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Caregiver Wellness
Leave your pet sitter clear written instructions: your pet’s daily routine, their medicines, who to call and signed permission for emergency care. Write them as if the person has never met your pet.
Queen, our poodle with heart disease, has a routine we could do in our sleep. A sitter would be starting from nothing. So this is the list we’d want anyone looking after her to have.
Before you hire a pet sitter
Meet the sitter in person, with your pet, so you can see how they get along. Ask for references, ask if they’re insured and bonded, and ask what happens if something keeps them from coming. Your veterinarian’s office may have names to suggest.
If your pet takes medicine, ask whether the sitter is comfortable giving it as a pill, a liquid or an injection, whichever your pet needs. If the timing matters, say so, because a sitter with several clients may not be able to arrive at an exact time.
Emergency contacts for your pet sitter
Put this on a card somewhere easy to see, like the fridge:
You: every way to reach you, and your travel plans, so the sitter knows when you may be hard to reach.
A local backup: a neighbor, friend or relative who knows your pet and has a key.
Your veterinarian: name, address and phone number.
The nearest 24-hour emergency hospital: name, address and phone number.
Poison lines: ASPCA Poison Control, (888) 426-4435, and Pet Poison Helpline, (855) 764-7661. Both are open 24 hours a day. The ASPCA says a consultation fee may apply, and Pet Poison Helpline charges a fee for each case.
Pet insurance details, if you have them.
Permission for emergency veterinary care
If your pet needs urgent care and no one can reach you, someone has to be able to say yes. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) suggests choosing a person to make those decisions and putting your wishes in writing. Many sitters and clinics have their own form, so ask your veterinarian what they need. Write down:
who can decide, and who has the final say if you name more than one person;
any spending limit;
anything you wouldn’t want done without talking to you first, such as major surgery;
how the bill gets paid. You can keep a card on file with your veterinarian and the emergency clinic.
The AVMA also suggests deciding whether this person can consent to euthanasia if it came to that, and what you’d want afterward. It’s a hard thing to write down on your way out of town. We’d still write it, so no one has to guess.
Sign it, and give a copy to the person you chose, your veterinarian and the emergency clinic.
Medicine instructions for your pet sitter
Go over these with your sitter in person, and leave them in writing too:
What to give: the name of each medicine, the dose, the time of day and how you give it (in a pill pocket, hidden in food, by mouth). Use plain words, because unclear abbreviations cause mistakes.
Where it lives: in its original labeled container, out of your pet’s reach. Flavored pills can seem like treats to a dog or cat.
How much to leave: enough for the whole trip, plus a few extra days.
What if a dose goes wrong: the right move for a pill that gets spat out, or a dose that’s late, depends on the medicine, and a second dose can be too much. Ask your veterinarian before you go, and write down what they say. If your sitter ever gives too much, they should call your veterinarian right away.
What to watch for: if your pet has a health condition, the symptoms that matter and the first steps your sitter can take.
If your sitter is new to giving pills, send them our guide, How to Give Your Dog a Pill.
Your pet’s daily routine
Cats and dogs are creatures of habit, and keeping their days the same helps while you’re gone. Write down:
meal times and how much, with portions counted out if you can;
which treats are fine and which to avoid (around the holidays, share our list of foods that aren’t safe for dogs and cats);
how often your dog goes out, where they like to walk and anywhere that’s off-limits;
how often the litter box gets scooped;
whether your pets eat apart;
where everything is: food, medicine, leashes, the carrier, cleaning supplies, the first aid kit;
the alarm code and the Wi-Fi password.
What’s normal for your pet
You know things about your pet that a sitter can’t. Signs of illness in cats can be subtle. A Texas A&M veterinarian gives the example of a cat who sleeps more than normal, or doesn’t get up to greet you when they usually do. So write down what normal looks like: how they eat, how they greet people, their quirks, their fears and their favorite hiding places. Our guide on how to tell if your dog or cat is in pain can help you both know what to look for.
Then say when to call. Ask your sitter to call you or your veterinarian if your pet stops eating, starts vomiting or just seems off. If it looks like an emergency, such as trouble breathing or not being able to stand, they shouldn’t wait to reach you. They should go straight to your veterinarian or the emergency hospital and contact you as soon as they can.
How often should a sitter visit a cat?
Two visits a day is what Battersea, a UK animal charity, and the animal welfare group FOUR PAWS both suggest. American Humane Society describes drop-in visits as one or more times a day. Humane World for Animals says cats are almost always better off at home, and home still means someone coming in. Battersea advises against leaving a cat completely alone even overnight, because they could get sick or hurt with no one there to help.
Tell your sitter where your cat hides. Some cats won’t come out for a stranger, and that can be fine, but hiding can also be a sign of pain. Ask the sitter to tell you if the food isn’t going down or the litter box isn’t being used. If your cat stops eating, your sitter should call your veterinarian right away, then let you know. Cornell’s Feline Health Center says it can seriously affect an adult cat’s health in as little as 24 hours. Straining in the litter box with little or no urine is more urgent still: it can be a urinary blockage, which Cornell calls an absolute emergency, so your sitter should go straight to your veterinarian or the emergency hospital.
Pet sitters for older or sick pets
A sitter may be wonderful with pets and still not know how to care for one on medicine or with trouble getting around, so ask. American Humane Society calls overnight care at home a strong option for pets who are anxious, elderly or medically complex, and says boarding at a veterinary practice may be safest when needs are complex. Before you go, your veterinarian can tell you if they offer medical boarding, check vaccinations and refill prescriptions.
What else to leave your pet sitter
Keep your pet’s collar and tags up to date, and consider adding your backup person to the microchip registry.
Text your sitter a current photo of each pet.
Leave your pet’s vaccination history, including proof of rabies vaccination.
Plan for storms and power outages: where the flashlights are, and where your pet should go.
Caring for a sick pet can start to feel like you can never leave. We wrote about that in The Caregiver Nobody Sees. Clear instructions won’t make leaving easy, but you’re allowed to go.
This article shares general information about planning for a pet sitter. It isn’t a substitute for advice from your own veterinarian.
Sources
We’re arranging a veterinary review of this article. Until it’s done, here are the sources behind it. The poison line numbers were checked on each service’s own page on November 10, 2026.
American Veterinary Medical Association: Ensuring your pet is protected when you’re away
Humane World for Animals: How to choose and prepare for a pet sitter
Humane World for Animals: Pet Emergency Plan and Disaster Preparedness
Pet Sitters International: Tips for securing quality pet care
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Medications for Your Pet: Questions for Your Vet
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Medication Errors Happen to Pets, Too
Battersea: Where should your cat stay while you’re on holiday?
Cornell Feline Health Center: Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease
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