What to leave your pet sitter: the complete checklist for dogs and cats

A good sitter can only follow the instructions they get. Most mistakes come from small missing details: the wrong scoop, a skipped dose, a cat that hides when the doorbell rings. This checklist covers everything a sitter needs, in the order they need it.

Why one page beats a long message

A sitter reads a table in seconds. A long text message takes minutes, and details get lost in the scroll. Put the daily routine for every pet on one page, and stick it on the fridge.

You can make that page in two minutes with our free sitter sheet tool. Add each pet once, and the tool builds the page and sends it to your sitter by text or WhatsApp.

1. The daily routine

Write the routine as a timetable, not a story.

• Wake-up, meal, walk and bedtime for each pet
• Litter tray cleaning times for cats
• Which rooms each pet can go into
• Play time, and how long

2. Food, in exact amounts

Write the amount in cups or grams. “Half a scoop” is not clear if there are three different scoops in the cupboard.

• Brand and type of food for each pet
• The exact amount for each meal
• Treats that are allowed, and the maximum per day
• Where each pet eats, so the dog does not eat the cat’s food

Tip: Weigh one scoop on a kitchen scale once. Write the grams. Then anyone can feed the right amount.

3. Medicines

Copy the medicine name and dose exactly as the pharmacy label shows them. Do not write a dose from memory.

• Medicine name and strength, as on the label
• Dose, and the time of day
• How to give it, for example hidden in food
• What to do if the pet refuses or spits out a dose. Ask your vet for this answer before you travel.

Ask the sitter to tick each dose on a record sheet, so nobody gives a dose twice.

4. Vet and emergency details

• Your vet’s name, address and phone number
• The nearest 24-hour emergency clinic
• A pet poison help line. In the US and Canada, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is (888) 426-4435. A consultation fee may apply.
• Pet insurance details
• A nearby friend who can help if you cannot be reached

5. A signed vet release with a spending limit

Pet Sitters International reports that most professional sitters ask clients for a veterinary release form. The form gives the sitter permission to take your pet for emergency care. Many forms also set a pre-approved dollar amount.

Include:

• Your name and phone number, and the sitter’s name and phone number
• The dates the release is valid
• A spending limit for each pet
• What the clinic must do if the cost is more than the limit
• A backup person to call if no one can reach you

Call your vet before you leave. Ask if they need their own form, or need to hear your consent by phone.

6. Door and alarm codes: send them last

Send the care guide early, so the sitter can read it. Keep door, alarm and Wi-Fi codes on a separate sheet. Give that sheet on arrival or the day before. If plans change, your codes have not been sitting in a message for weeks.

7. Hiding places and habits

Cats often hide when a stranger is in the house. Write where each pet hides, so the sitter checks there before they panic.

8. House notes

A sitter also needs to know how your home works. Write these on the care guide, not on the codes sheet:

• Rubbish and recycling days, and where the bins go
• Plants to water, and mail or parcels to bring in
• Where the pet food, leads, carriers and cleaning supplies are kept
• The fuse box and the water shut-off
• Rooms pets cannot go into, and doors to keep closed

An example fridge sheet for two pets

One page, one glance, no questions at 7 a.m.

Common mistakes

• “One scoop” with no size. Write cups or grams.
• Codes in the first message. Send them last, on a separate sheet.
• No vet release. The clinic may not treat your pet without your consent.
• A routine for one pet only. Put every pet side by side, so nobody is missed.

The complete set in one binder

The Household Command Binder has a ready-made sitter section: a fridge sheet, house notes without codes, a behaviour guide, a sitter daily log, a separate access sheet and a signed vet release. Fill it in once, and print a fresh fridge sheet before every trip.

Is your dog going to a kennel instead? Read what to pack for dog boarding.

Not sure a sitter is right? Read pet sitter vs boarding. If your dog will board, read bordetella vaccine before boarding.

How often must a sitter visit? Read how long can a cat be left alone and how long can a dog be left alone.