Cat Sitting Rate Calculator

Cat sitters in the US typically cost $20–$40 for a 30-minute drop-in visit (about $28 on average), $30–$50 for an hour, and $75–$150 a night for overnight stays. Outside big cities, overnights often run $60–$90. A quick 15–20 minute check-in is usually $15–$25, and many owners book two visits a day for longer trips, bringing the daily cat sitting cost to $40–$70. Rates rise in high cost-of-living areas and over holidays. Use the calculator above to see the typical cost in your state.

The typical cat sitting cost per day is $40–$70, based on the most common arrangement: two drop-in visits (morning and evening). One 30-minute visit averages about $28, so two visits lands at $40–$70 depending on your city and the sitter's experience. In higher-cost metros like New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco, two daily visits can cost $80–$100+. Overnight cat sitting is priced differently: $75–$150 per night (sitter in your home 10–12 hours), which is separate from a per-visit day rate. Most healthy cats do not need overnight supervision and do well with twice-daily drop-ins.

The average cost of cat sitting for a week is $280–$490 with two drop-in visits a day: roughly $20–$35 per visit, two visits, seven days. A single daily visit brings the weekly cost down to around $140–$245. A full week of overnight cat sitting is significantly higher: at $75–$150 per night, budget $525–$1,050 for seven nights. Holiday periods (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year) add a 25–40% surcharge on top, so plan ahead if your trip falls over a major holiday. Use the calculator to set your per-visit rate, then multiply by visits for your trip.

Overnight cat sitting costs $75–$150 a night in the US, with the sitter staying in your home through the night; outside big cities it is often $60–$90. Most healthy cats do not need overnight supervision and do well with one or two drop-in visits a day, so overnights are usually booked for kittens, senior or medically fragile cats, or owners who simply want someone in the home. Across a week, overnight cat sitting runs $525–$1,050 for seven nights, versus roughly $280–$490 for twice-daily drop-ins. Holidays add a 25–40% surcharge. Set the service to Overnight in the calculator above to see your state's overnight rate.

The going rate for cat sitting in the US is $25–$35 for a standard 30-minute drop-in visit, with a national average around $28. In major metros like New York, Los Angeles or Boston, $35–$45 per drop-in is normal. Outside big cities, $20–$28 is the typical range. Overnight cat sitting goes for $75–$150 per night nationally ($60–$90 in lower-cost areas). These figures reflect what active, reviewed professional sitters charge. Newer sitters often start at the lower end while building a client base; insured, certified sitters with strong reviews can comfortably price toward the top of their local range.

For most US cities, $25–$35 per 30-minute drop-in is a fair price for experienced, reliable care. Pay at the lower end ($20–$25) for a newer sitter in a smaller city; pay at the higher end ($32–$40+) for an insured, bonded sitter who can also give medications or handle special-needs care. Add 25–40% for major holiday periods. Paying fairly helps ensure the sitter prioritises your booking during peak times and is willing to return for repeat visits. Tipping is appreciated but not required: the norms around cat-sitter gratuity are covered in the pillar post linked below.

Start from the typical rate in your state for the service, then adjust for what you bring: experience, insurance, giving medication, and how booked-up you are. The calculator above suggests a starting range. Established, insured cat sitters can comfortably price toward the top of their local band. If you’re regularly turning work away, that’s the clearest sign it’s time to raise your rates.

Usually the base rate covers one cat, and sitters add a per-additional-cat charge for extra cats in the same home, commonly +$3–$8 a visit, or about +15–25% per cat (the calculator uses +20%). Even though the cats share a home, more cats means more feeding, more litter boxes to scoop, more medication and more time, so the add-on is standard and expected.

Yes to both. Overnight cat sitting is priced per night and lands far above a drop-in because the sitter gives up their own bed and is on duty 10–12 hours. And most professional cat sitters add a holiday or peak-period surcharge, commonly 25–40% (the calculator uses +30%), over Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year: the busiest, highest-demand windows of the year. State your holiday rate clearly when you confirm the booking.