Leaving Your Cat at Home While You Travel: What Good Care Really Looks Like
From a feline behaviour consultant, a veterinary nurse — and a cat mother
Tülay Kayalar Durukan — Founder of GM Pet Sitter
Leaving your cat at home while you travel is not simply a matter of planning food, water, and litter. It is making sure her routine, her safety, her health, and her needs continue while you are gone.
I am writing this today not only as a feline behaviour consultant, veterinary nurse, and professional cat sitter — but also as a cat mother who is leaving her own children at home and travelling tomorrow.
The suitcase is packed, the departure time is closing in…
But what about the ones left behind?
Our cats.
Their Life Should Not Change Just Because We Are Leaving
Cats are creatures of routine. Their feeding times, litter setup, play, sleeping spots, and daily interaction all matter deeply to them.
That is why this order should be preserved as much as possible while you are away.
For many cats, staying in their own home is therefore one of the most comfortable options. You leave — but their scent, their bed, their hiding corner, their litter box, and the world they know all stay exactly where they are.
Your cat’s entire life should not change simply because you are going away.
Never Say “Someone Just Needs to Put Down Food and Water”
One of the sentences I come across in my own work — and honestly the one that frustrates me most — is: “Someone can just drop by and put down food and water.”
No. That is not enough.
The person entering that home needs to see the cat — not just the food bowl.
Has she eaten? Has she drunk water? Is her litter box normal? Has she vomited? Is she hiding? Are her movements and behaviour the same as always?
Sometimes the tiniest change in behaviour is the very first sign of a serious health problem.
And a cat needs more than food and water: she needs play, communication, and human interaction too.
My rule is very clear: do not merely look — truly see. Because putting down food and water is not care. Care means observing, understanding, and being able to act when it matters.
Do not merely look. See.
Prepare Everything Before You Travel
Always leave extra litter, wet and dry food, water, litter and waste bags, cleaning supplies, and anything else that may be needed.
Do not calculate only for the days of your trip. Your flight may be cancelled; your return may be delayed.
If your cat is on medication, leave the medicines, doses, and exact times in writing. Contact details for your veterinarian, your clinic, and a person reachable in the city in an emergency must also be ready.
Make sure the caregiver also knows where the carrier is kept.
In short: while you are away, no one should have to go hunting for a basic necessity.
Keep a Camera at Home If You Can
A simple home camera pointed at one of the areas where your cat spends most of her day can be genuinely useful.
But the purpose of the camera is not to watch the caregiver. In fact, if you feel the need to install a camera in order to check up on someone, you have probably trusted the wrong person.
The purpose of the camera is your cat. When you check in at intervals during the day: is she in her usual spot? Is she going to her feeding area? Is her daily activity and routine continuing?
A camera is no substitute for care — it is simply a small window into her world while you are far away.
Choose the Person Who Will Care for Your Cat Carefully
“I love cats very much” is a lovely starting point — but it is not enough for professional care.
Knowledge, experience, observation, responsibility, and the ability to take the right action when needed are all required.
When a problem arises, it should not be someone who merely calls to say “There is something wrong with your cat,” but someone who knows what needs to be done.
They should be able to take her to the vet when necessary — and if they cannot, they should be able to organise the process by contacting the person you designated in the city and the veterinary clinic.
Especially if your cat is on medication, has time-critical doses, or a significant illness, do not work with just anyone who says “Don’t worry, I can give the medicine.” Work with an experienced professional who can genuinely carry that responsibility.
Because in some cases what you are entrusting is not just care — it is the continuity of your cat’s health plan.
Leave Them Your Cat’s “User Manual”
Do not just show the caregiver where the food and litter are kept. Tell them about your cat.
Share her medical history, her medication, what she likes and dislikes, her fears, her games, the way she communicates — and above all, where she goes when she hides.
Because while you are away, it is impossible for that person to know your cat as well as you do. But the more accurate information you leave behind, the more accurate their observation can be.
Ask for References, Do Your Research, Then Trust
Today anyone can present themselves beautifully on Instagram or elsewhere online. But remember: not everything is the way it appears on a screen.
Do they have references? Can you actually reach those people? Do they have a verifiable record of training, experience, and past work?
If possible, meet in person or online. Talk, ask your questions, look them in the eye, and feel their energy.
Because you are entrusting them with more than your cat: with your home, your keys, and any crisis that might unfold while you are far away.
Behind trust there must be experience, evidence, consistency, and responsibility.
One Last Check — and Then Goodbye…
Before you leave the house, check one last time: windows, balconies, tilt-and-turn window openings, washing machines and dryers, toilet lids, strings, elastic bands, medications, and cleaning products.
And remember that the caregiver must perform the same safety check after every single visit.
Then do not make a big scene of the goodbye. Stay calm, keep your routine, and go.
Keep your message simple: “Everything is fine. I am leaving, and I will come back.”
And Now It Is My Turn…
Tomorrow it is my turn to pick up my suitcase, board a plane, and leave my own children behind.
For years I have told families the same thing: “Go with peace of mind. Until you return, I am her mother — we are.”
In my own life, the person who holds a very special place — the one I entrust my children to without a second thought — has always been my dear Nükhet.
And when it comes to their health, to the heroes of my children who have stood beside me for years — to every single member of the İKON Veterinary Clinic family…
I have thanked them perhaps a thousand times already. But today, I wanted that thank-you written down here as well.
I am so glad you exist.
I am so glad you are by my side.
I am so glad my children are in your care.
Because real luxury in travel is not the hotel you stay in, the plane you board, or the cities you see… It is knowing that the lives you left behind are safe.
Tomorrow I too am leaving with a calm heart. They will carry on with their lives in their own home, surrounded by their own scents and habits.
And they will be waiting for me — at home. 🤍🐾
Let them wait for you — at home.
Focus on your journey — your cat’s routine, health, and safety are with us. Share your travel dates and let us build your in-home care plan together.
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