Helen has come to Brooklyn and unmatted and washed my old Maine Coon twice and I am so happy with the results. In between, I tried other services and they were simply awful. Helen and her assistants did a great job on my very old and heavily matted cat and gave me tons of great advice about a better cat litter to use, how to ease matts in between service, and the best tools to use to keep him brushed. It was a big job and the cat came out as calm as could be expected and absolutely perfect looking, versus previous very unsatisfactory grooming experiences with other services. Helen's assistants are always lovely too and clearly like cats and their work. read more

I had my cat groomed for the first time with Helen from Pet Maven about a month ago. It has taken me this long to write a review because I wanted to give myself some time to cool down before writing this. I'm pretty shocked that the Pet Maven has such high reviews on Yelp as my experience with Helen was pretty disappointing. Instead of going into detail of this seemingly everlasting ordeal I will simply give you the bullet points. - Made a huge mess of my apartment, there was hair literally everywhere. They did not cover anything in my kitchen before taking a buzzer to my Cat Chicken. Imagine in all my kitchenware, kitchen appliances, on the stove, above the fridge, on the floors all over the apartment huge balls of fur. - Used my towels which they then left on the floor for me to clean up - full of fur - Extremely uneven trim, guaranteed that a simple wash and blow dry would help extensively with the shedding, promised a trim but did NOT deliver. - Overall poor experience, she just kept referring to herself as a professional but I felt anything but a professional experience with her. She charged me 200 to basically take my cat under the sink and barely BARELY wash him basically just soaped her hands up and wiped my Cat down. The majority of the time was blow drying his very uneven fur. Again, I must stress, fur went flying EVERYWHERE with their blow-dyer. I've since then buzzed him down myself as Chicken has taken quite a liking the the buzzer. I've checked with a few other groomers in the city and it looks to me that Pet Maven is running some sort of scam with their grooming services. I can't speak to the cat siting as I haven't experienced it but the avg for grooming seems to sit under 100USD. I would have called a requested a refund but I honestly just don't want to have to interact with her again. If anything her assistant was much more pleasant to be around. I hope this helps, best of luck. (see photos of Chicken post haircut.) read more

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My cat Missy has gotten a bunch of mats recently so I contacted Helen to do an in home grooming. I've only had Missy for a few months so wasn't sure how she'd react. Helen was great with her through the stressful situation! It took a while to get through the mats but I couldn't be happier that I got her groomed with Helen! After the groom was over Helen cleaned up and took a look at the brushes I've been using and gave some recommendations of what to use in the future. She was very helpful and informative! read more

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I highly recommend the Pet Maven, specifically Michelle - she is the best! Michelle has done cat sitting for us for the last three years and we could not be happier. I am relieved knowing that when we go away our two cats are cared for perfectly. We get constant updates with photos and I can tell that our cats are happy, taken care of, and enjoying their time with her. We could not ask for better service and care for our two boys. We are about to leave the city, and losing Michelle and the Pet Maven as our cat sitting service is going to be one of the toughest adjustments for our family. Finding people that you trust to take care of your pets is extremely tough, and anyone looking for cat sitting in the city should look no further! read more

I am so blessed to have been connected with Helen and Carol of The Pet Maven. They are nice, quality people and professionals. My kitty is a senior ultra-longhaired cat who gets very matted. She's also not easy to deal with, even on a mild sedative. The job was a HARD one, but they did it and the results were worth it. In addition, my kitty clearly liked them - which meant the world to me. They treated her so well and so lovingly, even though she was making their job more difficult! I highly recommend The Pet Maven. read more

Took care of our cats. Watered our flowers, brought in our mail. Will use again. Thanks! read more

I have never used the Pet Maven's grooming service, but if it is half as good as the pet sitting, then I recommend that too. My girlfriend and I have 3 cats of varying ages, temperaments, personalities and needs and they are always extremely happy and relaxed when we get home. Jessica and Elyse have watched our cats and their level of genuine caring (they love cats), detail (treats and playtime and brushing etc.) and overall professionalism is off the charts. Let me put it another way - if we leave them by themselves for a weekend = cranky cattitude and messes everywhere - Pet Maven = SUPER chill cats and spotless apt. -- No brainer (and the rates are reasonable too). read more

