The Guardian - Life & Style • Feb. 2, 2026, 11:45 a.m.

Cat-sitting can only be relied upon for pocket money, but it has enriched me in other ways. The most unexpected benefit has been finally meeting my neighbours I am a crazy cat lady, except for one small obstacle: I do not own a cat.

Though my boyfriend and I discuss names for cats, like other couples do for children, renting in London has put a stop to adding one to our family. So I had pushed dreams of filling the cat-sized hole in my life to one side, only allowing myself momentary relapses when friendly cats crossed my path in the street.

That was until I stumbled across the best solution to being reluctantly feline free: becoming a cat-sitter. It started when I decided to quit my job.

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