A well-prepared cat sitter instruction sheet turns your cat’s routine into clear, manageable steps and gives the sitter a reliable reference when questions arise. The best sheet is specific enough to prevent confusion without burying important details in unnecessary information.
Start With Your Cat’s Daily Routine
Begin by writing down what a normal day looks like for your cat. Do not assume that a sitter will know how much food, attention, or quiet time your cat needs. Describe the routine in the order it normally happens, and use approximate times if exact timing is not essential.
Include:
- Your cat’s name, age, breed or appearance, and any identifying markings.
- Typical wake-up and bedtime habits.
- Feeding times and usual portion sizes.
- Water bowl or fountain instructions.
- Litter box locations and cleaning expectations.
- Playtime, grooming, cuddling, or outdoor access.
- Hiding places or situations that make your cat nervous.
- Any behaviors that are normal for this particular cat.
For example, “Feed Luna one level scoop of dry food at approximately 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Fill the water fountain if it is below the halfway mark. She usually hides under the desk for a few minutes when someone arrives, so do not pull her out.” This is more useful than simply writing “feed Luna twice daily.”
Separate essential tasks from optional preferences. Feeding, medication, and litter care are essential. A specific play session may be optional if the sitter is short on time, unless exercise is important for your cat’s health or behavior.
Make Feeding Instructions Precise
Food instructions are one of the most important parts of the sheet because portion errors can cause problems, especially when multiple people may be helping. State the food brand, formula, amount, preparation method, and storage location.
Clarify:
- Whether the food is dry, wet, raw, or a combination.
- The exact quantity for each meal.
- Whether a measuring cup, kitchen scale, spoon, or pre-portioned container should be used.
- Whether wet food should be refrigerated after opening.
- How long opened food may remain at room temperature.
- Whether treats are allowed and the daily maximum.
- Which foods or household items are unsafe for your cat.
If your cat eats wet food, write instructions such as, “Give half a 3-ounce can in the morning and the remaining half in the evening. Cover the opened can and store it on the top refrigerator shelf.” If food is already portioned, label each container by day and meal.
Explain what to do if your cat refuses food. A practical instruction might be: “Offer the normal meal once more after 30 minutes, but do not keep replacing it with treats. Contact me if she has not eaten by the next scheduled meal.” If your veterinarian has given different guidance, use that guidance instead.
Do not ask the sitter to change your cat’s diet, introduce new treats, or guess at portions. Write down an approved backup option, such as a specific canned food, if the normal food runs out.
Include Litter Box and Cleanliness Details
Cats can avoid a litter box when it is dirty, moved, strongly scented, or difficult to access. List every litter box location and explain what maintenance is expected during each visit.
Your instructions should cover:
- The number and type of litter boxes.
- The litter brand or type.
- Where clean litter and waste bags are stored.
- Whether clumps should be removed once or twice daily.
- Where used litter should be discarded.
- Whether the box should be topped up, fully changed, or simply scooped.
- Any cleaning products that should or should not be used.
Avoid vague wording such as “clean the litter.” Instead, write, “Scoop the upstairs box during each evening visit. Tie waste in the small green bags under the sink and place the bags in the outside bin. Add litter from the sealed container in the laundry room if the level looks low.”
Ask the sitter to report unusual changes, including blood, diarrhea, repeated vomiting, straining, a strong unexpected odor, or a significant increase or decrease in urine or stool. These observations do not always indicate an emergency, but they may be important to your veterinarian.
Explain Medication and Health Care Safely
Medication instructions need extra care. List the medication name, strength, dose, timing, method of administration, and what to do if a dose is missed or immediately vomited. Do not rely on a label alone, particularly if several medications are present.
Use a compact table like this:
| Medication | Amount and timing | How to give it | Missed-dose instruction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example: prescribed tablet | 1 tablet at 8 a.m. | Hide in approved pill pocket or give directly | Call owner before giving an extra dose |
Keep medications in clearly labeled containers and separate them from supplements or human medicines. If the sitter has never administered medication before, arrange a demonstration before you leave. Confirm that they are comfortable with the task rather than assuming they will manage it.
Include your cat’s regular veterinarian, emergency veterinarian, and permission details. Write down your cat’s medical conditions, allergies, recent procedures, and normal warning signs. Add the microchip number if available, and identify the carrier’s location.
A health section might state:
- “Milo has asthma. Occasional quiet coughing is familiar, but contact the emergency veterinarian if breathing is labored, his gums look pale or blue, or he cannot settle.”
- “Do not give human pain relievers, cold medicine, or leftover pet medication.”
- “If he escapes, do not chase him. Call me, check the enclosed yard, and contact the listed emergency number.”
Only include veterinary instructions that have been provided by you or a professional. The sitter should not be expected to diagnose an illness or make treatment decisions beyond the agreed plan.
Describe Your Cat’s Personality and Handling Preferences
A sitter needs to know more than whether your cat is friendly. Explain how your cat reacts to strangers, handling, noise, other animals, and attempts to enter a carrier.
Useful details include:
- Whether your cat normally hides when visitors arrive.
- Whether the cat should be picked up or left on the floor.
- Favorite toys and places to play.
- Signs of fear, overstimulation, pain, or aggression.
- Whether doors or windows must remain closed at all times.
- How to approach the cat during feeding or medication.
- Whether the cat can interact with children or other pets.
Describe body language in practical terms. “If Pepper’s ears flatten and her tail begins switching, stop petting and give her space” is more actionable than “Pepper can be moody.” Mention what usually helps: turning sideways, sitting quietly, offering a toy, or leaving the room briefly.
