Cats may have a reputation for being independent, but that doesn’t mean you can just fill a bowl with food, point at the litter box, and head to the airport.
A little preparation goes a long way. Whether you’re leaving for a long weekend, a week at the beach, or a cross-country summer road trip, setting things up properly can make the experience less stressful for both your cat and the person caring for them.
Here’s everything to put on your cat-sitting checklist before you head out the door, starting with a peek at my top three recommended products for leaving cats home alone.
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Best Large Litter Box for Cats Home Alone
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Best Automatic Feeder for Frequent Travelers
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Best Fountain with Battery Backup
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The HomerunPET CS106 is one of the largest automatic litter boxes I’ve tested, with a roomy 106L dome and oversized 12L waste bin. Designed for big cats and real multi-cat homes, it also features an auto-refill system, ultra-quiet operation, and strong safety sensors. If you want a more hands-off litter setup, this one delivers. BEST PRICE GUARANTEE SAVE $60 WITH COUPON CODE PAWZ |
The Pet Innovation Award-winning Smart Feed Automatic Pet Feeder keeps you connected to your pet, allowing you to schedule and adjust meals via the My PetSafe® app. With a 24-cup capacity, it dispenses dry and semi-moist food, featuring low and empty food sensors that notify your smartphone. GUARANTEED BEST PRICE USE COUPON CODE MEOW10 AT CHECKOUT TO GET $10 OFF |
Homerunpet Cordless Pet Water Fountain makes hydration a little more interesting. The faucet-style stainless steel tray encourages pets to drink, while the cordless 4000mAh battery runs up to 30 days without plugging in. Use continuous flow when plugged in or switch to motion-activated mode to conserve power. With triple filtration, a 2.5L capacity, whisper-quiet operation, and dishwasher-safe parts, it’s built for easy, low-maintenance everyday use. |
The HomerunPET CS106 is one of the largest automatic litter boxes I’ve tested, with a roomy 106L dome and oversized 12L waste bin. Designed for big cats and real multi-cat homes, it also features an auto-refill system, ultra-quiet operation, and strong safety sensors. If you want a more hands-off litter setup, this one delivers.
BEST PRICE GUARANTEE
SAVE $60 WITH COUPON CODE PAWZ
The Pet Innovation Award-winning Smart Feed Automatic Pet Feeder keeps you connected to your pet, allowing you to schedule and adjust meals via the My PetSafe® app. With a 24-cup capacity, it dispenses dry and semi-moist food, featuring low and empty food sensors that notify your smartphone.
GUARANTEED BEST PRICE
USE COUPON CODE MEOW10 AT CHECKOUT TO GET $10 OFF
Homerunpet Cordless Pet Water Fountain makes hydration a little more interesting. The faucet-style stainless steel tray encourages pets to drink, while the cordless 4000mAh battery runs up to 30 days without plugging in. Use continuous flow when plugged in or switch to motion-activated mode to conserve power. With triple filtration, a 2.5L capacity, whisper-quiet operation, and dishwasher-safe parts, it’s built for easy, low-maintenance everyday use.
Arrange Reliable Cat Care
Even if your cat seems perfectly content spending most of the day sleeping in a sunbeam, someone should still check on them regularly.
How often depends on your cat’s age, health, and personality.
Most healthy adult cats can do well with a daily visit from a trusted pet sitter, family member, or friend. Kittens, seniors, and cats with medical conditions may need more frequent attention.
Before you leave, make sure your cat sitter knows:
- Feeding schedules
- Medication instructions
- Emergency contacts
- Veterinary information
- Any unusual habits or behaviors
- Favorite hiding spots (so you don’t get panicked calls from sitters who think your cat vanished into thin air)
The more information you provide, the less guesswork they’ll have if something seems off.
Related Reading: Worried that you cat will be mad at you for taking a vacation without them? Check out our post on how long cats hold grudges over on CatVills.
Make Sure Food Is Covered
This sounds obvious, but it’s surprisingly easy to underestimate how much food your cat will need.
Leave extra food, even if you think you’ve packed enough. Delayed flights, extended trips, and unexpected schedule changes happen.
