Senior Cat Sitter Instructions: A Printable Care Handover

Walk through the home together

According to Cats Protection, scheduling a meeting with the sitter beforehand allows both of you to review established routines, verify supply locations, note individual care needs, and identify the carrier location.

Walk through each living space together rather than relying on written notes alone. Point out the exact storage spots for food, extra litter, cleaning items, and disposal bins. Demonstrate how latches, gates, or doors operate. Walking through the physical home highlights small practical details—such as which closet doors must stay closed or where spare paper towels are kept—that might otherwise be missed.

Write down the routine you already follow

Document your cat's existing routine exactly as it currently happens rather than introducing sudden changes before travel. Note regular feeding spots, water bowl locations, and litter station maintenance so the sitter does not have to guess.

List where extra supplies are stored throughout the home so replacements are easy to find. Clearly describe your cat's usual behavior, preferred resting areas, and regular hiding spots. Leave room for the sitter to note a difference without guessing its cause.

Keep the clinic’s instructions together

Keep general household pet care instructions separate from professional veterinary directions. Attach your clinic’s current written guidance directly to the handover sheet without rewriting or modifying it.

Because each veterinary facility maintains its own operational and billing policies, check with your primary and emergency clinics ahead of time to confirm their specific consent and payment arrangements. This handover sheet serves as an organizational aid, so individual clinic instructions and established clinic protocols always take precedence.

Make the contact plan clear

Delays in communication can create unnecessary stress during travel. The AAHA Senior Care Guidelines recommend assembling a caregiver kit that includes normal routines, medical records, and clear contact arrangements accounting for time zones.

Record your travel time zone and phone number alongside your sitter's contact information and coverage dates. Identify a local backup contact who can assist with transportation or logistical help if you cannot be reached immediately. Do not assume a backup can authorize medical care; record the decision contact as agreed with the owner and clinic.

Leave a note after each visit

Ask your sitter to record straightforward, factual observations during each check-in rather than subjective guesses. Record what the sitter actually sees; a shared bowl or litter box may not identify which cat used it. Agree beforehand what changes should prompt a clinic call. If there is a concern, contact the clinic using what is known rather than waiting to complete the log.

• Factual observation: Cat drank from the kitchen water bowl and rested on the living room rug.
• Subjective guess: Cat seemed lonely today.

Open the printable care handover

Print the care sheet and a separate visit log. Fill in the routine and contacts before the sitter arrives, attach the current clinic instructions, then walk through the completed sheet together. Keep the visit log beside it so different caregivers can see what was actually done. Agree on the visit schedule around this cat’s needs with your sitter and veterinary team.

What a completed note can look like

The following example illustrates how to record objective information on a handover sheet and visit log. It is an example of note-writing style, not a care plan, feeding schedule, or medical directive.

Example Handover Fields

• Cat Identification & Photo Reference: [Example: Shorthair orange tabby cat; reference photo clipped to top of sheet]
• Carrier Location: [Example: Hallway floor beside the coat closet, clear of the doorway]

Example Factual Visit Note

• Visit Log Entry [Example Date: October 14, 2026, 8:30 AM]: Refreshed water dish; cleaned litter box (one wet clump, one firm stool); cat rested on living room rug; initials: SR.