You’d love to take a quick trip, but what about your beloved pet at home…? When pet owners are away, it’s common to ask family or friends to look after their pets, or to board them at a pet hotel. But if your pet is timid and doesn’t do well in new environments, or has an active personality that doesn’t adapt well to life in a cage at a pet hotel, an pet sitter‘s in-home care service might be a great new option.
What is a pet sitter?
A pet sitter is someone who provides pet care services at the owner’s home or at the sitter’s own home. This is already a well-established service in Western countries, where it’s common to find and book an available nearby pet sitter through major platforms like Rover and PetBacker. In Japan, Fluv, pet sitter SOS, and Orange pet sitters are popular pet sitter platforms trusted by many pet owners.
Many pet owners highly recommend pet sitter services. Fluv is the most convenient, cost-effective, and trustworthy pet sitter platform in Japan. Fluv has over 8,000 pet sitters across Asia who have received American-style pet sitter training and passed rigorous screening.
What pet sitters do
• In-home care: A pet sitter visits the owner’s home to take care of their pet.
Services include: preparing and serving meals, cleaning and tidying the living environment, playtime, and reporting back to the owner. Key feature: You can invite the pet sitter to your home ahead of time so they can meet your pet and get familiar with the environment. This is an ideal service for cats that don’t like going out or dogs with limited mobility.
No matter which service you use, pet sitters always take photos of your pet and send reports to the owner, so even when you’re away from home, you can check on your pet and feel at ease! Whether your pet stays at home or at the sitter’s place, they’ll receive loving, attentive care.
Top pet sitters in Shinjuku
TOMOE
I currently live with two dogs (a Shiba Inu and a Poodle) and two cats (a Ragdoll and a Munchkin). I love cats and dogs so much that I obtained my groomer license last year. I’m here to provide reassurance and support by empathizing with pets who may feel anxious when left home alone, so you can feel confident leaving them in my care.
- Reviews: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
- Price: 💰 ¥5,000 / 30 min
- Services:
- 🐶 Dog care services
- Health check, walk, feeding, water refill, playtime, litter/toilet cleaning
- Feeding-only visits available from 30 minutes
- Visits including a walk available from 60 minutes
- 🐱 Cat care services
- Health check, feeding, water refill, playtime, litter box cleaning (refilling, replacing, and cleaning cat litter)
- ✔️ Every step is documented with a photo report (bathing, feeding, mealtime behavior, litter box use, hydration status, etc.)
- ✔️ Care and feeding tailored to your requests
- ✔️ For first-time clients, I’ll visit your home before the pet sitting date to confirm the service details, exchange keys, and go over everything in advance. (30 min – 1 hour)
- 🐶 Dog care services
- Service area: Shibuya Ward, Shinjuku Ward, Minato Ward
- Booking link: https://fluv.com/profiles/dzp70Nb0OHcLL67D0cFz57yXVSq1?action=share&openExternalBrowser=1
Marimo
🐶🐱 Certified veterinary nurse. Until last year, I spent four years working as a veterinary nurse, always thinking about what’s best for both the pet and the owner. I’ve also obtained my national certification as a registered veterinary nurse, and I use that experience to provide care tailored to each individual pet. I’m skilled at reading a pet’s feelings and interacting gently so they can relax. From small dogs to large dogs and cats, I care for every pet with sincerity and love, doing my best to give both owners and pets peace of mind. I take the responsibility of caring for your precious family member to heart.
- Reviews: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
- Price: 💰 ¥4,000 / 30 min
- Services:
- Standard pet sitting services: walks, feeding, playtime, toilet cleaning, etc. Weekends & holidays: generally available all day 👌 (please inquire about specific times). Weekdays: 8:00 PM onward only (may vary by area). Daytime visits may also be possible on some days — feel free to ask!
- 🐶 Dog care services
- Health check, walk, feeding, water refill, playtime, litter/toilet cleaning
- Feeding-only visits available from 30 minutes
- Visits including a walk available from 60 minutes
- 🐱 Cat care services
- Health check, feeding, water refill, playtime, litter box cleaning (refilling, replacing, and cleaning cat litter)
- ✔️ Every step is documented with a photo report (bathing, feeding, mealtime behavior, litter box use, hydration status, etc.)
- ✔️ Care and feeding tailored to your requests
- ✔️ For first-time clients, I’ll visit your home before the pet sitting date to confirm the service details, exchange keys, and go over everything in advance. (30 min – 1 hour)
- Service area: Minato Ward, Koto Ward, Shibuya Ward, Nakano Ward, Suginami Ward, Toshima Ward, Kita Ward, Arakawa Ward, Itabashi Ward, Nerima Ward
- Booking link: https://fluv.com/profiles/tBTmFrEWuuWBysIwgcjGI9gq9kd2?action=share&openExternalBrowser=1
Which is right for my pet — a pet hotel, a pet sitter, or in-home pet boarding?
