Booking a trip can feel like a job in and of itself. You have to take care of travel, hotel, rental car, whilst thinking of your travel itinerary while away. It can be fun and overwhelming; especially when you turn your focus back to preparing your home and your furry felines for their upcoming staycation.
As kitty caregivers we’d like to share our inside scoop and tips to best prepare your home and kitties for their summer staycation.
#1 Ensure Peace of Mind for your Kitty
Book your flights in the AM, and Your Kitty Sitter that evening. We have noticed a positive change in behavior when we visit kitties whose owners left earlier that day. Upon entry, they kitties are expecting you, they recognize it’s us, but they are NOT yet stressed out that you didn’t come home last night. It makes a HUGE difference for their entire staycation. When they think you aren’t coming home, they tend to become recluse and hide more. When they see us the same day we have found they do not hide.
#2 Leave a hide-a-key in a lockbox in case of emergency
But not for your kitty caregiver. Personally give a key to your kitty caregiver at the Meet&Greet, so that they have the opportunity to test the key in the front door. Do not leave a hide-a-key to chance, everyone’s peace of mind depends on it.
#3 We are purfessional cat sitters who prefer to see your kitty at least once every 24 hours during their entire staycation.
Taking care of your furry family member is a HUGE responsibility. Therefore, please don’t skip days or weave us in with family and friend caregivers. Shared and/or skipped care leaves gaps in communication and in all honesty, its’ not best for the kitty. They need consistency and peace of mind in your absence, and over time they really get to know us too.
#4 Nothing but the Kitchen Sink
Your house is your home and we don’t mind how it looks, we are only there to see and spend time with kitty. However, we do need access to the kitchen sink so that we can clean kitty’s dishes. Leaving dirty dishes may also bring ants. Our top priority is to clean and care for anything that kitty needs or comes into contact with. So thank you in advance for helping to prepare your home for the care we will provide.
#5 Leave directive care instructions
The Vet Authorization Form truly is the most important document for you to leave behind. We never anticipate a kitty illness, but planning for one is crucial to everyone’s peace of mind. Please complete the document in its entirety and designate a sufficient amount of money to care for your kitty. We recommend between $300-500 per kitty. If your travels take you overseas, we recommend calling your vet to notify them of your absence and/or leaving a copy of the vet release form with them as well.
#6 Detailed care instructions
Every kitty should have their own Kitty Profile that details care instructions regarding food, medicine, and playtime. Favorite hiding spots or Safe Spaces (as we like to call them) should be pointed out during a meet & greet. Be sure to include special treats and goodies like catnip or silver vine in the event your kitty would enjoy them.
#7 Share your itinerary
Most kitty caregivers do not need to know where your next adventure takes you, but we sure do like to know your departure and arrival times. We can best coordinate kitties care by moving our visits up or back to ensure kitty will not be stressed upon your arrival. We can also check in to verify your travel was not delayed and you have arrived on time.
#8 Reserve on time
Trips may arise on short-notice, but the majority of the time you should have ample time to make a kitty staycation reservation. Do not delay after booking your travel plans. Especially during summer and holidays, our kitty caregiver calendar fills up quickly. Allow ample time for a meet&greet and to complete the Enrollment Forms and Pet Care Instructions and Vet Release.
#9 Preparing your home
Taking in the mail and packages, pulling trash to the curb and watering house plants seems simple, and we do our best to not miss a beat. Please leave specific instructions on the Enrollment Forms. We also recommend moving or grouping indoor house plants to ensure we don’t miss one. We are expert kitty caregivers, but not all of us have a green thumb! Your kitty caregiver may provide other recommendations such as closing off certain spaces while you are away to keep kitty accessible and comfortable in your absence.
#10 We tend to over communicate
Like you, we view pets as family. We ask our kitty caregivers to provide in-the-moment texts and photo updates at every visit. If this is overkill for you, be sure to let us know at the meet & greet. For international travel we may recommend email updates, and/or text messages thru the WhatsUp app.
Preparing for your kitties summer staycation should not be stressful. Our Meet & Greets are designed to help your fur baby up for a staycation that promotes their normal routine. It’s the purrfect opportunity to make sure all your concerns are addressed so you too can travel with peace of mind in knowing Kitty and your Home will be well cared for.