Providing clear and detailed feeding instructions is key to ensuring your cat’s care runs smoothly while you’re away. Whether your cat is on a special diet, prefers specific feeding times, or has a quirky eating habit, this guide will help you craft feeding instructions that your sitter can easily follow!
Default Feeding Instructions:
When setting up your cat’s profile, you have the option to indicate whether your cat needs to be fed during visits by selecting “Yes” under the feeding section. If selected, the feeding instructions you provide will automatically apply to all future visits scheduled. This means if you add a visit these instructions will show up by default. This is particularly helpful if you typically book a consistent schedule and require feeding each time.
However, you can easily modify the feeding instructions for individual visits if something specific needs to be noted, or if a feeding is not required. For example, if you book multiple visits in a day but only want feeding to occur during one of them, simply ensure you do not select “Yes” for feeding in the visit string where it shouldn’t apply.
By keeping your instructions up-to-date and accurate, you’ll ensure that your cat is well taken care of according to your preferences! :-)
Avoid Confusion with Feeding Times and Portion Amounts
Rather than listing specific feeding times you’d like your cat to be fed in the general feeding instructions, we recommend adding these details on a per-visit basis. When scheduling visits, you can select a preferred time frame (e.g., between 7-9 am) and note on a per-visit basis if that visit should include feeding or not. You can also change or add any other notes to these instructions on a per-visit basis.
In addition, Be sure to list the portion sizes they should have at each meal. Please be specific about measurements! For example, “½ cup of dry food” or “1 pouch of wet food.” This can be included in the default pet instructions if it is the same for each feeding or you can edit the instructions on a per-visit basis.
Specify Food Type and Brand(s)
To avoid any confusion, we recommend mentioning the exact brand and type of food your cat prefers. For example, “Fancy Feast Classic Pâté – Chicken” or “Purina ONE +Plus Indoor Advantage with Real Turkey.” This is especially important if you have multiple pets who each get different food! If there’s a backup food option, such as a different flavor or brand in case supplies run out, include that too.
- Label the Food: We suggest putting a label with your pet's name directly on the food container or bag. If the food is in smaller portions, you can always use ziplock bags with the pet's name clearly written on them. This helps to ensure there's no confusion about which food belongs to which pet, especially in multi-pet households!
- Note the Location of the Food: Please make it clear where the food is stored! If it’s in a pantry, closet, or a specific area of the kitchen, provide detailed instructions for your pet sitter. You can also mention any identifying features, like a certain color bag or container, to make it easier for the sitter to locate!
Note Special Instructions or Preferences
Some cats have unique feeding habits or quirks! Maybe your cat only eats when the bowl is placed in a certain spot or prefers their wet food at room temperature. If your cat requires their food to be mixed with water or warmed up slightly, be sure to mention it in your cat's feeding instructions. If you’d like your sitter to use specific bowls or dishes when doing this, please be sure to note this too. These small details can make a huge difference in keeping your cat comfortable and happy! :-)
Include Medication or Supplements
If your cat takes any medications or supplements with their meals, be sure to note this in the medication field. We have a specific section in the profile for these medication instructions where you can go into more detail. Please be sure to include the exact dosage, when it should be given, and how to administer it (mixed into food, given separately, given after food, etc.).
On a per-visit basis, please specify if the medication or supplement is needed for that particular visit. Similar to feeding, this medication box can be checked or unchecked. This helps avoid any confusion for the sitter. To make it easier for the sitter, we suggest physically labeling all medications and supplements with your cat's name! This ensures there's no mix-up, especially if you have more than one pet or if the sitter is handling multiple medications.
Make sure to note if your cat tends to avoid medication or if you have any tricks to help ensure they take it!
How to Handle Leftovers
Some cats are grazers, while others finish meals in one go. Let your sitter know what to do if your cat leaves food behind. Should they leave the food out for grazing, refrigerate it, or discard it after a certain time? This helps avoid waste and keeps your cat’s feeding routine consistent!
Keep it Simple and Organized
While detailed instructions are important for our sitters, they should also be easy to follow and checked often to ensure they are up to date. We recommend being as clear and concise as possible and using bullet points or a numbered list to help with readability. Sometimes sitters share assignments so you should not just say "feed once a day" as the other sitter won't know if the cat has been fed or not. Instead, you should choose which of the visits you have scheduled that the sitter should feed and mark it as such there.
What if you have a Self Feeder
Self feeders are absolutely fine! Clearly mention where the self-feeder is located and how it is powered. If it’s plugged into an outlet, please ensure there’s a backup plan in case of a power outage, like battery power or manual feeding instructions! Be sure to add instructions on if the sitter needs to refill it or check its food levels. You can also include the times the feeder is set to go off so the sitter can check and ensure it is working as expected. The sitter can also always double-check the bowl and the food levels to ensure food is being dispensed properly.
By following these tips, you can help your sitter keep your cat happy, healthy, and well-fed while you’re away!
If you'd like to book a cat visit with one of our pawtastic cat sitters, don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly or you can add a cat visit online!
