Thanksgiving Cat-Sitting Checklist
Traveling for Thanksgiving? Prepare your cat, home, and sitter with this holiday checklist from Cats and Crew in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Your bags are half-packed, your family is asking when you’ll arrive, and your cat has decided your open suitcase is the perfect place for a nap. Before you head out for Thanksgiving, there’s one more thing to organize: your cat’s care while you’re away.
At Cats and Crew, we know that good preparation is about more than leaving a bag of food on the counter. It means making sure your sitter understands your cat’s routine, can get into your home reliably, and knows what to do if something unexpected happens. Whether you’re leaving Ft. Lauderdale for a quick family visit or an extended holiday getaway, use this checklist to get everything ready.
1. Arrange Your Cat Sitting Before the Last-Minute Rush
Put cat care on your travel to-do list as soon as you know your plans. Before confirming your booking, share your departure and return dates, how many cats need care, and any medication or special-care needs. Be specific about timing. Leaving early Wednesday morning is different from leaving Wednesday evening, especially when meals or medications are involved.
Discuss:
When you’ll leave and when you expect to be home.
The timing and frequency of visits.
Feeding, litter-box, and companionship needs.
Any medication requirements.
What should happen if your return is delayed.
For cats with medical needs, ask your veterinarian what care schedule is appropriate, then confirm that your sitter can follow it. Written medication instructions and details about existing health conditions are important parts of preparing for a sitter.
2. Introduce Your Cat and Their Quirks
A pre-trip introduction gives you a chance to explain the little things that don’t always fit neatly on a form. Maybe your cat eats only when someone sits nearby. Maybe they greet visitors at the door or disappear behind the sofa until the house is quiet. Share those details rather than expecting your sitter to figure them out. Additionally, walk through the feeding area, litter boxes, supplies, and favorite hiding spots. It's a good idea to let your sitter spend time with your cat before you leave for your trip.
Include notes about:
Favorite toys and preferred ways to play.
Whether your cat enjoys petting or prefers space.
Rooms they can and cannot enter.
Common hiding places.
Any tendency to approach or slip through an open door.
“Usually hides under the guest bed” is much more useful than “a little shy.”
3. Leave Clear Feeding and Care Instructions
Even if you explain everything in person, leave a written copy in one easy-to-find place. Your sitter should be able to check instructions without searching through old messages. Include the food brand and variety, exact portions, feeding times, approved treats, and where supplies are stored. For medication, provide the name, prescribed dose, schedule, and administration instructions. These are core details that demand specificity.
Make instructions specific:
“Give half of one 3-ounce can at each meal,” rather than “a little wet food.”
“Use the measuring scoop in the food container,” rather than “one scoop.”
“Food bowls are washed with the supplies under the kitchen sink,” rather than “clean as needed.”
If you have multiple cats, explain who eats what and whether they need separate feeding areas.
Also describe what is normal for each cat. Changes in appetite, litter-box habits, energy, or behavior are easier to recognize when your sitter has a clear baseline.
4. Stock Supplies in One Accessible Place
Before leaving, check that you have enough supplies for the entire trip, with extra available if your plans change. Keeping additional food, litter, medication, and other essentials accessible to the sitter really helps in a pinch.
Set out or clearly label:
Your cat’s usual food and approved treats.
Litter, a scoop, and disposal bags.
Cleaning supplies and paper towels.
Medications with written instructions.
Spare bowls and any feeding tools.
Your cat’s carrier.
Don’t make your sitter hunt through six cabinets to find the next bag of litter. A designated supply area keeps visits focused on your cat instead of a household scavenger hunt.
5. Make Home Access Easy and Test It
A working entry plan deserves its own spot on your checklist. So, test the key, keypad, or smart-lock instructions before you leave. Explain how to lock the door afterward and provide any alarm instructions your sitter needs. Access instructions are a standard part of preparing a home for pet sitting.
For Ft. Lauderdale condo and apartment residents, add any relevant building details:
Guest-entry or front-desk procedures.
Gate codes and parking instructions.
Elevator or key-fob requirements.
Visitor registration rules.
The correct entrance and unit number.
Agree on a backup plan if the primary entry method fails. A key that technically works, but only after lifting the handle and turning it twice, needs an explanation.
6. Put Emergency Information Where Your Sitter Can Find It
Nobody wants a holiday emergency. Preparing for one means your sitter won’t have to improvise while trying to reach you.
Leave:
Your phone number and travel contact information.
A backup contact who can make decisions if you’re unavailable.
Your regular veterinarian’s name, address, and phone number.
Your preferred emergency veterinary hospital’s contact details.
Relevant medical history and medication information.
Most pet care providers recommend providing both your regular veterinarian’s information and an after-hours emergency practice. Ask your veterinary office how to authorize treatment while you’re away, and discuss payment arrangements in advance. Leave the carrier somewhere accessible and tell your sitter exactly where it is.
7. Clear Away Thanksgiving Hazards
If you’ve been cooking, hosting, or decorating before your trip, do a final sweep before heading out. Put food away, clear the counters, and secure the trash. Thanksgiving ingredients such as onions and garlic can be toxic to pets, while poultry bones can present a choking hazard. Chocolate also needs to stay out of reach as it is poisonous to cats.
Additionally, check any decorations you’re leaving behind, too. Holiday lights, batteries, breakable ornaments, and tinsel can create hazards for curious cats. Unplug decorative items that don’t need to remain on and remove anything your cat might chew or swallow. Leave approved cat treats for your sitter so there’s no uncertainty about what your cat can have.
8. Confirm Updates and Your Return Plan
Before departure, agree on how you’ll receive updates and what information you’d like included.
You might request a photo, a short visit summary, and notes about meals or litter-box use. Set expectations in advance rather than assuming everyone has the same idea of an update.
Then confirm:
Your expected return time.
The last scheduled visit.
How to request additional care if travel plans change.
How keys or other access items will be handled.
How you’ll let your sitter know you’re home.
A delayed flight is frustrating enough without uncertainty about who is caring for your cat.
9. Keep Familiar Comforts Available
There’s no need to rearrange your cat’s world just because you’re traveling. Leave their usual resting spots accessible, point out favorite toys, and explain the routines you’d like maintained. Feeding schedules, nighttime habits, and familiar supplies are useful details to share with a sitter.
For a shy cat, write down where they tend to retreat and how they usually respond to visitors. Your sitter needs to know the difference between “this is their favorite quiet spot” and behavior that seems unusual for them. A helpful note might be: “Milo usually stays behind the bedroom curtains at first. He often comes out when you sit quietly nearby.”
Your Final Before-You-Leave Check
Before locking the door, run through these essentials:
Cat-sitting dates and visit details are confirmed.
Written feeding and medication instructions are ready.
Food, litter, and supplies are stocked.
Home entry has been tested.
Veterinary and emergency contacts are available.
The carrier is accessible.
Food, trash, and holiday hazards are secured.
Your sitter knows how to reach you.
You have a plan for travel delays.
Plan Your Thanksgiving Cat Care With Cats and Crew
You should be thinking about your Thanksgiving plans, not wondering whether you remembered to explain where the cat food is. Cats and Crew is a professional cat-sitting business in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Contact us to discuss your travel dates, your cat’s routine, and the care you need while you’re away. With the details organized before departure, you can leave your sitter with clear instructions and your cat with a thoughtfully prepared home.
Call us today at 954-903-1339 or contact us here to schedule your cat care service. We proudly serve Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Sea Ranch Lakes, Pompano Beach, and Lighthouse Point. We look forward to meeting you and your feline friend!
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