The pet sitter meet and greet: a checklist
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
A meet and greet is a first meeting at your home, before any booking, where the sitter meets your pet and you. Use it to watch how your pet reacts, how the sitter handles it, walk through the routine and the flat, and ask your questions. If either of you is unsure, do not book.
The RSPCA advises meeting a sitter before you hire and arranging introductory sessions so your pet settles with them. Every Petym booking will start with a free meet and greet with the sitter.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
What is a meet and greet for?
Three things: your pet meets the sitter, the sitter learns your home, and you decide whether to trust them.
The RSPCA's advice on choosing a pet sitter is to meet them before hiring, check references, and arrange introductory sessions before you leave so your pet settles with the carer. Battersea suggests interviewing prospective carers first, so you can meet them and they can meet your cat. The American Kennel Club recommends an in-home consultation where you discuss the sitter's experience and how they deal with emergencies.
A meet and greet is not a formality. It is the only time before the booking when you can see the sitter with your pet, in your home, while you are there to step in. A good sitter treats it as their interview as much as yours, and comes with questions of their own.
When Petym opens in your city, every first booking will start with a free meet and greet with the sitter. Petym sitters will have had their identity verified with PAN and completed pet first-aid training before their first booking, and they will name a 24-hour vet within reach. The meet and greet is where you check the rest for yourself.
How does a meet and greet run?
Plan for it to take as long as it needs. Rushing is the most common mistake.
Before the day
Fill in your care sheet so you can go through it together. Tell the security desk to expect a visitor, and approve them on the society's app.
Arrival
Meet at the door calmly. For a dog, a short walk outside the building first can make the first meeting easier than at the front door.
The first minutes with your pet
Let your pet approach the sitter, not the other way round. Cats Protection says to let a cat make the first move. Cats Protection
The walk-through
Food, medicines, the litter tray or walk gear, the pet's spots, the inverter, windows and balcony doors, the water.
A trial
For a dog, a short walk with you there: how the sitter holds the leash, how they handle the lift and other dogs. For a cat, feeding or a short play.
Questions both ways
Your questions on experience and emergencies; theirs on your pet's habits and fears. American Kennel Club
Afterwards
Talk it over at home. Note how your pet behaved after the sitter left. Decide, or arrange a second meeting.
What should you check at a meet and greet?
Take this list with you. You should be able to tick most of it.
- The sitter arrives on time, and the identity you were given matches the person.
- They let your pet come to them, rather than reaching over or grabbing. Cats Protection
- They notice your pet's signals: they back off if it shows whale eye, a tucked tail, lip licking or yawning. ASPCA (ASPCApro)
- They ask about food, walks, medicines, fears, habits and the vet without being prompted.
- They can describe what they would do in an emergency, step by step. American Kennel Club
- They know where the nearest 24-hour vet is, or ask you.
- They handle the leash or the carrier confidently on the trial.
- They read the care sheet and ask about anything unclear.
- They explain how they will update you while you are away.
- They are honest about what they cannot do, such as a pet that needs injections or a dog they cannot hold.
- You have their full name, phone number and, for a direct hire, a way to verify their ID.
- You feel comfortable. Cats Protection says not to feel obliged to book a sitter you are not comfortable with. Cats Protection
How do you read your dog's reaction to the sitter?
Look at the whole dog and the moment, as the ASPCA advises, not just the tail.
| Relaxed | Worried or stressed | |
|---|---|---|
| Eyes ASPCA (ASPCApro) | Squinting or soft, almond-shaped, no white showing | Round, with white showing around the edge (whale eye), or dilated, glassy pupils |
| Mouth ASPCA (ASPCApro) | Open and relaxed, perhaps panting gently | Closed tight, lips pulled back, sudden closing of the mouth, drooling without food |
| Yawning and licking ASPCA (ASPCApro) | A yawn when settling to rest | Yawning and lip licking with a tight mouth, often a sign of early stress |
| Tail ASPCA (ASPCApro) | Neutral, with a loose wag or a sweeping circle | Tucked between the legs, held rigid, or wagging stiffly |
| Coat ASPCA (ASPCApro) | Flat | Hair raised along the back (hackles), or shedding more than usual |
A worried dog at a first meeting is common. What matters is whether the sitter notices and gives it space, and whether the dog relaxes as the visit goes on.
How should a sitter meet a cat for the first time?
Slowly, quietly and on the cat's terms.
Do
- Sit down and let the cat make the first move. Cats Protection
- Make sure the cat has an escape route or a high place to hide. Cats Protection
- Move slowly and speak softly. Cats Protection
- Let the cat start any contact, which International Cat Care says helps a cat feel in control. International Cat Care
Don’t
- Pick the cat up or pull it out from under the bed. Cats Protection
- Stare at a nervous cat or follow it from room to room.
- Judge the sitter by whether a shy cat comes out on the first visit. Many do not.
- Hold the meeting during a noisy time, such as when the maid is mopping or guests are over.
What should the sitter ask you?
A good sitter interviews you too. If they ask nothing, that tells you something.
Expect questions about your pet's daily routine, what it eats and when, how it behaves on a leash and with other dogs, any bite history or fear, medicines and how they are given, health conditions, your vet, and what you want done in an emergency. For a cat: where it hides, how many trays, and how it reacts to strangers. For your home: the society's rules, the guard and gate process, who else has a key, and the power backup.
A sitter should also ask what updates you want and how to reach you. If they do not ask about emergencies or the vet, ask them directly how they would handle one.
What should you decide after the meet and greet?
