A good meet & greet sorts out most of this before your first booking — but a little prep on your end makes every visit smoother, and your pet happier while you’re away. Here’s the short list I’d run through before you head off. None of it needs to be fancy; a page on the fridge covers most of it.
1. Write the routine down
Feeds (what, how much, and when), walks, playtime, and the little quirks — who’s allowed on the bed, which cupboard the treats live in, the cat that bolts if the back door’s left open. I take my own notes at the meet & greet, but a sheet stuck to the fridge is gold, especially if more than one person looks after them.
2. Food, litter & supplies
Leave enough food for the whole trip, plus a few days spare in case you’re held up. Show me where everything lives — food, bowls, litter, leads, poo bags, towels and the cleaning bits. One tip: don’t switch their food right before you go. A new diet and a change of company at the same time is a lot for a pet’s stomach — keep them on their usual until you’re back.
3. Medications
If your pet’s on anything, write the name, the dose and the timing clearly, and leave a little extra in case a tablet ends up under the fridge. I’m comfortable with tablets, liquids, topical spot-ons and eye or ear drops. I don’t give injections such as insulin — if your pet needs those, tell me at the meet & greet and we’ll sort out the best option together.
4. Vet & emergency details
When we do the care agreement, I take down your vet’s details and an emergency contact. Just make sure I know who your vet is, and if they don’t do after-hours, we’ll agree on an emergency vet to use if it’s ever needed. It’s worth leaving your pet’s microchip and council registration details handy too.
The quick pre-trip checklist
Everything I’d love to know before you go:
- Feeding & walk routine, plus any quirks
- Enough food, litter & supplies (plus a bit spare)
- Any medications, clearly written down
- Vet + emergency contact details
- Where they like to sleep, hide & play
- Keys, alarm codes & bin day
- The best number to reach you
5. Comfort & the little securities
Resist the urge to tidy everything away before you go. Keep their bed, their favourite box and their toys exactly where they are — familiar smells are what keep a pet settled (more on that in why cats love boxes). Point out where they like to hide, and flag anything that spooks them, like storms or the vacuum, so I’m ready for it. I’ll always leave fresh water down before I go.
6. The house bits
Keys, access and any alarm codes get sorted at the meet & greet. Beyond that, it helps to know the bin day, which lights or blinds you’d like touched, and whether anyone else might come by — a gardener, a neighbour, family popping in — so I’m not surprised to find someone in the yard.
7. Staying in touch
After every visit you get a photo and a quick note, so you can see for yourself that they’re happy and fed. Leave me the best number to reach you, and if anything ever comes up, I’ll be in touch as soon as I can.
The aim is simple: your pet barely notices you’ve gone.
That’s really it
A page on the fridge, a quick walk-around at the meet & greet, and everything above is covered. The more I know about your pet’s normal, the more their days feel normal while you’re away — same meals, same walks, same sunny spot on the couch.
Planning a trip?
Let’s do a meet & greet.
It’s free and there’s no obligation — I’ll come to your place, meet your pets and note down everything above, so you can head off without a second thought.
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