Going away? Lovely for you. Potentially outrageous behaviour, according to your cat.
While you’re packing your pants and pretending you won’t spend the whole trip looking at photos of them, there’s one important job left: briefing the person temporarily taking over as Chief Cat Servant.
A good cat-sitter brief means fewer frantic WhatsApps, fewer mystery meals and, most importantly, a cat whose carefully curated lifestyle continues with minimal disruption.
Here’s what your sitter needs to know.
Write down:
What they eat
How much they eat
What time they eat
Where their food is kept
Where their bowl goes
Any very specific serving rituals your cat has successfully trained you to perform
If you feed KatKin, make sure your sitter knows which trays are for which day, how you normally defrost them and exactly how your cat likes theirs served.
And if your cat has treats, leave instructions for those too. Otherwise you may come home to discover your sitter has been conned into handing over Nibbles every 14 minutes.
Not glamorous, but very important.
Show your sitter where the litter trays are, where the fresh litter lives, how often you scoop and where the poo bags go.
If your cat has particular toilet habits, mention them. You know the sort: refuses to use a tray containing one single previous wee, kicks litter halfway across the postcode...
The more your sitter knows about what’s normal, the more likely they are to spot when something isn’t.
If your cat takes medication, don’t leave room for interpretation.
Write down what they need, how much, when and how you usually give it. Better yet, show your sitter before you leave.
Also share:
Your vet’s name and number
Your cat’s insurance details, if relevant
Any existing health conditions
Anything unusual they should keep an eye on
What you’d like them to do if they’re worried
And leave your own contact details somewhere impossible to miss.
Your holiday brain may be operating exclusively on croissants and SPF by then. Your sitter’s shouldn’t have to.
Cats have routines.
More specifically, your cat has a routine, and they expect everyone else to respect it.
Tell your sitter when they usually:
Eat
Play
Go outside, if they do
Come inside
Nap
Like attention (and don't)
Include anything that helps your cat feel at home while you’re away. Favourite toys. favourite sleeping spots, favourite window from which to monitor neighbourhood incompetence.
The small stuff matters.
Never assume.
Can your cat go outside? Should certain windows stay shut? Are there rooms they’re not allowed in? Is there a cupboard they can open with terrifying ease? Will they sprint through the front door given half a chance?
Write it all down.
Also point out anything your sitter needs for the house itself: alarm codes, bins, spare keys, Wi-Fi.
Nobody knows their cat quite like their cat parent.
So give your sitter the cheat sheet.
Maybe your cat:
Hides when strangers arrive, then emerges 20 minutes later demanding worship
Hates being picked up
Loves chin scratches but considers belly touching an act of war
Yells constantly and is absolutely fine
Never yells, so vocalising is worth paying attention to
Sleeps somewhere so bizarre your sitter might otherwise assume they’ve escaped
Some cats greet a sitter at the door.
Others become one with the underside of the bed.
Let your sitter know your cat’s favourite hiding places so they don’t spend two hours convinced they’ve lost them.
If your cat goes outdoors, make sure your sitter knows their usual habits and what you want them to do if they don’t come home when expected.
Nobody wants a “tiny question, have you seen this cat?” message while halfway up a mountain.
Leave a simple emergency plan.
Who should your sitter contact if they can’t reach you? Which vet should they use? Is there a carrier ready to go? Where is it?
You don’t need to write War and Peace.
You just need enough information that, if something goes wrong, your sitter knows exactly what to do next.
There is no shame in wanting updates.
Tell your sitter what you’d like before you leave: a message after every visit, one update a day, photos, videos, proof of life plus an unnecessarily detailed description of that morning’s poo.
Whatever keeps you happy.
Setting expectations upfront saves you from spending your holiday wondering whether asking for a sixth photo today would seem “a bit much”.
It wouldn’t. But still.
Yes, you can explain everything before you leave.
No, your sitter will not remember all of it.
Leave a written brief somewhere obvious and send them a digital copy too. Keep it simple, specific and easy to scan.
Before you head off, make sure your sitter has:
Feeding instructions
Treat instructions
Litter instructions
Medication and health information
Vet details
Your contact details
A backup emergency contact
Daily routine
Indoor/outdoor rules
Favourite hiding places
Carrier location
House and key instructions
Your preferred update schedule
Then there’s only one thing left to do.
Go away. Have fun. Check the cat cam only a completely reasonable number of times.
Your cat will be fine.
Whether they forgive you for leaving is another matter.
Recent scientific studies have shed light on how and why cats naturally adjust their food intake with the seasons — here’s everything you need to know.
Keep your cat happy and safe in your absence
Learning how to travel with your cat can expand your horizons to new cities and even countries. Our ultimate guide can help prepare you for any destination, by ensuring you have the correct documents for your feline friend when travelling from the United Kingdom