Things to Have at Home for Your Pet Sitter Visit
Although it is understandably difficult to do, sometimes traveling without your pet is unavoidable. In this case, you might have considered hiring a professional pet sitter, or having a close friend/family member take care of it for you. If you’re leaving your cat with a pet sitter, your first step is preparing it for this new experience. After you have prepared your cat for pet sitting. It’s time to move on to getting your house ready for your sitter. This process includes acquiring all the necessary things to have at home for your pet sitter visit. Here is a short list of all the necessities you need to leave for your cat and pet sitter.
Written instructions
Some pet sitters won’t be able to perfectly recall all of your care instructions after being told about them once. A much better option for both you and them is to prepare a short-written document with all the necessary information they will need to take good care of your cat. Let’s go through some of the more important points that this document needs to cover. Note: Often Pro Cat Sitters when meeting with you will have a comprehensive list of questions to obtain detailed pet care instructions.
A daily schedule
A daily checklist of things your sitter needs to do is one of the most important things to have at home for your pet sitter visit.
Most pets enjoy following a certain level of routine. So, when there’s a huge change in that routine, like you being gone for a couple of days, it’s best to keep everything else in line. Predictability is key here, so feeding times, playing times, and other things like that should stay the same as they were. The best way to jot down a comprehensive daily routine for your pet sitter is to pay attention to your pet’s habits for a few days before leaving and make notes on them.
Pet personality profile
Cats have their own unique personalities and affinities. Leave an overview of the cat’s personality. For example, if your cat is usually relaxed and cuddly, your sitter needs to know that. This way, they won’t expect your cat to play more than it likes.
Also, help your sitter notice any drastic changes in your pet’s behavior patterns. If your playful kitty becomes tired and lazy, your sitter will be able to notice that and take it to the vet. The Vet will check if it points to a more serious problem than a personality change.
Cat Behavior Rules
You’re probably already familiar with this behavior pattern if you have kids. You’re away, cats will check whether the usual rules still apply. They may start testing the limits of what they’re allowed to do. So, if your cat is not allowed on the kitchen table, you should put that rule on the list.
This way, your sitter will know when to discipline your cat. In addition to that, you could also give some pointers on how to correct the behavior. For example, do they respond better to loud noises or a spritz of water on the face?
Cat play habits 
Pets like indoor cats need to be properly entertained to live a happy life. There are many creative ways to stimulate your cat, and you need to put whatever you find works for your cat in your instructions. This way, the pet sitter can adequately tailor the playing experience to your cat’s needs.
Vet and emergency contact info
When it comes to vets, there are three main pieces of information your sitter will need in writing for handy reference
- Your regular vet’s contact info
- Local after-hours animal hospital contact info
- Pet insurance policy number and provider name
As for other important contact information that should be put on the same list, you should leave your phone number as well as the number of a close friend or relative for emergencies.
If you’re leaving your cat with a sitter because you’re moving and need to get things ready. Be good to have to schedule a visit to the vet beforehand and get them checked out. If this visit happens while you’re away, provide your pet sitter detailed instructions for handling that check-up. They need to know when and how to take your pet to the vet. Also, need to know what to ask and do when they arrive.
Food and Feeding Instructions
Having all the food your sitter will need is a great way to avoid unnecessary complications.
There are two important things to keep in mind when it comes to leaving food for your pet when you hire a pet sitter. Firstly, leaving enough food to last your entire trip and then some is best. This way, you’re avoiding unnecessary complications and problems. If your sitter runs out of food, but the store is closed, they are not running around town trying to find the food you told them to get.
Secondly, an important thing to leave next to your cat’s food is feeding instructions. Your sitter needs to be able to remind themselves easily about feeding times, amounts, and what food to give at what time.
Medication
If your pet takes some sort of medication, your sitter will need it well organized and explained. You should do your best to mitigate the potential for mix-ups and misunderstandings.
After you had your cat for a while, probably learned what tricks work best to get your cat to take its medicine. Make sure to leave a quick overview of those tricks for your sitter, along with all the things they need to perform them. So, for example, if the easiest way to get your cat to take its medicine is to mix it in with its pate, one of the more important things to have at home for your pet sitter visit is the pate they would need along with instructions for how to mix it in near the medication.
Home supplies and instructions
Make sure your pet sitter knows where they can find any cleaning supplies they might need.
Your sitter needs to have a good understanding of how to take care of your home. This is just as important as knowing how to take good care of your pet. Here is a list of all the things you need to make clear before they arrive. Note: Often Pro Cat Sitters when meeting with you will have a comprehensive list of questions to obtain detailed home care instructions.
- Alarm codes
- Circuit breaker instructions
- Your landlord’s contact info and when and in which situations they are allowed to contact them
- Who they are allowed to let into your home while you’re gone (gardeners, postal workers, cleaners, etc.)
- How often do you expect them to take the trash out
- How to operate the HVAC system
- How to operate your TV
- Which bathrooms to use
Of course, you need to make sure to provide anything they need to achieve your requests and have a comfortable stay. Here is a list of things you have to provide:Note: Pro Pet Sitter usually has home items in case needed.
- Clean linens
- Toilet paper
- Cleaning supplies
- Your pet’s toys
- Keys (you can also give a trusted neighbor a pair for emergencies)
Final thoughts
As you can see, leaving your pet with a pet sitter takes some preparation. There are several things you need to have at home for your pet sitter visit, all of which are important. Doing your best to avoid complications and mishaps is the best way to have a relaxed trip. This makes sure that your pet is having a good time with its new friend.
