, and other scheduled care.
Longer 45-, 60-, and 90-minute visits are also available for kitties who need a little extra time and attention.
Absolutely! After each visit, your Kitty Caregiver will send an update through Time To Pet along with photos of your purrbaby.
We use our signature Slinky Cat PAWS Report to keep you informed about the important details of every visit:
P — Potty
A — Appetite
W — Wellness
S — Story
And, of course, we’ll let you know when all is well. 🐾
No. Slinky Cat requires visits at least once every 24 hours while your kitty is in our care. Daily visits help maintain your cat’s routine and allow your Kitty Caregiver to monitor eating, drinking, litter box habits, behavior, and overall wellness. If something seems out of character, we want someone there to notice.
Your Kitty Caregiver pays close attention to your cat’s behavior and overall well-being during every visit. If anything seems off, we’ll contact you right away, or your designated emergency contact if you’re unavailable.
If your kitty needs medical attention, we’ll follow your Vet Release Form and take them to your veterinarian or, after hours, the nearest 24-hour emergency clinic. Once there, we can help keep you connected while the veterinary team evaluates your kitty and discusses next steps.
Yes. Many of our Kitty Caregivers are experienced in supporting cats with medication and other established at-home care routines. Depending on the type of care needed, a trained Kitty Caregiver may be able to administer medications, supplements, or certain injections when they are within our approved scope.
We carefully follow the established instructions provided by you and your veterinarian. Our Kitty Caregivers do not diagnose, prescribe, change dosages, alter veterinary instructions, or make independent medical decisions. If anything is unclear or outside our scope, we stop and seek clarification rather than guess.
Please discuss your kitty’s specific medical-care needs with us before booking so we can confirm whether we’re able to provide the requested care. Additional fees may apply.
Absolutely! In addition to vacation care, Slinky Cat can provide long-term kitty care for clients who need ongoing support for several months or even longer. We’ve cared for kitties during extended hospital stays, military deployments, and other circumstances when their humans needed dependable, consistent care at home.
We’ll work with you to develop a care plan based on your kitty’s routine, individual needs, and the expected length of care. Our team approach allows us to provide continuity over an extended period while helping your kitty build relationships with trusted, familiar Kitty Caregivers.
Our Almost Overnight Bedtime Tuck-In is a 90-minute evening visit designed for kitties who could benefit from extra companionship, attention, and enrichment before settling in for the night.
In our experience, most kitties don’t consider their Kitty Caregiver part of their normal bedtime routine. They know when their humans are away, and we’ve found that a longer evening visit can provide plenty of quality time and companionship while still allowing them to settle comfortably into their familiar nighttime routine once we leave.
Traditional overnight care is not part of our regular kitty care services, but in certain circumstances we may be able to accommodate it on a case-by-case basis, depending on your kitty’s needs and caregiver availability.
Cats are our specialty! While Slinky Cat is a cat-focused pet care company, we occasionally care for other family pets, including dogs, bunnies, guinea pigs, fish, and other small companions.
Care for pets other than cats is considered on a case-by-case basis based on their individual needs, our service area, and our Kitty Caregivers’ experience and comfort level.
Have another kind of purrbaby—or perhaps one who doesn’t purr at all? Just ask! We’ll be happy to let you know whether Slinky Cat is the right fit for their care.
We recommend reserving your kitty care as soon as your flights and accommodations are confirmed. Many Slinky Cat parents book several months in advance, especially for holidays and busy travel periods.
When possible, please allow at least 4–6 weeks, although we’re always happy to accommodate last-minute requests when our schedule allows. New clients should also allow time to complete their in-home Meet & Greet before kitty care begins.
Yes. While humans might get holidays off, our Slinky Cats still need food, fresh water, clean litter boxes, love, and attention 365 days a year!
During major holidays, we adjust schedules to make sure every kitty receives the care they need. Our holiday surcharge helps recognize our Kitty Caregivers’ commitment and availability during these especially busy times.
We understand that travel plans can change. Our cancellation policy depends on how much notice we receive and may differ during peak holiday periods.
Because we reserve time specifically for your purrbaby and schedule our Kitty Caregivers accordingly, cancellations made close to the start of care may be subject to cancellation fees. This helps us honor our commitment to our team members when they’ve reserved time in their schedules for your kitty’s care.
Please let us know as soon as your plans change so we can adjust your kitty’s care and our schedule accordingly.
Our office and phone hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Kitty Care Services are available 365 days a year from 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. Visits are scheduled within our designated visit windows based on your kitty’s routine, care needs, location, and our daily schedule.
Because kitties don’t take weekends or holidays off, our Kitty Caregivers are out providing Peace of Mind Kitty Care™ every day of the year. 🐾
