Alex R.
Potomac Yard-Potomac Greens, Alexandria, VA
Services
These prices are for 1 dog.Prices may vary based on your selections. A booking fee of 11% will apply.
Alex can care for
Availability
SCHEDULE: I work a full-time job, 40 hours a week in Alexandria. If booking morning visits, 6-8am works best. If booking evening visits 6:30pm onwards works best. I can be flexible if these times do not work well with your pet's schedule. I cater more to pet owners who are going out of town briefly. If you send a request for a time that I cannot do, I can almost always find a time to close to it, on the same day. Typically, I only care for one household a day but I occasionally will visit up to four a day around the holidays. In the event of an emergency, I am able to dedicate the time to take your cat to the vet. BOOKING TIMELINE: Please reach out as soon as possible. I can occasionally accommodate last minute requests but the more notice, the better.
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About Alex R.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I have been pet sitting on Rover since early 2023 and the majority of my visits have been drop-in visits for cats (or cats that live with dogs) while owners are away on holiday. This is the main type of Rover visit I accept and I have a lot of experience with a variety of cats that have had differing needs. Due to my cat-specific experience, I will check for things that affect your cat's quality of life. I always check that any water fountains and robot litter boxes are functioning properly. I have experience resetting both of these. I have also observed cats trying to eat things they shouldn't. I put things away if they are at risk to a cat and of course always look out for plastic, hair ties and string! I will also ensure that their eating and litter areas are kept tidy and clean. I wash bowls daily and fully empty and replace water bowls on each visit. I truly love cats. As a cat owner myself, I know how much important it is that your cat is safe and in good hands while you're away. I write very detailed Rover cards so you know exactly what I did during the stay, how your cat seems to be doing and what they've been up to.
Information Alex R. would like to know about your pet
MEET AND GREETS: Going forward, I will only accept bookings if we arrange an in-person meet and greet before the visit. In addition to learning the pets needs, these are a great opportunity to go over any general care instructions for their environment. During the meet and greet, we will go over: - Likelihood of behaviors the cat may exhibit in your absence. For example, does your cat eat less or protest poo outside the litter box when you're gone? Do they cough up hairballs regularly? - The cat's comfort level with strangers petting them & whether there are certain areas your cat hates being petted. For example, some cats hate being petted on their head. - Areas the cat is not allowed. For example, some cats are crafty and can open closet doors and others may jump on the counters when they are not allowed. - Feeding schedule. If it's as simple as opening a can or requires multiple steps, I find it very beneficial to walk through what feeding looks like with you. - Medication. I can administer medication to cats in their food and into their mouth but I am not comfortable with injections. If your cat requires injections, I recommend choosing a different sitter. - What to do in case of emergency. We will discuss where carriers are stored and any difficulties the cat may have with the vet. - Photos and videos. We will discuss whether you would like photos and videos and the frequency that I send them to you. MY MULTIPLE CATS POLICY: Through conversations with friends who own multiple pets, I have decided to decrease my rates for additional cats. It’s stressful enough trying to find the right sitter but there is an added, sometimes incremental, cost burden if you have more than one pet that needs care. I am still trying to work out how I will implement this but for the time-being, I have reduced my additional cat rate from $8 to $5 through to at least the end of 2026. I strongly suggest that if you are booking for 3+ cats that you book a 60 min drop-in visits. This helps ensure all the cats feel attended to, socialized and happy. It also ensures that there is enough time to properly scoop and top-up multiple litter boxes. I have also decreased my 60 min rate from $10 to $5. While these are small changes, prices can add up quickly. I am still working out how I can make my services more convenient for multiple cat owners.
A typical day
ROVER CARDS: For each drop-in visit, Rover requires me to submit a Rover card. As sitters, we have the option to include an optional note. I use this space to write a detailed overview of the visit.
Location
Alexandria, VA
Pets
Friend to spicy cats everywhere
Pet care experience
My decision to start petsitting was inspired by my devious best friend, Shadow. Shadow is a little, 10 year-old cat who likes to make it clear with other cats just how scary she thinks she is. All of Shadow's vets have described her as "spicy" and she lives up to that reputation. I truly believe that she is still holding a grudge against the cats that used to enter our old backyard and stare at her from the other side of the patio doors. When Shadow has been given "explore time" at pet boarding facilities, all she wants to do is go door-to-door hissing at other cats. It is not for her. "Difficult" pets, are just as loving and affectionate as any other pet. I know this firsthand. I also know how anxiety-inducing it can be to leave your pets in the care of someone else. Your pet might need time and space to adjust and feel at ease with new people and places. To me, Shadow is the sweetest, sleepiest ball of fluff but she is also very nervous and afraid of new surroundings or sudden changes. My goal is to make sure that both you and your pet feel safe and comfortable with your absence. I strive to provide the highest standard care by focusing on their happiness and safety. When with cats, these are my own guidelines that I adhere to: - Saying hello, quietly and calmly when I enter so the cat knows I am there. - Keeping a distance away from the cat at first. I do not assume that the cat wants to interact with me just because they are out exploring the home when I arrive. - Letting the cat choose when or if ever they want to say hello. - Not picking the cat up unless it is an emergency. - Keeping a consistent routine for my visits so the cat knows what to expect from me. As for my dog experience, I have several years of dog walking experience for friends and family. I have always loved dogs as I grew up with a rescue dog. I walk dogs occasionally on Rover but I have decided to focus on cat clients or dogs that live with cats.
