If you've ever Googled "what to do with my cat while I'm away," you've hit the same fork every cat parent hits: in-home cat sitting or boarding.
They're both valid. They're not equivalent. Here's how to think about it.
The short version
- In-home cat sitting (a sitter visits your home, or stays overnight) is usually better for the cat.
- Boarding (your cat stays at a facility or someone else's home) is occasionally the right call, especially for cats on complex medical regimens, or stays longer than two weeks.
Stress on the cat
Cats are territorial. Their home is their security. Moving a cat to an unfamiliar environment, even a nice one, typically causes:
- Reduced eating for the first 2–4 days
- Hiding, sometimes for the entire stay
- Occasional stress-related issues like FLUTD flare-ups or vomiting
An in-home sitter eliminates almost all of this. Your cat stays in its own space, with its own smells, its own hiding spots, its own windows.
Cost
For stays under 10 days, in-home sitting is usually cheaper than boarding in major cities. Typical ranges:
| Option | Typical daily cost |
|---|---|
| Drop-in visit (1x/day) | $25–$45 |
| Drop-in visit (2x/day) | $45–$75 |
| Overnight in-home sit | $60–$110 |
| Boarding facility (cat-only) | $40–$80 |
| Boarding facility (premium) | $80–$150 |
Boarding is per cat. In-home sitting scales much better with multiple cats typically just a small add-on per extra cat.
When boarding actually makes sense
Not always the wrong answer. Consider boarding if:
- Your cat has a serious medical condition that needs professional monitoring
- You'll be gone for 3+ weeks
- Your home isn't safe to leave unattended (recent flood risk, construction, etc.)
- Your cat has a history of escaping and you don't trust door-opening protocols
When in-home sitting is the clear winner
- Short trips (under 2 weeks)
- Senior cats
- Cats with anxiety or a history of hiding
- Multi-cat households
- Cats on routine medication (most sitters handle pills and insulin)
How to book in-home sitting
Find verified, cat-owning sitters in your area on Pawsible. Sitters are cat parents themselves, not a generalist with a side hustle.