[dkaufnelson]

HOW TO FORM A CAT CARE SWAP GROUP
Many residents of The Villages are cat owners and might be interested in swapping cat care with neighbors when they travel overnight.
I realized it wasn’t going to be possible to hire local teens to care for my cats when I moved to TV, so decided to form a local cat care swap group, soon after I moved into TV.
It has turned out to be quite successful and allows members to have neighbors + cat lovers care for their fur babies, giving them freedom to travel and know their cats are well taken care of by neighbors.
I limit members to my particular local area and all must live within a few miles of each other, so as not to inconvenience members when they care for my cats. After all, they are not being paid and I don’t want to burden anyone’s busy lives.
I posted notice of my group on “Next Door” when I was forming it, as I was able to limit my post to my immediate area and get seen by neighbors within a few miles of each other.
My intent was to find local, cat owning neighbors who would be interested in occasionally swapping cat care when they travel overnight.
I am definitely not trying to put any pet care services out of business as I know TV has a great need for pet care services with so many dog and pet owners here.
This cat care swap group is just another option some residents might want to try, by forming a new group in your particular area.
Neighbors helping neighbors is what The Villages is all about. This can help you swap cat care, meet local neighbors and maybe allow you to travel more often since you’ll feel comfortable knowing your furbaby is being taken care of by a cat loving neighbor.
This option is not for everyone, but it has worked out well for me and those in my small, local group.
My group is limited to Villages’ residents off Hillsborough and Pinellas, but if you would like to form your own group, post on "NextDoor" until you get enough members and I’ll be happy to send you some tips.
I also highly recommend you join “The Cat Crazy Villagers” group if not already a member. The Cat Crazy Villagers (CCV) Club exists to promote the health & welfare of cats, to educate owners about their fur babies, to encourage responsible owners and to have fun!
Cat Crazy Villagers - Cats Home Page
Maybe this will even encourage more Villagers to adopt cats from our local shelters!
Good Luck!

[Ben Franklin]

Great idea.

Excellent idea. Luckily we have a couple of neighbors and a reliable cat sitter.