How to choose a pet hotel or pet sitter for your dog:
| Yes | No | |
| Does your pet get lonely easily? | 24-hour pet sitter | Pet hotel |
| Does your pet get along well with other pets? | Pet hotel | One-on-one pet sitter |
| Has your pet been spayed/neutered and vaccinated? | Pet hotel | One-on-one pet sitter |
| Can your pet adapt to new environments? | Pet hotel | In-home pet sitter |
| Has your pet been crate trained? | Pet hotel | In-home pet sitter or cage-free pet hotel |
| Does your pet have a medical history such as heart disease or skin conditions? | One-on-one pet sitter with veterinary assistant experience | Pet hotel |
| Does your pet need special care such as medication, eye drops, or subcutaneous injections? | Pet sitter with veterinary assistant experience | Pet hotel |
| Does your pet need to learn socialization and interaction with other pets? | Multi-pet household friendly pet hotel | Pet sitter |
| Is your pet under 1 year old or over 7 years old? | One-on-one pet sitter specializing in puppies and senior dogs | Puppy-specialized pet hotel or animal hospital |
| Does your pet need 24-hour monitoring cameras? | Pet hotel | Pet sitter |
| Does your pet need to sleep with someone? | Pet hotel | Pet sitter |
| Does your pet need walks? | Pet sitter | Pet hotel |
| Does your pet need regular health checks and photo reports? | Pet sitter | Pet hotel |
| Does your pet need insurance coverage? | Book through a pet sitter platform | Pet hotel |
| Are you on a limited budget? | Pet sitter | Pet hotel |
How to choose a pet hotel, cat-only hotel, or pet sitter for your cat:
| Yes | No | |
| Does your pet feel anxious when going out? | In-home pet sitter | Pet hotel |
| Does your pet get along well with other pets? | Pet hotel | Pet sitter |
| Has your pet been spayed/neutered and vaccinated? | Pet hotel | One-on-one pet sitter |
| Can your pet handle going out and changes in environment? (Without losing appetite or becoming unwell) | Pet hotel | In-home pet sitter |
| Does your pet have a medical history such as heart disease, skin conditions, or kidney disease? | One-on-one pet sitter with veterinary assistant experience | Pet hotel |
| Does your pet need special care? (Medication, eye drops, subcutaneous injections, etc.) | Pet sitter with veterinary assistant experience | Pet hotel |
| Does your pet need to learn socialization and interaction with other pets? | Multi-pet household friendly pet hotel | Pet sitter |
| Is your pet under 1 year old or over 7 years old? | One-on-one pet sitter specializing in kittens and senior cats | Kitten-specialized pet hotel or animal hospital |
| Do you need 24-hour monitoring cameras? | Pet hotel | Pet sitter |
| Do you need regular health checks and photo reports? | Pet sitter | Pet hotel |
| Does your pet need insurance coverage? | Book through a pet sitter platform | Pet hotel |
| Are you on a limited budget? | Pet sitter | Pet hotel |
| Do you have a monitoring camera at home? | In-home pet sitter | Pet sitter or pet hotel |
| Does your pet eat raw food, fresh food, or canned food? | Pet sitter or pet hotel | Pet sitter or pet hotel |
| Do you have an automatic feeder? | In-home pet sitter for regular dry food refills | Pet hotel |
| Do you have multiple pets? | In-home pet sitter | Pet hotel |
| Do you have privacy concerns at home? | Pet hotel | An in-home pet sitter is better suited to cats’ natural behavior |
Pricing information
| Service duration | Price per visit | Additional fees | |
| In-home pet sitter | 30 min | ¥4,000 – ¥6,500 | Rate doubles for 5 or more pets |
| Home-style pet boarding | 8 hours or more | ¥3,000 – ¥6,000 | Additional fee of ¥500 – ¥4,500 based on weight |
Frequently asked questions about pet sitters
1. How does a sitter get into my home when I’m away?
Through an initial home visit, the sitter comes to your home in advance to meet your pet for the first time, check the layout of care supplies like food bowls, litter boxes, and cleaning supplies, and get to know your pet’s personality. During this visit, you can discuss key handover arrangements with the sitter. Typically, owners hand over keys through their building’s front desk or concierge.
2. How are pet sitters screened? Is it safe to trust a stranger?
Fluv’s pet sitters are animal lovers with pet care or volunteer experience who undergo identity verification and training before being registered as sitters. Owners can check sitter ratings and reviews through Fluv’s review system, making it easy to choose a sitter you can trust with confidence.
3. My pet is very shy around strangers — is it okay to use a pet sitter?
If your pet is shy and takes time to warm up to new people, the initial home visit gives your pet and the sitter a chance to meet and build trust. If you still have concerns, you and the sitter can discuss together whether this type of care is a good fit.
If your pet tends to be aggressive, a pet sitter service may not be suitable. This is not only to protect the sitter, but also to prevent accidents caused by your pet becoming overly stressed.
4. My pet needs to take medication or have wounds treated — can a pet sitter help with that?
If your pet has special needs, you can book a pet sitter with medical care skills. You can also communicate with the sitter in advance when making your reservation to clearly explain the details of the medical care required.
Pet sitter in-home care video
🐾 Protecting the bond between you and your cat
Because cats can’t speak for themselves, the care you choose as their owner is everything.
That’s why your precious family member deserves a trustworthy cat sitter.
Don’t miss this opportunity!
With the Fluv app, you can make a choice that’s safe and loving for both you and your cat.
📲 Download now and find the perfect sitter for your cat!
🔗 Download the official Fluv app
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