How To Prepare For A Cat Sitter

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BestPawForward#CollectiveBias

Our cat’s Harvey and Moxie are really special members of our family. Isn’t that funny how pets become more than animals when they join a family? Both came to us via a local organization that saves cats from being homeless, The Westfield Homeless Cat Project. Their motto is no cat is turned away because they’re not adoptable. And as a result, they usually are taking care of three or four feral cats in addition to the ones they’re looking for homes for.

We know that our sweet Moxie girl spent some time out on the streets before coming to the shelter. She’s a scavenger and has a strong taste for people food. We are certain that she spent some time being food insecure before she came to the shelter. She’s our protector and wanders from room to room at night, checking up on everyone.

We don’t know to much about Harvey’s life before the shelter. We do know that he’s excessively friendly. If he was a person, he’d totally be classified as an extrovert.

What do get when you combine an excessively extroverted cat and a cat who demands to be fed on a regular schedule with a family who values traveling? A need for a cat sitter!

We spend a lot of time traveling, especially to see my mother in law on Cape Cod. And if we’re going to be gone for more than a night, we strongly prefer to use a cat sitter to keep an eye on things at home.

How  To Prepare For A Cat Sitter

Preparing to leave your cats with a cat sitter is easier than you think. When we first started, we scribbled down a few notes and set their food on the kitchen table. But as they’ve gotten older, we’ve made some minor adjustments. Now we have a cat sitter action plan!

Hire right. 

One of the most important pieces of preparing for a cat sitter is the person you entrust your cats to. Personally, we’ve been really lucky to have friends fulfill this role for us. My general feeling is that personal recommendations are best, so ask your friends for an introduction if you need to.

Let your veterinarian know you’re leaving town. 

In addition to letting the vet know you’re leaving town, let them know who is caring for your pets and give them authorization to treat in case of emergency. And if they’ll let you, put a credit card on file for payment of those emergency services. We didn’t always do this and had a situation come up with a different cat that required an emergency Vet visit as soon as we walked in the door. The vet wouldn’t treat our cat because we hadn’t authorized services ahead of time.

Make sure your cats are familiar with their cat sitter. 

If the person taking care of your cats isn’t someone who is normally in your home, host a few play dates so everyone can get familiar with each other. Get your cats used to your sitter by giving them a few treats.

Leave a paper trail with all of the info your cat sitter will need. 

I love using this printable! The prompts make it really easy for me to remember what information about my cats someone else will need to effectively take care of them!

You can download your own copy here.

Make sure to leave a cat carrier out, just in case there is an emergency!  

If the cat sitter has to take your cat to the vet, they’re going to need a way to transport them. Put it out in plain view instead of just letting them know where it is. If there is an emergency, the last thing you want is a stressed out cat sitter searching around trying to find it!

Save yourself a step and head to the grocery store instead of going all the way to the pet store for food and treats. 

Did you know that Stop & Shop has a full selection of cat necessities? I love that I can get snacks for us and the supplies we need for our pets! In aisle 18 I found litter, toys to help keep our cats active as well as a wide variety of food and treats. I picked up Purina Beyond Cat Food and Purina DentaLife Cat Treats on a recent visit. I was really impressed with the options!

Make sure to leave plenty of food and treats! 

When it comes to leave your cat, you don’t want to forget the food and treats! Treats like Purina DentaLife make my cats’ world a happier place. They always come out of their hiding spots for a yummy treat.

Purina Dentalife treats are oral care cat treats. Launched earlier this year, they were specially designed with cats’ health in mind. They help clean cats’ teeth while they eat them and help reduce tarter build up. My cats love them, which makes them even better. It’s really tricky for us to brush their teeth!

I also picked up a bag of Purina Beyond Grain Free Ocean Whitefish and Egg Recipe. This natural cat food is gluten free and doesn’t have any added artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. When I combine these two products with a steady stream of play and exercise, I know that my cats’ overall health will be improved.* Not to be taken as professional veterinary advice. Please consult your veterinarian for recommendations and practices appropriate for your pet.

Try Purina DentaLife today! Save $2.00 with this great coupon. 

Speaking of savings, check out the 10/16/16 newspaper for an insert with these Purina Beyond coupons too! 

• Dry Dog Food: $2 off any Beyond 3lb bag Dry Dog food, $3 off any Beyond 13# or larger bag Dry Dog food
• Wet Dog Food: Buy 5, Get 1 on any Beyond Ground or In Gravy Canned Products, Buy 1, Get 1 on any Beyond Purees, $1 off Beyond Ground Entrees Variety Pack
• Dry Cat Food: $2 off Any Size Beyond Dry cat food.
• Wet Cat Food: $1 off the Variety Pack, Buy 3, Get 1 Free