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Cate S.

Lincoln Square, Chicago, Illinois, United States, IL

5.0 out of 5 stars
64 reviews
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Services

Cate can care for

Cats
0 to 15 lbs
16 to 40 lbs
41 to 100 lbs
over 101 lbs

Availability

I work full-time remotely in nonprofit technology and love working from different spaces and spending time with pets. It truly brings me joy to sit and listen to a podcast, read, or work while hanging with someone’s furry (or scaley?) best friend. Honestly, I have great anxiety about leaving my unique-needs animals when I am out of town, so I understand it’s stressful, and I enjoy providing total report cards, videos, and updates. We don’t always know what a pet has gone through, but they have their own trauma and experiences, and this can show up as behavioral. I pride myself on being empathic and supporting your best friend. Worried about an alarm going off, or hearing your pet cry through your camera? Send me a message and I’ll see what I can do. 💓 I also volunteer with shelters to do pet portraits for fundraisers! 🖼️🎨🐰

Available
Not available
SMTWTFS
House Sitting Cancellation Policy:

About Cate S.

Communication

14 repeat pet parents
76% response rate
Usually responds in under an hour
90% bookings with photo updates
Sends updates with Rover Cards

Dog skills

23 years of experience
Oral medication administration
Injected medication administration
First aid/CPR
Senior dog experience
Special needs dog experience
Can provide daily exercise

Safety, trust & environment

Your space and furry family members are scared, so I intend to earn your trust with transparent communication, flexibility, and always open to feedback and adjustments. On a first meet and greet, I'll ask about the norms of your home and pet's care to ensure we align our expectations, needs, and how to work best together. Your pet is your family, and I will go out of my way to ensure you feel comfortable and supported with my care. Also meet & greet’s beforehand are important for everyone to feel good and comfortable 💜

Information Cate S. would like to know about your pet

I would love to know their routine, preferences, your vet, an overview of medical care, and where you prefer to take them for emergencies. I also need to know any quirks, or things to look for that indicate that something is off (think of that pee spot in the closet), or that they always do X,Y,Z after meal time.

A typical day

For chill pets: I love to listen to podcasts and watch shows on my phone with them. I also enjoy making little forts if you have leftover cardboard boxes for cats! For more energetic animals, walks, lots of playtime, and playing hide and seek!

Location

Chicago, Illinois, United States, IL

Cate S.'s Neighborhood

Pets

Medication Wizard & Pet Butler 💜

Pet care experience

I’m a former animal shelter worker, that has adopted and worked with special need pets of various of sizes and species. Through time, of having complex pets and working with extreme situation at the shelter and volunteering-I’ve become an expert in administering medication, special food diets, and navigating behavioral issues/separation anxiety. This includes dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, bunnies, mice, birds (domestic and pigeons!), frogs, and fish. (Rover is a little confusing for smaller critters, don’t worry ad-hoc services/rates can be made 🐭) I am the pet helicopter mom that realizes something is off before my vet does. Current pet parent peasant to cats Mellow (7) and Ms. Chuck (12). Mellow had a perineal urethrostomy (sometimes referred to as a PU surgery) in 2021, so I’m familiar with urinary issues, blockages, urine crystals, and related symptoms.. Ms. Chuck is a spicy rescue who does not like anyone, including myself. I’m also a big dog lover with experience with small and large breeds, including hunting dogs and rescues with separation anxiety. Extensive experience with: -Oral medications (pill/liquid) -Urinary Issues (Infections, medical/behavioral- litter box trauma is REAL) -Cat asthma/ Heart Murmer -Leash/dog reactive - Senior care/support -Fleas/infections/skin conditions -Weight Loss/exercise support -Dental cleaning (at home) -Liquid IV application -Insulin shots -Nail clipping/Ear cleaning -Medical baths -Post-operation recovery care -Special Needs Support: Blind/Deaf Animals, Food aggression/separation during feeding time, End-of-life care (mashed-up food/sanitary cleanings) - Very spicy pets 🌶️ **** I am able to offer housesitting for a larger radius in Chicago, but drop-in visits may be more limited. Happy to offer one complementary meet and greet for 30 minutes, but I request that you book within 24 hours of that meet/greet or let me know if you’re moving ahead with a different sitter/etc. Boundaries help me be the best pet sitter I can be! 💜***********

Reviews

Drop-In Visits • Dec 23, 2025

Cate S. cancelled a booking 3 days before it was scheduled to begin.

Drop-In Visits • Dec 20, 2025

Cate S. cancelled a booking 1 day before it was scheduled to begin.

Tina B.
Drop-In Visits • Aug 18, 2025
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Cate goes above and beyond! Great communication and she makes sure my boys are given lots of attention!

Jenny C.
House Sitting • Jul 28, 2025
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Cate was a fantastic dog sitter for our two small dogs. She sent constant updates so I knew they were in good hands! She checked in when she had any questions and also left the most thorough review when she left. She also did her laundry and took out the trash, so not only did she provide the best dog care, she was also so respectful of our house and left it so clean! I’d highly recommend.

About Cate S.

Communication

14 repeat pet parents
76% response rate
Usually responds in under an hour
90% bookings with photo updates
Sends updates with Rover Cards

Dog skills

23 years of experience
Oral medication administration
Injected medication administration
First aid/CPR
Senior dog experience
Special needs dog experience
Can provide daily exercise

Safety, trust & environment

Your space and furry family members are scared, so I intend to earn your trust with transparent communication, flexibility, and always open to feedback and adjustments. On a first meet and greet, I'll ask about the norms of your home and pet's care to ensure we align our expectations, needs, and how to work best together. Your pet is your family, and I will go out of my way to ensure you feel comfortable and supported with my care. Also meet & greet’s beforehand are important for everyone to feel good and comfortable 💜

Information Cate S. would like to know about your pet

I would love to know their routine, preferences, your vet, an overview of medical care, and where you prefer to take them for emergencies. I also need to know any quirks, or things to look for that indicate that something is off (think of that pee spot in the closet), or that they always do X,Y,Z after meal time.

A typical day

For chill pets: I love to listen to podcasts and watch shows on my phone with them. I also enjoy making little forts if you have leftover cardboard boxes for cats! For more energetic animals, walks, lots of playtime, and playing hide and seek!

Each sitter joining Rover needs to pass a background check. And by booking on Rover, you can get photo & message updates, 24/7 support, and reimbursement for eligible vet care.
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Cate S.

Lincoln Square, Chicago, Illinois, United States, IL

5.0 out of 5 stars
64 reviews