Patricia, you took such incredible care of our little kitties that I'll never ever worry about leaving them again. Oh, and our house was left really clean, too-an extra and much appreciated touch. We all, including the kitties, couldn't be happier. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! read more

I have been using the Pet Maven for cat sitting services for about 6 weeks now, and have used the services 4 times already. I was put in touch with one of Helen's team-member's who I was able to meet prior to giving her the keys to my apartment. We met for about 20 minutes, I showed her where I kept the food, littler, water, etc, and was also able to discuss the kitties different temperaments. I think the Pet Maven's cat sitting services are great value for money, with 2 cats taking them to a kennel would be extremely stressful - not only would I have to take time off from work to drop them at the kennel, but it would be unpleasant for the cats, and very expensive. There is also added risk of them picking up flees and tics. Having someone come to the apartment for $25 a day, stay for 30 minutes, feed, play, clean litter box is a great value. It also keeps the cats happy since they don't have to be carted around on the streets of New York in a carrier! Another nice touch is that Helen tends to send the same person out each time, I've had the same lady come out to my place each time, meaning that the cats are getting used to the Sitter, and actually quite enjoy her company. It's also nice to receive the e-mail updates on my blackberry as to how they are doing whilst I am away. I would recommend these services to anyone with cats who need a sitter. This is great value for money. read more

I love The Pet Maven! When my previous cat sitter's business grew and she was no longer able to service my area in town I looked for a new opportunity. When I spoke with Helen--and her cat sitter Janet--I knew I found the right place. I know my feline companions are safe and pampered when I'm away and that is the best feeling in the world. In fact, I think they like Janet more than me! Helen's prices are also very reasonable. I am extremely happy with this service. I've recommended The Pet Maven to many friends and they have been just as satisfied. Call now! read more

The ladies of The Pet Maven are great! My cat is getting up there in years, so I try to minimize his trips in the dreaded carrier, outside of the house. Helen and her team make this much easier. They've come to do an in-home grooming, which the cat didn't even seem to mind much, since he didn't have to travel (the results were great - he was so clean and fluffy afterwards!). I also use their in-home pet sitting service, rather than boarding the cat, when I am away. Various Pet Maven ladies have been providing this service for the last three years, most recently, Elyse. They've all been great, but Elyse is especially good. She sends photos each day, and the cat was better groomed when I got home than when I left - she had clearly spent time brushing him while i was away. Amazing service! Thank you for years of great service. I should have written this review a long time ago. read more

If you're anything like me and totally looney about your pet, then I highly recommend the Pet Maven service when you are going away and need to find someone just like you when you can't be at home (you know, a doting and dedicated companion). I have used the Pet Maven three times and been overall very happy with each cat sitter. And I've gone through my share of nightmare experiences with other services ("forgetting" to show up on time and coming back to an empty water bowl). It's just heartbreaking. Appalling behavior. Not with the Pet Maven. Prior to being assigned a pet sitter, you fill out a client profile for your pet that details the normal stuff (emergency contact info, medications, location of food etc). Each half hour visit costs $25 (a little more if you would like more time with your pet). The pet sitters have all been reliable and conscientious, and send check-in emails (often with photos, a plus!) as often as you like. It's extremely reassuring to know that your furry pawed friend is actually smiling in those photos and playing with his favorite toys (rather than staring out the window with a longing expression as he pines for you right?). Each time I've returned home, the area around the kitty litter box has been vacuumed, there's water in his bowl, he's been fed, brushed, and medicated with his daily pill, and there's a short note about your loved one. All good! Most of all, what I like about the Pet Maven is that they hire good trusting people and I didn't feel uncomfortable turning over my keys to a complete stranger for the long weekend. You have faith that your pet will be in safe hands. Go for it! read more

I was delighted to find the Pet Maven and have been using them for several years. They're always there when I need them - for a last minute getaway or during holiday or business travel. The sitters know my cats and email me short reports to check in and let me know all is well - sometimes even with photos. The other thing I love is that they're not judgy about food or other choices I make for my pets. I've used other services in the past that have tried to make me feel like I should buy holistic food or more expensive brands - which drives me crazy. No such sales pitches from the Pet Maven - they provide no nonsense, in-home kitty care at its finest. read more

