How much should I charge for catsitting?

[Orang Utan]

A client of a friend of mine has got in touch with me to ask me to feed their cat for a fortnight while they are on their hols. I shall have to cycle 8 miles to do it and spend at least an hour with the cat so it doesn't feel too abandoned. I was asked how much I wanted. I was initially gonna do it as a favour in return for somewhere to live for a fortnight, but my friend appears not to have communicated this to the client, so they assumed I would be visiting and feeding, which is certainly fine as I get some exercise, get to play with a kitty for an hour and get some renumeration for my troubles.
I have no idea what to ask for my troubles. I thought of a reasonable hourly rate, but it seems a bit extortionate when calculated.
What is a reasonable rate for catsitting, or more accurately, catfeeding?

 

[Pingu]

 

[Orang Utan]

That's what I just said to my friend!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Just offer the hourly rate and give them an alternative of doing it for free if you can live there for the duration...

 

[Orang Utan]

I don't really want to live in a stranger's house. It's different if it's a mate's.

 

[fredfelt]

They probably think of it as an exchange, you get somewhere to live they get someone to feed their cat.

I have a cat and have a couple of friends who are happy with this exchange.

Speak to them. They may well have someone else who'll be happy to cat sit for them. If not, as previously advised, quote them a million dollars and and take it from there.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

A client of a friend of mine has got in touch with me to ask me to feed their cat for a fortnight while they are on their hols. I shall have to cycle 8 miles to do it and spend at least an hour with the cat so it doesn't feel too abandoned. I was asked how much I wanted. I was initially gonna do it as a favour in return for somewhere to live for a fortnight, but my friend appears not to have communicated this to the client, so they assumed I would be visiting and feeding, which is certainly fine as I get some exercise, get to play with a kitty for an hour and get some renumeration for my troubles.
I have no idea what to ask for my troubles. I thought of a reasonable hourly rate, but it seems a bit extortionate when calculated.
What is a reasonable rate for catsitting, or more accurately, catfeeding?

Someone's looking after our dog while we vacation, at their house. They're charging $40 per day.

 

[Geri]

£10 per day.

I pay mine with beer.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I don't really want to live in a stranger's house. It's different if it's a mate's.

Fair enough. Check the competition: http://www.london-pet-sitting.com/london-pet-sitting-prices

Tenner a visit seems like bare minimum to me, I'm not sure I would be arsed doing it for less than that unless you owe your mate or anything?

It's why most people do reciprocal things with cat owning neighbours - everyone I know does.

 

[Orang Utan]

Someone's looking after our dog while we vacation, at their house. They're charging $40 per day.

That's £25 a day, £350 for the fortnight - that seems a bit much!

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

£10 per day.

I pay mine with beer.

Ten quid a day to cycle 16 miles alone is a joke before you even look after the cat. Ten quids wouldn't cover your train fair.

Charge what you would be happy to do the job for.
It looks like at least a 40 quids per day job.

 

[Orang Utan]

So would £150 for the fortnight be reasonable?

 

[zenie]

.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

So would £150 for the fortnight be reasonable?

Offer £200 and then if they pull a surprised face you can show them the professional prices and/or knock some money off.

But Suplex is right about your inconvenience/travel etc. You're not a charity!

 

[Orang Utan]

I cycle about that a day for exercise anyway.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I cycle about that a day for exercise anyway.

They don't know that.

 

[Orang Utan]

Offer £200 and then if they pull a surprised face you can show them the professional prices and/or knock some money off.

But Suplex is right about your inconvenience/travel etc. You're not a charity!

Just a charity case!

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

That's £25 a day, £350 for the fortnight - that seems a bit much!

I think it's more like 20 pounds or a little less. It seems a bit steep to me, too, but that's the going rate. It is at their house, though, and they'll have to buy the food out of that money.

 

[Greebo]

So would £150 for the fortnight be reasonable?

IMHO it could be, bear in mind that they want a cat sitter who's genuinely fond of cats (which you are). It'd be a good starting point for negotiating.

 

[twentythreedom]

200 quid

 

[Edie]

They might jump at the chance of you stopping there, security and company for the cat. Or would you really not want to live there?

 

[Orang Utan]

I'd rather not. I'm a bit clumsy!
I will if they ask me to later, but judging by the phonecall I had, I think they just wanted me to visit.

 

[samk]

Depends on the shape of the cat, they are usually not as comfortable as chairs

 

[IC3D]

I think you need to find out how loaded they are, dog walkers often charge £20 a day for less bother.

 

[Jackobi]

£210

 

[Firky]

A Neighbour once asked me to feed their cats for the weekend whilst they were away. I Nicked their wifi password off their router and had free internets for about six months

 

[quimcunx]

Just read this as 'how much should I charge for castrating' and wondered why you thought we'd know.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Just read this as 'how much should I charge for castrating' and wondered why you thought we'd know.

Depends on the shape of the cat, they are usually not as comfortable as chairs

 

[silverfish]

invest in an automatic cat feeder and only do the trip twice. Cats don't need human company they just need feeding, then reinvest the profit in more automatic cat feeder, build your evil cat feeding/neglect empire and franchise it out to other loafers like yourself.

eventually buy the north korean automatic cat feeder factory and control the market price, dominate the world and buy an island hideaway with sharks in swimming pools

 

[moose]

I use a professional pet sitting service, and they charge £8.50 per visit, travelling about 6 miles to get here. They clean all the bowls, put fresh food and water out, and have a cuddle and text me a picture of him if they see him.