You are planning to get away on vacation, and decided to hire a top-notch professional cat sitter to visit your cat. How frequently should the cat sitter stop by?

As a cat parent, you know your cat best. Your cat’s personality, routines, and health status can determine the frequency that’s most suitable for them.

Personality

How friendly is your cat? Do they thrive from human connection, or do they hide as soon as someone walks through the door? Do they enjoy playing or cuddling?

Playing is more than just fun, it is a necessary part of your cat’s daily routine. A cat’s day is a series of play (hunt) - eat - groom - sleep cycles. A young and playful cat may require at least two visits during the day, during which the cat sitter will engage them in enriching playtime. An older cat with no health concerns may be happy to get a shorter play session and spend more time cuddling, and for them, one visit may be enough, as long as it’s long enough for a good cuddle.

Even a shy cat who hides from their cat sitter will benefit from at least one daily visit that’s done around the same time every day. A daily visit helps the shy cat recognize a new routine in which the cat sitter comes in every day and provides food. This routine will help your cat build confidence and trust in their cat sitter, enabling them to come out and interact with their sitter appropriately.

Routines

The key to frequency decisions is to know that cats are creatures of habits and routines. Your absence and the introduction of a new person are already a source of concern for them. The best thing for your cat is to maintain the rest of their routine as much as possible to reduce sources of stress.

How frequently does your cat eat normally? The number of meals and feeding times should be maintained even while you are away. Your cat’s confidence that food is served at the same time every day reduces a potential source of stress. In addition, your cat’s digestive health will be affected if they are used to multiple small meals in a day and are suddenly presented with just one big meal. Your cat’s feeding routine can be maintained by adjusting your cat sitter’s visits to meal times and with the help of automatic feeders.

How does your cat like their litter box? Are they picky about the cleanliness of their litter box? If they are, your cat sitter may need to stop by frequently and ensure the box is scooped properly. Even cats that are not picky will appreciate their box being scooped at least once a day. Frequent scooping also enables the sitter to monitor your cat’s health and helps prevent inappropriate elimination outside the box.

Health

Is your cat on medication? If so, the question was answered for you. The frequency at which your cat sitter needs to administer medication will be the frequency of their visits. Your veterinarian’s recommendation will determine that frequency.

Some healthy but sensitive cats may have flare-ups of health issues caused by stress, even minor stressors such as their owner being away. When your cat sitter visits at least once a day, they can monitor your cat’s health by checking the house for vomit, checking the litter box to ensure there is no unhealthy outputs or improper urination, and ensuring your cat eats and eliminates properly.

The worst-case scenario is a medical emergency. If anything happens between visits, and the cat sitter is not scheduled for a visit for a while, it may be too late until your cat gets the medical care they need.

Concerns about medical emergencies, as well as the need to reduce stress, maintain a routine, and ensure the cat gets the enrichment they need, are the reasons that at Purrmore, we don’t take on engagements that require us to visit a cat less than once daily. This is a policy that is written in our client agreement. We will not take on an engagement unless we are convinced that the cat’s best interests are met. We encourage multiple visits per day by offering a discounted rate when booking two or more visits per day.

Pam Johnson-Bennett - Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and best-selling author of books about cat behavior, recommends at least two visits per day. You can read more about her recommendations for cat care while you travel.

This article was originally published June 9, 2020.