Pawprints and Purrs, Inc.
Cat Health Care
Information by Condition or Disease
A Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization
All donations are tax deductible
Copyright © 1997 - 2010
The following information is adapted from a checklist provided by Gail Columbo of Cat Faeries, a former professional cat sitter. Visit her site for great catnip-filled cat toys, flower essences, and Feliway. Thank you for sharing, Gail!
Getting Ready for Your Cat Sitter
Provide a neatly printed or typed handout for your cat sitter. Clip a twenty dollar bill to the handout in case the sitter needs anything extra (cat food, litter, cleaning supplies, etc.). Here's what should be included in the handout:
- Name of each cat: coloring/fur, whether the cat is friendly or hides, special diet, medication, likes and dislikes, favorite toys, favorite hiding places.
- Where you will be, with phone numbers.
- Road travel or flight itinerary, hotel itinerary.
- Name and number of a neighbor who has a spare key.
- Name and number of your vet and, if you have one in your area, your 24 hour emergency clinic.
- Details about feeding - how much, how often, where food is stored.
- Details about litter boxes - where they are located, where to dispose used litter, where fresh litter is stored.
- Details about plant care, picking up newspapers and mail.
- Details about the house - example, should closet doors remain open, lights to remain on, toilet seats stay lowered, etc.
- All emergency phone numbers (including 911 or police direct dial and fire direct dial).
Start looking for a cat sitter NOW . . . Do not wait till the last minute. You'll want someone in mind for when you do have to travel or have to leave town unexpectedly.
Obtain at least FIVE referrences from the sitter.
Ask the sitter how many cats/homes he/she visits a day. If he/she is doing a ton of homes back-to-back, there's no way that he/she can deal with an emergency at YOUR house or notice if one of YOUR cats is sick.
Tell the sitter at what time he/she MUST come to your home. If you think he/she won't do it - find someone else.
Don't hire a cat sitter who drives a vehicle which advertises that he/she is a cat sitter - this tells every thief in town that you are gone.
If the sitter is going to be sleeping over at your house, make sure the linens are clean (freshly made bed, nice towels, etc.) and the fridge and pantry are stocked with food for easy meal preparation. Make sure the TV is easy to use and the phone is accessible.
Leave with your vet a credit card number in case of an emergency and provide the sitter's name with the understanding that the sitter will be acting in your place.
Cat carrier(s) should be out and easy to find - tell the cat sitter exactly where they are.
Have an emergency medical kit for humans available for the sitter in case of minor injuries.
Leave a note pad and pen for the sitter's use.
Leave your phone number(s) in a prominent place in the den or kitchen.
Cat food, opener, clean bowls, etc. should be located in an easily accessible place - be sure to show the sitter where these items are kept.
Have more cat food than will be needed - just in case.
Instruct the sitter to rinse out the food cans or other containers and put them in the recycling.
Instruct the sitter what to do in case there's an ant invasion.
Have cat litter (and if used, liners) right near the litter pans; don't make the sitter haul them from the basement or garage.
Have a bunch of bags for soiled litter near the extra litter.
Have a trash can nearby so that the sitter can easily get rid of the soiled litter.
Make sure your door key/lock works. Have the sitter test the key in your presence.
Show the sitter how to use your burglar alarm, leave written instructions on how to arm/disarm, and notify your alarm company about the sitter.
Make sure that the sitter knows to dead bolt the door, both coming and going.
Don't pay 100% up front - give the sitter incentive to do a good job.
Make sure the sitter clearly understands your rules - for example, rinsing out empty cans, no bringing over of friends or children (that's VERY IMPORTANT), no long-distance calls, no trying to find or drag out from under the bed scared cats. If you are a neat freak, TELL THE SITTER.
Hide your jewelry and cash.
Tell your neighbors what the sitter looks like so they don't think he/she's a burglar.
If your plane is delayed or you are behind schedule on the road, CALL THE SITTER.
Did you put the cat sitter's name and number in your wallet? Planes can be delayed and he/she'll need to know.
Call him/her when you get home.
Your donation goes to the expenses for our feral cat colony and foster cats and dogs' food, upkeep, and medical care. 100% of all donations go to the animals because there are no salaries or administrative fees. Thank you for your support!
Visit our message board for serious information gathering and decimination regarding animal health, advocacy, and rescue - cats, dogs, wildlife, and so much more. You will have to register, but it's FREE. We hope you will join us.
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