Kate and Mike

More Information

About Us

We're Kate and Mike, an established couple from Devon who have been house and pet sitting full time for the past two years. We are both friendly, caring, non-smoking professionals, who want to use this opportunity to care for some beautiful animals, embrace the responsibility that comes with looking after someone's home, and have some amazing adventures along the way! We have our own transport, hold animal care certificates, and Kate is qualified in Pet first aid and CPR.

While Covid is still active we will be adopting full virus related precautions (including social distancing, full cleaning of all surfaces prior to handover etc.). We are also only taking sits with the mutual understanding that everything is subject to change at the moment due to the potential for further lock-downs, developments in other countries, or illness/precautionary isolation.

Until the travel situation settles we are fully UK based, and (for the moment) will only be accepting sits within the UK. Given the uncertainties around Covid at the present time, we have also arranged access to accommodation should home owners plans need to change.

Extracts from some of our reviews (originals of course available on request)

"Kate and Mike were amazing sitters and I would be really happy if they came and sat for me again"

"They have been very organised and well prepared with everything from the beginning. They have been very good with our cats and incredibly patient with one of our cats, who is extremely timid and jumpy."

"very organised, great communication and house was left immaculate. Very happy. Looking forward to having you back!"

"The absolute best pet sitting experience I've had. Thank you so much! Kate and Mike are wonderful, thoughtful, organised and kind."

Kate
I've recently been working in I.T and data protection, helping organisations adapt to changing technologies and GDPR. I'm also a qualified social media specialist, with a fascination for the impact of social media on society and the individual. While I love words, and can often be found with a book in hand, I also adore being outside, particularly by the seaside - there's nothing better than beach combing on a blustery morning! Other interests include amateur entomology (I have a particular fondness for beetles), and history.

Mike
After 30 years working as a Civil Servant for the Ministry of Defence, I went back to University, completing a Business Management Degree in 2016. I am particularly interested in helping small businesses find ways to improve their processes and marketing - often small changes will give big results! Having been a home owner, and worked as a Unit Security Officer for MoD, I am safety conscious, very reliable, and comfortable dealing with unexpected situations. Very gregarious, and at home in any company, I love meeting new people, new animals, and seeing new places.

Why we want to house sit
We both value trust and responsibility and pet and house sitting allows us that responsibility, whilst we also get to spend time with a variety of new friends (both animal and human). Aware that leaving your beloved pets and house with strangers is a significant act of faith, we look to providing reassurance, whether that is through a comprehensive pre-sit questionnaire, regular updates by text or messenger (if wanted), or the satisfaction of seeing you come home to a tidy, clean home and happy pets.

We have both looked after and owned numerous cats and small animals over the years, have a large amount of dog and cat sitting experience and, in Kate's case, have several years' experience volunteering at a Wildlife Trust. This included caring for a variety of exotic animals, as well as reptiles (including bearded dragons and tortoises), invertebrates and smaller mammals.

Our Experience
Pets
Both of us have kept many much loved pets throughout our lives (everything from cats, guinea pigs and gerbils, to giant African land snails and stripy mice). As pet sitters we have looked after and loved numerous dogs and cats, including those with additional needs due to age or ill health. The welfare of the animals in our care is always our highest priority and we both hold animal care certificates. In addition, Kate's work at a Wildlife Trust has enabled her to gain hands on experience in caring for the health and well-being of a wide range of animals, from Parrots to Ring-tailed lemurs, and marmosets to Meerkats. She also holds a Pet first aid and CPR qualification.

Your home
As a previous home owner, Mike has the practical experience of looking after a property, and dealing with any emergencies which may arise. Both of us are highly security minded, particularly when we are trusted with somebody else's home, and we take our responsibilities very seriously.

Clean, tidy and well organised, we will respect your home, look after it as though it was our own, and return it to you just as you left it.

People
Perhaps the most important part of a successful house sit is communication, and we are both experienced, personally and professionally, in successful communication and information exchange.

We will always ask for detailed information on your home and pets before you leave, and we will also ask you to tell us how often you would like to be contacted while you are away (we will be more than happy to give daily updates with pictures and videos etc. of your pets. Equally, you may wish to completely relax, without any contact from us, in which case we would only contact you in the unlikely event of a significant emergency).

House and pet sitting can provide wonderful opportunities. It allows us the joy of looking after your beloved animals and home, whilst meeting new people and exploring new places, while you are able to relax, knowing your home and pets are in well qualified, caring hands. We look forward greatly to meeting you soon.

Kate and Mike