Prepare a Clear Cat-Sitter Handover Before You Leave

Write down what another person cannot guess

A sitter may know cats well and still not know your cat’s usual routine, preferred hiding place, or which door sticks. Make a handover that is short enough to read during a visit and detailed enough to avoid guesswork. The Cats Protection holiday guide recommends leaving key information for a cat sitter; its checklist includes care and medical needs as planning topics.

Choose a sitter before the last minute and discuss how often they will visit, how long they can stay, and what they are comfortable handling. The plan should fit the cat’s needs and your veterinarian’s advice. This guide is not a recommendation for a particular provider, and it does not verify that a sitter is licensed, insured, or qualified. Check references and credentials directly where relevant to your location and arrangement.

Make daily care easy to follow

Write the food brand and type, where it is stored, the amount the cat normally receives, and the usual schedule. If you use a scoop or scale, leave it with the food and explain the measurement. Note foods or treats the cat should not receive. Describe where clean water is kept and how often you expect it to be refreshed. Avoid vague instructions such as “give a little” when a specific amount is part of the routine.

Explain litter maintenance in practical steps: which tray to clean, where supplies are, how used litter should be disposed of, and what the cat’s normal pattern looks like. Include the location of cleaning materials for ordinary messes, but tell the sitter not to use unlabelled products or mix cleaners. Show where the carrier is and how to open and close it. Keep a familiar hiding area undisturbed unless there is an immediate safety concern.

Record health and emergency information carefully

List the name and phone number of the cat’s veterinarian, the nearest emergency clinic, and a second person who can be reached if you are unavailable. Provide the cat’s name, identifying description, microchip details if appropriate, and where vaccination or medical records can be found. Note any prescribed medication exactly as the veterinarian directed, including the schedule and storage instructions. Do not rely on the sitter to interpret a label or decide whether to alter a dose.

Explain which changes should prompt a call to you or a veterinarian. Keep the guidance factual and tailored by your veterinary team; do not ask a sitter to diagnose. If the cat has a condition that may need prompt attention, agree in advance who can authorize care and how payment or transport will be handled. Give written permission and contact procedures where the clinic requires them.

Cover home access and security

Write down how to enter, which lights or alarms to use, where keys are kept, and which windows or doors must remain closed. Explain any building entry procedure and whether another person may enter during the same visit. Ask the sitter to confirm that exterior doors are shut before letting the cat into a room. Make a plan for a power outage, severe weather, or a lost key if those risks apply.

Keep the handover in one known place and store a backup contact copy securely. Do not write an alarm code or sensitive access details on an exposed note attached to the front door. Share them directly with the sitter using a secure method and update the information when codes or contacts change.

A one-page handover checklist

• Visit schedule, sitter name, and your backup contact
• Feeding instructions, water locations, and approved treats
• Litter locations, cleaning routine, and supply storage
• Cat’s normal hiding places and how to invite play without forcing contact
• Veterinarian, emergency clinic, records, and approved medication instructions
• Carrier location, exit rules, keys, alarm, and doors that must stay closed
• What observations to report and who may authorize veterinary care

Before departure, walk through the instructions together and let the sitter ask questions. A short practice visit can reveal unclear directions while you are still available. After returning, check in about food, water, litter, and the cat’s behavior. The handover works best as a living document: revise it after a move, a routine change, or new veterinary advice.

Turn the handover into a short practice visit

If possible, have the sitter visit before departure. Show them the actual food, trays, carrier, locks, and cleaning supplies rather than relying on a long message. Ask them to repeat the essential routine in their own words. This is a way to find unclear instructions, not an examination. A confusing door lock or an unlabelled medication cupboard is much easier to resolve while you are present.

Let the cat decide how much contact to have during the visit. A sitter does not need to pick the cat up to prove they can provide care. Explain the cat’s usual resting places and how to check welfare without reaching into a hiding spot. If handling is essential for a prescribed treatment, discuss the practical plan with the veterinary team and sitter in advance.

Test communication arrangements too. Agree which number to use for ordinary updates, what to do if a message is unanswered, and which situations require contacting the clinic directly. A daily photograph is not enough evidence that food, water, and litter checks have been completed. Ask for a brief factual update that covers the care actually provided.

Make food instructions impossible to confuse

Write the full product name and measured amount, including units. Terms such as a little, one scoop, or the usual pouch can be ambiguous when the cupboard contains several sizes. Label any prepared portions and record whether treats are included. In a multi-cat home, explain how the sitter should confirm that each cat eats the intended diet.

Show where food packaging and lot details are kept. Include opened-food storage directions and what should happen to leftovers. Do not transfer every product into identical unmarked containers immediately before leaving. The sitter should be able to identify what was fed if you or the veterinary team later need that information.

Explain what reduced intake should trigger. Avoid writing that hiding or not eating is always normal when you are away. The right response depends on the individual and the degree of change, so agree an advice route with your veterinary team where needed. A sitter should not improvise a succession of new foods or supplements instead of reporting a concern.

Separate prescribed care from general household advice

Provide current veterinary instructions for any medication or treatment exactly as prescribed. Include the product, schedule, administration method, storage, and the clinic contact for missed doses or uncertainty. Do not expect the sitter to infer instructions from an old label or change a dose because an animal seems sleepy or restless.

Make sure the sitter is willing and practically able to carry out the plan. A person comfortable feeding a sociable cat may not be equipped for complex medical care or a cat that resists essential handling. Arrange appropriate professional support rather than minimizing the difficulty to secure a booking. Honest preparation protects both the sitter and the animal.

Keep medications distinct from food rewards and household products. If several animals receive different treatments, use clear identifiers and written records of administration. Ask the veterinary team how to handle foreseeable problems before departure. The handover should preserve an established care plan, not become an informal instruction to diagnose and treat whatever happens.

Plan the exceptional day as well as the normal visit

Write down what happens if the sitter is delayed, loses access, becomes ill, or cannot locate the cat. Identify an agreed backup person and confirm that they actually have permission and a workable way to enter. Avoid placing responsibility on a neighbor who has not agreed to provide care. Test keys and access codes through the normal entry route.

Leave veterinary details, transport arrangements, and your instructions about treatment authorization and payment in a clear place. Discuss any clinic-specific arrangements directly with the clinic. The sitter should know where the carrier is and how it closes before an urgent journey is needed. Do not leave the carrier buried beneath luggage in a locked cupboard.

After returning, review what worked. Ask whether any instruction was unclear or any supply difficult to find, and update the handover while the experience is fresh. Note changes in the cat’s routine without blaming the sitter for every difference. A good handover becomes simpler and more accurate over time, supporting dependable care whenever another person needs to step into your ordinary routine.