What Your Cat Sitter Needs to Know Before You Go Away

If you're planning a winter getaway and need to find a cat sitter to look after your pet for the time you're not around, there are certain things they would need to know about your furry friend before you leave the country. The more information you give a sitter, the easier their task would be and the more comfortable and happier pussy cat would be.

It can be a worrying time when you leave pets in someone else's care no matter how well you know the person or how good they are at looking after your cat. Nobody really likes leaving a feline companion behind, but at the same time everyone deserves a holiday from time to time and some of the best deals to be had are during the wintertime. When preparing a “to do list” for the sitter, the best way to go about it is to imagine what could be the worst thing that could happen to your pet while you are away and then plan accordingly. In short, you need to leave all the information the sitter would need to deal with an emergency calmly and efficiently without any need for panic.

Leave Clear Instructions

It's important to prepare things well in advance of your departure because leaving things to the last minute might mean you forget to write down something important on your list. On top of this if you have a set routine for your furry friend you want to make sure the person looking after them keeps to it which is important because cats don't like it when their routine gets changed. Already the fact you're not around might be upsetting to them, so if meal times or anything else changes too it can really mess up their clocks!

Make Sure Your Cat Knows the Sitter

It's also important for your pussy cat to meet the sitter before you go away and ideally this should be more than just the once. The more your furry friend gets to meet the sitter, the more comfortable they would be around them and some cats take longer than others to warm to new people, something you need to bear in mind.

Make Sure Feeding Instructions are Clear and Precise

You need to write down clearly what your cat is fed and how often they are fed. If your cat is on a special diet, the pet sitter needs to have all the details so they get it right. You might share your home with two pussy cats that need to be fed in different rooms, which all has to be written down on your feeding instructions so the happy balance in the home is not messed up while you're away.

Make Sure You Leave All Emergency Contact Telephone Numbers

It's a good idea to leave all emergency telephone numbers clearly marked on a kitchen notice board so that in the event of an accident or mishap, the pet sitter has the numbers immediately to hand. This includes the number for the vet, your contact telephone number and an alternative emergency contact number of somebody else they can phone if the sitter cannot get hold of you.

Let the Vet Know You Will be Away

It's also very good practice to let your vet know you are going to be away and that somebody else will be taking care of your cat while you are not there. Like this should the sitter have to call the vet for any reason, the surgery will know who they are talking to and the cat concerned. Should anything really serious happen to your pet while you are out of the country and they need to have emergency surgery, having informed the vet you’re away means they may agree to hold your bill over so you can settle it on your return.

Make Sure Cat Carriers are to Hand

You need to make sure your cat carrier is to hand just in case the sitter needs to take your cat to the vet for any reason. The last thing you want them to have to do is search for it in an emergency which could lose valuable time.

Tell the Sitter about Your Pet's Favourite Hiding Places

You should also tell the sitter where your pussy cat typically likes to hide around the house whether it's because they are feeling nervous or just because they like a spot because it's nice and toasty for them to snooze a few hours away in. There is nothing worse for a sitter than thinking a cat has gone missing when in fact they are holed up somewhere safe sleeping contentedly.

Using the Services of a New Sitter

If you're using a particular cat sitter for the first time, you need to make sure they get to know your cat's name and their little quirks, which all of our feline friends have. If your cat does not like being picked up, make sure the sitter is aware of this and if you don't want them to go outside while you are away, make sure you let the sitter know they have to keep your pet in. This naturally means you will have to make provisions for a litter tray or two which the sitter would need to clean out a few times a day to keep your pussy cat happy about things.

Conclusion

We all deserve a break from time to time and getting away during the winter means you get to go to some lovely places out of season. However, it usually means either putting your cat in a kennel or having a pet sitter take care of them while you are out of the country. It’s really important the sitter has a comprehensive list that includes all they need to know about taking care of your pet. It’s also a very good idea for the sitter to spend some time with your cat before you leave the country so your pet gets to know them and trust them which will give you a lot more peace of mind when you are away.