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](/content/sitters-nearby/index.html). Sitters are cat parents themselves, not a generalist with a side hustle.