I'm back in Melbourne and can confirm the Hume heading north looked like a nightmare.

Miss Meow coped better with the trauma of a pet sitter visiting this time - the sitter never saw her, but she was waiting at the front door when I came inside instead of hiding so I take that as a positive move. Mr Woof was apparently very happy with the visit once he realised food was involved, even though this was a stranger he had never met (this was a fill in as the original sitter that came last time injured herself and could not come).