Cat Sitter Preparations: 13 Items You Need to Leave for Your Sitter!

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Whether it’s holiday plans with family, a dream vacation or a work trip, sooner or later you may have to travel out of town without your cat. One of the best ways to keep your cat comfortable is to rely on a cat sitting service to care for your cat in the comfort of your home. First, though, you need to take certain cat sitter preparations to make the visits easier for your sitter and your cat.

Whether your cat sitter is a trusted family member or friend or a professional sitter, you’ll need to gather certain information to leave, regardless of the length of your trip.

Not only is this information important for your sitter but take an extra copy with you in case you should need to call a back-up sitter during your trip due to illness or an accident.

For every trip, you’ll want to leave your pet sitter these essentials:

Telephone Contact Numbers

Provide your cell phone number as well as a phone number for the hotel or friend’s home where you’ll be staying.

Your Itinerary

Leave a printed trip itinerary with details on when you are flying and may be inaccessible, when you’ll be traveling between destinations and when you are expected back home.

Veterinary Contact Details

Print out your veterinarian’s name, address, and telephone number as well as directions to the vet clinic from your home.

Emergency Vet Details

Also provide the contact details and location of the emergency veterinary clinic in the event of an after-hours emergency. Provide a map or directions on how to get there from your home.

Your Cat Carrier

Leave out your cat carrier, in case of emergency; add some fun cat toys to it and make it a fun place for your cat to hang out!

Emergency Veterinary Authorization

Print and sign an authorization giving approval for emergency veterinary care. Do a quick online search for “emergency veterinary authorization” for downloadable PDF templates you can use to create this authorization.

Feeding Instructions

Provide feeding instructions and your cat’s food. Plan to leave all of your cat’s food and treats as well enough food for at least three days longer than your anticipated stay, in case of delays.

Cat Medication

Provide printed instructions for administering all your cat’s medications.

Play Instructions

instructions for playing with your cat including a list of your cat’s favorite toys (and, if you have a shy cat, a list of your cat’s favorite hiding places!)

Emergency Contacts

Provide contact information for your nearest neighbors including phone numbers, in case of emergency. If your cat should get out while you’re gone, those contact numbers will be an enormous help to the cat sitter.

Microchip Details

And on the subject of cats slipping out of the house, leave the microchip number of your cat as well as the URL of the subscription service where his microchip number is registered. Be sure the microchip number is also on file with your veterinarian.

Photos

Provide two photos of your cat in case he is lost: a head shot and a body profile shot. Make sure they are bright and clear in case they should need to be shared on a lost pets forum.

Alternative Cat Sitter

What if your cat sitter has a personal emergency? Provide the name and phone number of an alternate pet sitter in case your pet sitter becomes ill or has some kind of emergency that takes her away from her duties.

Although it seems like a lot of information to gather, you’ll only need to compile most of this information once, just updating your itinerary for future trips. The time you spend on these cat sitter preparations can help give you peace of mind on your travels—and make sure your cat has the care he needs to have a good time while you’re gone as well.

Tips from a Cat Sitter

Wonder what a cat sitter would recommend? we have some special tips from Kathleen Huffman, a franchise owner with Fetch! Pet Care—a franchisor that offers professional pet sitting and other services throughout the United States.

Along with interviewing pet sitters, checking references and making sure the sitter is licensed, bonded and insured, and LOVES pets, she also has these great tips on preparing your cat and your home for your pet sitter’s arrival:

1. Schedule Ahead

Most pet sitters book appointments far in advance. Make reservations as early as possible to guarantee a spot for your pet’s care. If your schedule changes, alert your pet sitter so additional care can be scheduled if necessary.

2. Plan a Pre-visit introduction

Make sure your pet has had an opportunity to meet the sitter before your vacation. Give your sitter your pet schedule, feeding and medication instructions. If possible, have the sitter bond for a few minutes with your cat or other pets.

3. Set Out Pet care information and supplies

Don’t make your sitter search for pet care items. Place everything your sitter will need in one specific place. This includes:

• food and treats (including a can opener, utensil to mix/chop food and scoop for measuring dry fare)
• extra food and consumable supplies just in case
• medications (with clearly written instructions)
• paper towels and cleaning supplies
• broom/dust pan or vacuum cleaner
• plastic bags for waste disposal
• litter and scooper

Clearly write out and review with your pet sitter any special instructions you want them to perform.

4. Set the Thermostat

Your pet will be in your locked, sealed home. Make sure the thermostat is set at a comfortable temperature for your pet. Leave instructions on how to adjust the temperature range for your thermostat in case of a power-outage.

5. Pet proof your home

Pets can be more inquisitive and bored when they are left alone and get into mischief. Put toilet lids down, close cupboards and closets, store medications, perfumes, loose small objects and household cleansers away and out of your pet’s reach.

6. Check Alarms, off-limit areas, home access

Are there areas where your pet is not allowed? Make sure you close off the rooms and let the sitter know that those areas are to be kept off limits.

Close and lock doors, including garage, and patio doors and windows before you leave. Use timers to control indoor lights so your pet’s day/night schedule is similar to when you are at home.

Check to make sure gates and fences are closed and locked.

7. Prepare a Visitor list

If you live in an apartment or gated community, advise and authorize security that your pet sitter will be visiting and, if appropriate, let you neighbors know too.

Also, if you plan to have friends, family or someone else also checking on your house and pets in your absence, let the sitter know. 

Clearly explain what the pet sitter is responsible for and what the other visitors will be doing to avoid confusion.

Also let the sitter know about gardeners, pool or house maintenance providers who might also be on the premises in your absence.

8. Leave instructions in case of emergency

Your pet sitter should have the information about where to take your pet in case of a health emergency.

You should also notify your veterinarian in writing that a sitter will be watching your pet and authorize the veterinarian to provide medical care during your absence if necessary.

If there is a natural disaster and your sitter needs to remove your pet from your premises, have a pet emergency kit available and a pet carrier too.

You should also communicate with your sitter how you would like to get updates about your pet, via text, email or phone.

Preparation is the key to make sure your pet sitter has all of the information they need to properly care for your pet while you are away. If they don’t have to search around for your pet supplies and instructions, they will have more time to spend giving love and attention to your pet.

Pin it to remember these cat sitter preparations!