Pet sitting as a side job in your neighbourhood: for some animal lovers, it’s like living the dream. For Sonja, it’s become a true part of her life. “In summer, I even take time off work so I can focus on pet sitting,” she says.
As a Pawshake sitter, you get to know people and pets in your area, do what you love, and earn a little extra along the way. So what can we learn from Pawshake’s most successful sitters? Pet sitter Sonja shares her tips and tricks. “It’s become a way of life for me.”
She had two cats of her own and was looking for a sitter to care for them while she was on holiday. “I actually found a sitter through Pawshake, just by googling,” she says. “My oldest cat is quite shy, so a cattery would never work. They’d be separated into different cages, and just the trip there would already stress them out. I wouldn’t be able to relax on holiday knowing that.”
Pawshake turned out to be the perfect solution — her cats could stay in their own home, and the sitter came to look after them. “I thought, what a great idea! I’d love to do this myself,” she says.
Sonja signed up as a sitter in the summer of 2019. Then came 2020 and the pandemic hit, when hardly anyone was travelling. Even so, she managed to build a successful pet-sitting profile. “In the beginning you really have to invest, but once your first guests leave a good review, people start booking you more often.”
A familiar face in the neighbourhood
What started as a fun side project has now become a way of life. “Thanks to word-of-mouth, I’m now the local cat sitter everyone knows. People in Bergschenhoek recognise me, even the cats in the windows do!”
Sonja focuses only on cats and offers home visits as her main service. “I adore cats, but I can’t fill my house with them. This way I still get to spend time with lots of different cats. And you help people — you meet neighbours you might never have spoken to otherwise. I really love that.”
“Even the cats in the windows recognise me when I walk past.”
Building trust
When meeting new clients, Sonja always takes her time. “I usually stay for about an hour,” she says. “I watch how the cat reacts to me so the owners can see that interaction. It helps them feel at ease.”
During each booking, she keeps in close contact with the pet parent. She sends photos and videos and lets them know if anything unusual happens. “Once I had to take a cat to the vet, and another time I noticed blood in a cat’s urine. I always check in with the owner right away. Keeping the communication short and clear works best.”
That level of care has built a lot of trust over the years. “Some people even plan their holidays around my schedule,” she says with a smile. “I really care about the cats, but also about the people. During busy times like summer or Christmas, I even take time off work so I can do more home visits. It’s my version of a holiday, it gives me energy.”
No two cats the same
During a home visit, Sonja feeds the cats, plays with them, cleans the litter box, and takes a few photos. “I always stay for at least half an hour,” she says. “Sometimes I also water the plants or collect the mail. Occasionally there are rabbits or other small pets to care for too.”
After years of sitting, Sonja knows that no two cats are the same. “When the owner is there for the first meeting, cats often behave differently. Once you visit a few times, you get to know their quirks. That’s my favourite part! Even if a year goes by, they still recognise me.”
She’s especially patient with shy cats. “Some I’ve been visiting for three years, and only now they let me pet them. It feels like a little gift.”
The Pawshake Guarantee
Sonja is enthusiastic about the platform itself. “Pawshake usually pops up first when people search online, and you can browse around without paying straight away. That gives people confidence. It’s great that there’s also an extra layer of security — I always explain that to new clients.”
For her, Pawshake also makes things easier. “It’s simple to use and communication is quick. And when I go on holiday myself, I book my own sitter through Pawshake too.”
Over time, Sonja has even made friends with other sitters. “It’s great that we can refer clients to each other when one of us isn’t available. And during bookings, we can help out in emergencies — for example, if a cat needs medication and it’s tricky to give. It’s nice to have that kind of backup.”
You and the pet you’re looking after are extra protected under the Pawshake Guarantee.
Going the extra mile
So what makes Sonja such a successful sitter? “You can’t be afraid to go the extra mile,” she says. “Do a bit of cleaning if needed, pick up a bag of food when it’s almost finished, take out a full rubbish bag. And it’s important to reply quickly when owners message you. People like to feel reassured — and they love coming home after their holiday to a clean house and happy cats. Then they know everything went well. Because I have cats myself, I understand how important that peace of mind is. You have to give that to the owners too.”
She smiles. “It’s nice to earn some extra money, and if you do it often it really adds up. But for me, that’s not the main thing. You should do this because it makes you happy — then the cats will be happy too.”
Want to know more about Sonja? 👉 Check out Sonja’s Pawshake profile here.
Thinking about becoming a sitter yourself? 🐾 Sign up here to get started.