If your cat is allowed outside, provide exact boundaries and a return procedure. If outdoor access is not allowed, state this prominently. Never assume that a sitter will infer indoor-only rules from the cat’s usual routine.
Add Home Access and Security Instructions
A complete instruction sheet should explain how the sitter gets in, where supplies are located, and what should happen when they leave. Keep security-sensitive information separate when appropriate; for example, do not leave an alarm code in an exposed public place.
Write down:
- The entry method and spare-key location.
- Alarm, door, or gate instructions.
- Which rooms are off-limits.
- Thermostat, lighting, and curtain preferences.
- Where food, litter, cleaning supplies, towels, and carriers are stored.
- Trash and recycling instructions.
- Whether mail, packages, plants, or household tasks need attention.
- The location of the main water shutoff and electrical panel if relevant.
Give the sitter a clear parking or building-entry description if you live in an apartment, gated community, or complex with confusing access. Include the names and phone numbers of a trusted neighbor, property manager, or backup sitter.
State what the sitter should do if they cannot enter. For example: “Call me first, then call the backup sitter. Do not force the door or leave the cat unattended without confirming that another person has access.”
Create an Emergency Contact Plan
Put emergency information near the top of the document so it can be found quickly. Use full names and phone numbers, and confirm that each person knows they may be contacted.
Include:
- Your mobile number and an alternate number.
- The name and number of your travel companion, if applicable.
- The regular veterinarian and clinic address.
- The nearest emergency veterinary hospital.
- A local backup person with access to your home.
- Your cat’s microchip registry details, if applicable.
- Your preferred authorization and payment instructions for veterinary care.
Write a short decision rule for urgent situations. For example, “For severe breathing trouble, collapse, uncontrolled bleeding, or suspected poisoning, go directly to the emergency veterinarian and call me while traveling if possible.” For less urgent concerns, specify whether you want a photo, phone call, or message before action is taken.
If you have a spending limit or insurance information, state it clearly. A sitter should not have to guess whether they may authorize examination, testing, or emergency stabilization. Discuss this arrangement in advance with the sitter and veterinarian because policies vary.
Use a Simple Visit Checklist
A checklist reduces the chance that a tired or hurried sitter will forget a small task. Create one for every visit rather than providing only a long paragraph.
Example visit checklist:
- Unlock and enter carefully.
- Confirm the cat is present and appears normal.
- Check food and provide the scheduled portion.
- Refresh water or check the fountain.
- Scoop the litter box.
- Give medication, if scheduled, and record it.
- Spend the agreed amount of quiet time with the cat.
- Check for vomit, accidents, damage, or unusual behavior.
- Secure windows, doors, and gates.
- Send the agreed update and photograph.
- Lock the home before leaving.
Add a medication or feeding log with spaces for date, time, food, medication, litter observations, and notes. This is especially helpful when more than one sitter is involved or when your cat receives time-sensitive medication.
Decide How Updates Should Work
Explain how often you want updates and what each update should contain. Some owners prefer one message after every visit, while others want only a daily summary. Set expectations before leaving so the sitter does not have to guess whether silence is acceptable.
A useful update can include:
- Whether the cat was seen.
- Food and water intake.
- Medication completion.
- Litter box observations.
- Mood or behavior.
- A photo, if practical.
- Any supply that may run out soon.
Avoid requiring constant photographs if your cat hides or becomes stressed by attempts to coax it out. A cat may be healthy without appearing in every picture. Ask the sitter to record what they observed honestly rather than staging an interaction.
Review, Test, and Share the Sheet Before Leaving
Write the sheet several days before your trip. Read it as someone unfamiliar with your home and ask whether any instruction depends on information only you know. Replace phrases such as “the usual food” or “the box upstairs” with exact names and locations.
Before departure:
- Walk through at least one complete visit with the sitter.
- Have the sitter practice medication or feeding preparation if needed.
- Show the carrier, supplies, circuit breaker, and emergency exits.
- Confirm keys, access codes, and backup contacts.
- Check expiration dates and purchase enough food, litter, and medication.
- Leave written permission for veterinary care if appropriate.
- Provide a printed copy and a digital copy.
- Ask the sitter to repeat back the most important instructions.
Keep the document current. Update it after a medication change, veterinary visit, move of supplies, change in food, or change in emergency contact. A sheet written for one vacation may be inaccurate months later.
Common Problems and Practical Fixes
If the sitter says the instructions are too long, move optional home-care tasks to a separate page and keep cat safety, feeding, medication, litter, and emergency information together.
If the cat refuses to interact, do not instruct the sitter to force contact. Ask them to confirm that the cat is present, check food and water, inspect the litter box, and watch for signs of illness from a respectful distance. A hiding cat may need time, but refusal to eat or drink requires attention.
If the cat vomits once, record the time and appearance, remove unsafe material, and follow your veterinarian’s or owner’s instructions. Repeated vomiting, weakness, breathing difficulty, collapse, suspected poisoning, or other serious signs should be handled according to the emergency plan rather than delayed while waiting for a routine update.
If supplies run out, provide a nearby store, an approved substitute, and a spending arrangement in advance. Do not expect the sitter to choose a new food or litter without guidance if your cat is sensitive to changes.
A good cat sitter instruction sheet does not need to predict every possible event. It needs to make normal care obvious, identify important limits, and show the sitter exactly whom to contact when the situation falls outside the routine.