Pet Owner Toolkit

Hub

Cat Care Guides

Cat-specific care planning — sitter instructions, litter routine, feeding, and indoor safety.

Indoor cats live 12–18 years on average, and their care needs shift a lot across that lifespan. This hub focuses on the practical daily and vacation-care systems that keep cats healthy: consistent feeding, clean litter, hydration, medication tracking, and sitter preparation that actually works for cats (which is different from dogs).

Daily & vacation care

Printable

Cat Sitter Instructions

Feeding, litter, meds, contacts.

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Cat Medication Log

Track meds and refills.

Open Printable

Cat Feeding Schedule

Times, amounts, and food brand.

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Cost & planning

Calculator

Cat Cost Calculator

First-year and ongoing cat cost.

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Cat Water Intake

Daily hydration for cats.

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The four things every cat home needs to get right

  1. Consistent food. Cats do worse with frequent brand changes than dogs. Pick a complete-and-balanced food and stick with it. If you need to switch, transition over 7–10 days.
  2. Clean litter. One box per cat plus one extra, scooped twice a day. Litter box aversion is one of the top reasons cats end up in shelters — and it's almost always fixable.
  3. Hydration. Cats descended from desert animals and don't feel thirst strongly. Add a fountain, wet food, or multiple water bowls to encourage drinking, especially for older cats.
  4. Enrichment. Indoor cats need vertical space, scratching options, and 10–15 minutes of active play per day. Bored cats overeat and develop stress-related illness.

Sitter preparation for cats

Unlike dogs, cats usually don't need a sitter to stay overnight. Two drop-in visits per day is enough for most healthy adult cats. The critical part is a sitter who knows where the cat hides, what her normal appetite looks like, and which subtle signs (hiding longer than usual, no litter box use, no eating) mean it's time to call the vet.

Pet sitter note

Cat owners often forget to write down what "normal" looks like. If your cat usually greets you at the door, tell your sitter. If she normally eats within 10 minutes of food going down, tell your sitter. Sitters can only spot problems if they know the baseline.

Safety note

A male cat straining to urinate — or making trips to the litter box without producing urine — is a life-threatening urinary blockage. This is one of the fastest-moving cat emergencies. Get to a vet or emergency clinic immediately.

Frequently asked questions

How long can I leave a cat alone?
Healthy adult cats can be left 24 hours with plenty of food, water, and clean litter. Beyond that, arrange a sitter with drop-in visits — ideally twice a day.
How do I know my cat is drinking enough?
Watch litter clumps. Small, dry clumps or few urinations per day can signal low intake. A fountain or wet food usually fixes it.
Do I need pet insurance for cats?
Yes, especially for kittens and any cat with known urinary or kidney issues. Emergency blockages, dental extractions, and thyroid conditions can each cost $1,500+.