If Your pet relaxed, the sitter handled it well, and they answered your questions clearly.
Book, and consider a short trial visit before a long trip. Questions to ask a pet sitter
If Your pet was nervous but the sitter gave it space and it settled.
That is a good sign. Arrange a second short visit before the booking.
If Your pet stayed frightened and the sitter kept pushing contact.
Look for a different sitter. Red flags when hiring a pet sitter
If The sitter was vague about emergencies, ID or what they would do.
Do not book. See the red flags guide. Red flags when hiring a pet sitter
If You are unsure and cannot say why.
Trust that. You are not obliged to book a sitter you do not feel comfortable with. Cats Protection
What about the rest of the household?
In an Indian home, the sitter will meet more than you and your pet.
If your cook, maid or driver comes during the day, try to time the meet and greet so they meet the sitter too, or at least tell them who the sitter is. Agree who feeds the pet and who does not, and the rule for the main door. Introduce the sitter to the guard on the way out. If you live with older parents or children, include them: they may be home during visits and should know the plan.
If you have more than one pet, let the sitter meet all of them, separately if needed. A sitter who is comfortable with your calm dog may not be ready for your reactive one.
What if your pet is a rescue, reactive or very shy?
Plan the meeting around your pet, and expect it to take more than one visit.
For a dog that is reactive to strangers, meet outside first, on neutral ground near your building, and walk side by side before going in. Ask the sitter not to look at, speak to or reach for the dog at first, and to drop treats rather than hand them over. The ASPCA's body language guide is useful here: a dog showing whale eye, a closed tight mouth or a tucked tail needs more distance, not more encouragement.
For an adopted Indie or a rescue cat with a hard past, a second short visit is normal before any booking. A sitter who suggests it is doing the right thing. Tell the sitter about any bite or scratch history honestly, because it keeps both the sitter and your pet safe, and it decides whether visits or an overnight stay make more sense.
Going away soon? Tell us your dates.
A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Questions owners ask
What is a pet sitter meet and greet?
- A first meeting at your home before any booking, where the sitter meets you and your pet. You show them the routine and the flat, watch how your pet reacts to them and how they handle it, and ask your questions. The RSPCA advises meeting any sitter before you hire them.
How long should a meet and greet take?
- Long enough to do it properly: introductions at your pet's pace, a walk-through of the flat and the care sheet, a short trial walk or feed, and questions both ways. Do not schedule it in a rush before work. If your pet needs more time, arrange a second short visit.
Is the meet and greet free with Petym?
- Yes. When Petym opens in your city, every first booking will start with a free meet and greet with the sitter at your home, before you book. It is the time to check the sitter, watch your pet's reaction, and go through the care plan together.
What if my dog barks at the sitter during the meet and greet?
- Barking at a stranger is common. Watch what the sitter does: a good sitter gives the dog space, avoids staring or reaching over it, and lets it approach. If the dog settles as the visit goes on, that is a good sign. If it stays frightened or the sitter pushes contact, look elsewhere.
My cat hid the whole time. Should I still book the sitter?
- A hiding cat is normal with a stranger. Cats Protection says to let a cat make the first move and never force it out. Judge the sitter on how they behaved: calm, quiet and patient is right. Ask them how they would check on a hiding cat during visits.
What should I ask a pet sitter at the meet and greet?
- Ask about their experience with pets like yours, what they would do in an emergency, which 24-hour vet is nearest, how they give medicines, how they will update you, and what they would do if your pet escaped or stopped eating. A good sitter answers specifically, not with general reassurance.
Should the meet and greet happen at my home?
- Yes, for a sitter who will care for your pet at home. Your pet behaves most naturally there, and the sitter needs to see the flat, the society, the walk route and where everything is kept. For home boarding, also visit the sitter's home before the booking.
Should I book a trial visit after the meet and greet?
- For a long trip, yes. A short paid visit or a single walk while you are still in town shows how your pet behaves with the sitter when you are not in the room, and how the sitter updates you. The RSPCA suggests introductory sessions before you leave so a pet settles with its carer.
Keep reading
Services that help
- Overnight pet sittingA sitter sleeps in your home and keeps your pet's routine going.
- Drop-in visits30 or 60 minute visits at home, one to three a day. Best for cats.
- Dog walking30 or 60 minute one-to-one walks, your dog only, at your dog's times.
- Pet boarding in a sitter's homeYour pet stays in a checked sitter's home, not a kennel.
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- Separation anxiety in dogs
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- How to choose a pet sitter
- Questions to ask a pet sitter
- Red flags when hiring a pet sitter
- How pet sitting is priced
- Chocolate poisoning in dogs
- Foods and plants toxic to cats
- Foods toxic to dogs
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- Pet first aid basics
- Senior pets and pets on medication
- Signs your pet needs a vet now
- Ticks and tick fever
- Adopting a senior pet
- Adopting an indie dog
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- Diwali and firecrackers
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- Festival travel and your pet
- Summer pet care in India
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- Vaccines before boarding
Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- RSPCA (England and Wales): Pet sitting (opens in a new tab)
- Battersea Dogs & Cats Home: What should I do with my cat when I go on holiday? (opens in a new tab)
- American Kennel Club: How to select a pet sitter (opens in a new tab)
- Cats Protection: Meeting other people (opens in a new tab)
- ASPCA (ASPCApro): Canine body language (PDF handout) (opens in a new tab)
- International Cat Care: Stress in cats (opens in a new tab)
- Cats Protection: Going on holiday without your cat (opens in a new tab)