Cat care experience
Alex also cares for cats. Learn about their cat-specific care experience.
Reviews
The cats love Alex!
Alex was an excellent sitter for our two cats. She takes special care to learn about their likes, dislikes, and any special care instructions and provides great communication and pictures from each visit. We feel extremely confident leaving our cats in Alex's care while we're away.
Alex was amazing. Truly I can’t say enough great things about her, and I would giver her ten stars out of five if I could. Best Rover I’ve ever had. I think my cat fell in love with Alex in four short days. Alex is super communicative, incredibly diligent, and went well above and beyond what was asked. I would have no hesitation hiring Alex again and in fact I plan to the next time I am out of town.
Alex is the best with Bella! She is patient with her as always and is great with keeping on top of her medications and ensuring everything is clean for her. She’s even able to get Bella some play time which was not something Bella enjoyed doing with strangers at first. The daily updates are thorough and the pics/videos are the cutest. I can’t recommend Alex enough!
About Alex R.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I have been pet sitting on Rover since early 2023 and the majority of my visits have been drop-in visits for cats (or cats that live with dogs) while owners are away on holiday. This is the main type of Rover visit I accept and I have a lot of experience with a variety of cats that have had differing needs. Due to my cat-specific experience, I will check for things that affect your cat's quality of life. I always check that any water fountains and robot litter boxes are functioning properly. I have experience resetting both of these. I have also observed cats trying to eat things they shouldn't. I put things away if they are at risk to a cat and of course always look out for plastic, hair ties and string! I will also ensure that their eating and litter areas are kept tidy and clean. I wash bowls daily and fully empty and replace water bowls on each visit. I truly love cats. As a cat owner myself, I know how much important it is that your cat is safe and in good hands while you're away. I write very detailed Rover cards so you know exactly what I did during the stay, how your cat seems to be doing and what they've been up to.
Information Alex R. would like to know about your pet
MEET AND GREETS: Going forward, I will only accept bookings if we arrange an in-person meet and greet before the visit. In addition to learning the pets needs, these are a great opportunity to go over any general care instructions for their environment. During the meet and greet, we will go over: - Likelihood of behaviors the cat may exhibit in your absence. For example, does your cat eat less or protest poo outside the litter box when you're gone? Do they cough up hairballs regularly? - The cat's comfort level with strangers petting them & whether there are certain areas your cat hates being petted. For example, some cats hate being petted on their head. - Areas the cat is not allowed. For example, some cats are crafty and can open closet doors and others may jump on the counters when they are not allowed. - Feeding schedule. If it's as simple as opening a can or requires multiple steps, I find it very beneficial to walk through what feeding looks like with you. - Medication. I can administer medication to cats in their food and into their mouth but I am not comfortable with injections. If your cat requires injections, I recommend choosing a different sitter. - What to do in case of emergency. We will discuss where carriers are stored and any difficulties the cat may have with the vet. - Photos and videos. We will discuss whether you would like photos and videos and the frequency that I send them to you. MY MULTIPLE CATS POLICY: Through conversations with friends who own multiple pets, I have decided to decrease my rates for additional cats. It’s stressful enough trying to find the right sitter but there is an added, sometimes incremental, cost burden if you have more than one pet that needs care. I am still trying to work out how I will implement this but for the time-being, I have reduced my additional cat rate from $8 to $5 through to at least the end of 2026. I strongly suggest that if you are booking for 3+ cats that you book a 60 min drop-in visits. This helps ensure all the cats feel attended to, socialized and happy. It also ensures that there is enough time to properly scoop and top-up multiple litter boxes. I have also decreased my 60 min rate from $10 to $5. While these are small changes, prices can add up quickly. I am still working out how I can make my services more convenient for multiple cat owners.
A typical day
ROVER CARDS: For each drop-in visit, Rover requires me to submit a Rover card. As sitters, we have the option to include an optional note. I use this space to write a detailed overview of the visit.
Alex R.
Potomac Yard-Potomac Greens, Alexandria, VA