When I first used The Pet Maven to take care of my 3 cats (one a recent rescue), I was desperate as my time at an out of state client was unexpectedly extended. The Pet Maven made the arrangements, payment was easy, and my pet sitter texted pictures of each cat on EVERY visit - along with stories of what they were doing. She feeds them, cleans the food dishes, puts out fresh water and scoops litter. They are professional. They are reliable. And I'm not stressed hoping my doorman didn't forget! I've used them many times since then and will continue to rely on them. You can be confident of the good care your pets will receive. I highly recommend them -- call The Pet Maven and you will arrive back home to happy, well-cared for pets. read more

Helen is the best. I have my long haired cat shaved once a year because her shedding is simply out of control. They were very gentle, sweet, quiet and kind to her even when she tried to protest her bath. Pia received a great cut, a blow out, and a mani-pedi, and she looks great! They understand cats, their behavior, and how to take solid care of their coat and skin. What a great experience! read more

I could not possibly recommend them more highly. Helen and her assistant totally transformed my heavily matted cat this afternoon. Totally professional and very nice and compassionate. It's life changing for me as someone with 6 aging rescue cats to know they are there as a support system! read more

Helen is wonderful and has a great personality. Her assistant Carol is a delight. My cat has cerebellar hypoplasia so she is a mess every month. After every session, Fanny is gorgeous and fluffy. I highly recommend Pet Maven. read more

i reached out to Helen for a nail trim for my cat. i merely told her i never cut my cat's nails and the only time i took her to the vet, where two techs trimmed my cat's nail (simply because that's the most efficient way of doing so, my cat was docile and well behaved). She assumed my cat was difficult and might bite her and cancelled the appt. She emailed all day back and forth her reservations then finally canceling it. Tremendous waste of my time. I just knew it. i had zero confidence she can or willing to do it. i would not recommend her if you are like me have limited experience (new parent) find someone more confident, capable and willing. read more

The Pet Maven was my top choice based on Yelp reviews. Their prices are comparable to other pet sitting services I've found online, and they respond almost immediately after you fill out the online form. Jessica, who handles the emails, was very helpful throughout the process. Our cat sitter, Jared S., was wonderful! Friendly, professional, great with animals. When we met Jared, he greeted us and our cats. Even our shy, slightly skiddish kitty responded really well to him. Also, Jared somehow managed to get them enthused about a toy they haven't liked since they were kittens. While we were out of town, Jared discovered that the key to our apartment did not work. Some issue with the deadbolt, and our building manager was not willing/able to help. We had to call a locksmith and coordinate accordingly with Jared, who did a great job at handling the situation. Jared stayed for over 2 hours to make sure that the lock situation was fully resolved and our furry children were cared for. Bonus points for the Pet Maven and Jared! read more

I really appreciated the individual attention that pet mavens cat sitter gave our pet while we were away. They got back to me the same day with paperwork and availability and I even met the sitter that day too. Really nice to have a quick turnaround for a new customer. Minus one star is just for communication about payment. No bill or anything, pretty informal, so when the pet sitter texted us while we were already on vacation asking about a check, we were surprised. Thank goodness for venmo! read more

An updated review because I now use Helen for my cat sitting as well. It would be kind of silly not to considering she's across the street after all and my cat is used to her. I travel often and Helen always comes to petsit my kitty with no issues except him ripping up a paper towel occasionally, but yet again that's him being sneaky. Helen is always on time, consistent, and sends really cute pictures to ensure that kitty is doing okay. Aside from keeping my house from becoming a shed disaster, I noticed that he's more friendly and social towards people where as he used to run away before when a stranger walked in.. I think that Helen contributed a lot to him realizing that everyone just wants to pet him and nothing bad. read more

My cat sitter from the Pet Maven is great! It is clear he really cares about cats and I always feel at ease leaving them in his care.

