Thanksgiving Travel: A Columbia Cat-Care Handoff That Leaves Nothing to Guess
Cats are easy to leave and hard to leave well. They don't need a walk, they don't need to be let out, and they're perfectly happy to ignore a stranger. That's exactly why cat care goes wrong: everything looks fine from the outside while a cat is hiding under a bed, skipping meals, or avoiding a litter box that isn't the one they usually use.
A good cat sitter doesn't guess. They work from a handoff that answers every question before it comes up. Here's the handoff we ask every Creature Comforts cat client to complete, and it's worth filling out even if a family member is covering for you over Thanksgiving.
The handoff, section by section
Each cat, individually. If you have three cats, we need three profiles. Name, description (so we know which one we're looking at), personality with strangers, and anything that makes this cat different from the others. "Pumpkin is the orange one and will greet you. Mabel is grey and will not be seen; that's normal."
Feeding. What food, how much, how often, and where the bowls go. If the cats eat separately, say so and say why. If one cat steals the other's food, we need to know to stand there while they eat. Note where the food is stored and whether wet food gets refrigerated after opening.
Water. Fountain or bowl, where it is, how to clean it, whether there's a backup bowl somewhere the cat prefers.
Litter, all of it. Every box, every location, including the one in the basement you forgot about. Type of litter, where it's stored, scoop frequency, and where scooped waste goes. A cat who avoids a dirty box will find an alternative, and it won't be one you like.
Hiding spots. This is the section most people skip and the one we use most. Where does each cat go when they're nervous? Under which bed, in which closet, on top of which cabinet? A sitter who knows where to look can confirm the cat is there, breathing, and looking normal without dragging them out. A sitter who doesn't know spends the visit worrying, or worse, assumes the cat is fine because they didn't see them.
Approved care instructions. Medication (name, dose, timing, how you give it), anything the cat is not allowed to have, whether they're allowed outside (the answer for our visits is no, but we need to know if there's a door they'll try), and any grooming or health routines. If your vet has given specific instructions, those go here word for word.
Emergency contacts and decisions. Your vet, an after-hours emergency clinic, a local contact who can make a decision if you're unreachable, and your guidance on what you'd want done in an emergency. A cat who stops eating for more than a day or two is a genuine medical concern, and we'd rather know your wishes before we need them.
Access plan. Creature Comforts requires every client to have a lockbox for key access, and clients supply their own. Note the lockbox location and code, alarm codes, any doors that stick, and any doors the cat will bolt through. If a neighbor also has a key, tell us, so nobody's surprised to find someone in the house.
What each daily visit confirms
With the handoff in place, every visit follows it, and every visit report tells you what happened. Specifically, you'll see:
That each cat was seen (or located in a known hiding spot) and looked normal.
What was eaten since the last visit and what was put down.
Water refreshed.
Every litter box scooped and anything unusual noted.
Medication given, with timing.
Photos, including of the cat who "never comes out."
Anything off: appetite, litter habits, behavior, a mess, a door found ajar.
Because our team is route-based rather than one person assigned to your house, the handoff is what keeps care consistent. Whoever visits on Wednesday and whoever visits on Friday are working from the same document and reading each other's reports.
Care continues until you're home
One more thing the handoff settles: when care ends. Thanksgiving travel is notoriously unreliable, and we don't stop visits on the calendar date. We stop when you've confirmed you're back. If a flight gets delayed or the drive from St. Louis takes twice as long, message us and we'll add visits when we're able. Until you say you're home, your cats are still our responsibility.
Ready to set up your Thanksgiving cat care? Learn more about Creature Comforts cat sitting in Columbia and start your handoff at comopets.com. The earlier the profile is complete, the smoother the week.
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