I had a very positive experience with The Pet Maven. Our sitter (Nechama) was SOOOO great. She came by twice a day for our 2 kitties and texted me with updates and pictures via text/email. When we got back our kitties were so happy and well taken care of. I would highly recommend The Pet Maven and Nechama to anyone. read more

I cannot recommend Helen highly enough. One of my two long-haired cats develops mats that require grooming at least twice a year. All of the vet services about which I inquired seemed to sedate cats during the process; I didn't want my cats to go through that. So I found Helen online several years ago. She has been a invaluable part of our lives ever since. Helen has a wonderful way with animals and is able to groom, bathe, and blow dry my feisty cats efficiently and gently, without the need for sedation. They look amazing afterwards -- and feel much better too! Helen has even given one of my cats a nearly full shave (except for boots, head, and tail), a look that is adorable and lasts for several months. It is obvious that Helen loves animals and is a natural at her job. I highly recommend her as a groomer for anyone who has cats that would benefit from a good grooming! read more

Our experience with Pet Maven was fantastic. Jessica was super reliable, professional, and great to our cat. It's clear she loves kitties! Payment and communication was flawless and we received daily picture updates of our little guy while we were away. I highly recommend Pet Maven's services and certainly plan on using them again. read more

I am so glad to have found Helen of Pet Maven. One of my cats has fur that becomes extremely thick and matted and she requires bi-yearly grooming. My vet's office stopped providing this service so I turned to Helen. Her professionalism and friendly nature were fantastic. She was extremely thorough and handled Betsey with incredible skill. The cat has never looked better and while the experience may have tested her patience (she's a cat, so we can't really blame her!), it was not at all traumatic, thanks to Helen. And since getting her hair cut, Betsey has been much more affectionate; the grooming definitely did her a lot of good. It's been nearly 6 months and I'll be phoning Helen again soon. I highly recommend Pet Maven. read more

After having a horrible experience with another agency, I had to roll the dice once again and hope Google would throw some luck my way. Google popped up with The Pet Maven. After reading many of the reviews, I reached out for more information. Generally, from what I've experienced, I don't hear back for a day or two. The Pet Maven responded nearly immediately. After a brief conversation with Jessica, she recommended Rachel -- who happens to live near my apartment. (My last sitter lived in Harlem, and to go from Harlem to the Financial District can be a logistical nightmare regardless of the time of day.) To make long story short, Rachel was fantastic! When I met with her, I felt immediately at ease, as she's obviously an animal lover and views pets as family. Because one cat is diabetic and needs insulin twice daily, it was important Rachel keep on a schedule and me in the loop. No problem! I received updates and pictures, and she even replaced my litter box scooper! How sweet is that? Needless to say, Rachel and The Pet Maven made my time away worry-free. In fact, I've already booked Rachel for nearly three weeks in July. Do not hesitate. Contact The Pet Maven. Now. read more

Look no further for a pet sitter. I found The Pet Maven through online research. My experience with their service was terrific. My emails were responded to promptly, in a professional and courteous manner. The cat sitter herself was extremely kind and was thoughtful enough to send me pictures of my beloved critter while I was away. I would - and will! - definitely use The Pet Maven again. The staff are top-notch, and my kitty looked happy and well taken-care of upon my return. read more

I've had some pretty terrible experiences with pet sitting services in the past so I was really hesitant to try again, but I read other reviews about the Pet Maven and decided to give it a try....they were fabulous! Jessica was very on top of finding me a sitter for my cat over the holidays and she paired me with Ife who was just wonderful. She seemed very trustworthy when I met her prior to my trip and my cat was very calm and relaxed when I returned home. Ife kept me updated on how my cat was doing and she cleaned up after my cat who can be kind of messy. I would definitely recommend the Pet Maven, especially Ife, to anyone looking for a trustworthy pet sitting service read more

Wonderful, trust worthy cat sitting. Our sitter sent daily texts and kept the apartment in immaculate condition - going above and beyond the call of duty and coordinating an unexpected key switch. Top act! Thanks so much. read more

Professional, Reliable and Loving Cat Sitters We were in a jam, and I needed a cat sitter in a moments time! When I called The Pet Maven someone answered my call promptly and provided me with a cat sitter immediately who set an appointment to meet with me and go over my cat's needs. Not only was the cat sitter responsive to my needs for someone to look after my cats immediately, the sitter was mature, efficient and a true cat lover. The Pet Maven's professional and responsive demeanor put me at ease. I had no doubt my cats were in good hands and well taken care of. I will continue to use The Pet Maven for my pet sitting needs. read more

I can't say enough. Sweet, wonderful with animals, clean, through, a joy to come home to when you been away and need the care, feeding and or grooming for your pets. She's the best! Highly recommended. read more

Six stars! Our sitter, Genevieve, was terrific with our three cats, and after meeting her for our consultation visit, I had total peace of mind knowing she was caring for them. I got texts every day with updates and photos, which was wonderful. Genevieve was very easy to communicate with and a pleasure to do business with. We look forward to using Pet Maven's services again in the future. read more

I really appreciate and value the service I have received from the Pet Maven! They have provided me with cat sitters several times over the past year. I have never had an issue scheduling, they have always been able to provide me with a sitter, even during busy holiday weekends or when I have last-minute requests. I have generally been very pleased with all of the sitters they have sent. They often provide text message or email updates on how my cat is doing when I am away, and sometimes even send me pictures of him, which is a great personal touch. On the one occasion when I was slightly less than fully satisfied, they responded to my concern very quickly and professionally. My cat needs medication and when I am away, I usually worry about his well-being (read: I'm a crazy cat lady), however knowing that I have Pet Maven sitters looking after my cat helps ease my fears! read more

After many years of traveling around NYC in cabs to have my beloved Persian cat Bella groomed, we decided it was time for a more stress free option and boy, do I wish found Helen and team sooner. In short, Pet Maven is life changer!! Wonderful job washing and grooming my 12 year Bella... she looks like a show cat now. Perhaps even more importantly, Helen was super kind and patient as Bella verbally "complained" through the process (which she normally does). Together with her partner, they spoke to Bella sweetly and calmly to get her to better comply and stay comfortable while getting her gorgeous. And on top of all the goodness, the whole grooming session took a little over an hour. That's 4-5 hours less than our usual time of travel + me waiting around for Bella's groom and when we were done, no car ride home! WOW. I can't recommend Pet Maven enough... Bella and I are nothing short of thrilled! read more

My cat is getting to be very old so I decided I should have somebody come in and check on her every day while I was out-of-town for a week. Pet Maven did a wonderful job. Montserrat met with me and my pet before I went away so that she could see where everything was, and then when I was gone she sent me daily reports with pictures so that I could see everything was all right. I think my cat really liked it because when I got home she was happy to see me but not frantic the way she usually is I've been away. It was nice to know that my cat was in such good hands. read more

Update: I am back with Helen. I tried two different dog groomers in New Jersey. They both did adequate work. However, I was never able to find a dog groomer there that has the necessary qualities that Helen has: excellent technical skills + being able to make my dog Burdock feel comfortable during his grooming + being responsible + showing up consistently and on time. I am so relieved that Helen was still available for me and Burdock. I continue to highly recommend her for dog grooming. read more

I have stopped using Pet Maven because they are not reliable. I booked them far in advance and met with their sitters. Right before I was to go out of town on two occasions their sitter became "ill" and had to be switched. This meant I had to spend time meeting new sitters and showing them the routine for my two cats. I would have been alright with this except they could not guarantee the same feeding schedules I had with the old sitters. SInce this was their error they should have handled it in a more professional manner. Instead I received nothing but emails of excuses from them. WIll not use them again. read more

Wonderful people and service! Highly recommend. Jared is my sitter and he does an excellent job watching my Molly-cat. He sends text message updates that sometimes include cute pictures, and I have literally no worries when I'm away. Molly also seems to love him! read more

I have two dogs and Helen does a beautiful job grooming them. I have used groomers in the past - the last one was sweet and good, but dogs were scared of her. The one before her was also good (I thought) but my girl dog got a really bad cut on her ear from that woman (never used again)...But Helen is dependable, upfront and open (which I appreciate) and a good groomer as well. Would not hesitate to leave keys and money (and have) if I weren't home either. it has been around a year and a half that I have been using her. Everything on here is about cat sitting but she is an exceptional dog groomer too. Taking the dog to get groomed is a pain - this is faster, easier for the dog and takes less time... read more