If you use an automatic feeder, test it for several days before your trip. Vacation day is not the time to discover the batteries died or the timer is off by six hours.
For households with multiple cats, consider whether one cat tends to steal food from the others. (Every multi-cat home seems to have at least one furry food thief.)
For a good feeder, I love PetSafe Smart Cat Feeder because of its large capacity and smart app features that make it easy to monitor from far away.
The Pet Innovation Award-winning Smart Feed Automatic Pet Feeder keeps you connected to your pet, allowing you to schedule and adjust meals via the My PetSafe® app. With a 24-cup capacity, it dispenses dry and semi-moist food, featuring low and empty food sensors that notify your smartphone. Compatible with Amazon Dash Replenishment, it automatically reorders food when low. The feeder includes a stainless steel bowl and is dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
⭐ GUARANTEED BEST PRICE ⭐
USE COUPON CODE MEOW10 AT CHECKOUT TO GET $10 OFF
Double-Check Water Sources
Summer heat makes hydration especially important.
Fresh water should be available in multiple locations throughout the house. Even if your cats normally drink from a fountain, it’s smart to leave backup water bowls in case something happens.
Power outages, curious cats, and technology occasionally have disagreements. Redundancy is your friend.
If you’re looking for a good water fountain for cats home alone, I recommend the Wireless Stainless Steel Pet Water Fountain BF25M. I like that you can either plug it in or power it by batteries. I would plug it in when you travel and use the batteries as a backup option in case the power goes out.
Homerunpet Cordless Pet Water Fountain makes hydration a little more interesting. The faucet-style stainless steel tray encourages pets to drink, while the cordless 4000mAh battery runs up to 30 days without plugging in. Use continuous flow when plugged in or switch to motion-activated mode to conserve power. With triple filtration, a 2.5L capacity, whisper-quiet operation, and dishwasher-safe parts, it’s built for easy, low-maintenance everyday use.
Don’t Forget the Litter Box Situation
This is probably the area that gets overlooked most often.
Many cat owners focus on food and water but don’t think much about litter management until they’re already gone.
Before leaving:
- Completely clean litter boxes
- Top off litter levels
- Check for odors
- Make sure the sitter knows your normal cleaning routine
- Leave extra litter available
If you’ll be gone for more than a few days, capacity becomes especially important.
Large-capacity litter boxes, like homerunPET’s CS106 (aka the World’s Biggest Self-Cleaning Litter Box) can help reduce maintenance between cleanings and provide more room for multiple cats to use the box comfortably. That’s particularly useful during summer travel season when schedules may not be as predictable as usual.
The goal isn’t just keeping things clean. A consistently maintained litter area also helps reduce stress.
Aside from being the biggest litter box on the market right now, I also like that HomerunPet’s CS106 will automatically refill your litter when it gets too low. Just make sure you fill the refill bin up before you leave.
The HomerunPET CS106 is one of the largest automatic litter boxes I’ve tested, with a roomy 106L dome and oversized 12L waste bin. Designed for big cats and real multi-cat homes, it also features an auto-refill system, ultra-quiet operation, and strong safety sensors. If you want a more hands-off litter setup, this one delivers.
BEST PRICE GUARANTEE
SAVE $60 WITH COUPON CODE PAWZ
Prepare for Summer Temperatures
Cats generally handle warm weather better than dogs, but that doesn’t mean they should be left in a hot house.
Before leaving:
- Confirm your air conditioning is working properly
- Program smart thermostats if you use them
- Close blinds in rooms that get intense afternoon sun
- Leave access to cooler areas of the house
- Ask your sitter to monitor indoor temperatures
If you live somewhere prone to summer storms, consider what would happen if the power went out while you’re gone. Having a backup plan in place can save a lot of worry.
Cat-Proof the House
Think like a cat for a few minutes. (This is usually equal parts helpful and mildly terrifying.)
Look for:
- Loose cords
- Toxic plants
- Small objects that could be swallowed
- Open windows without secure screens
- Accessible cleaning supplies
- Areas where a cat could become trapped
Cats are remarkably talented at finding trouble when nobody is watching.
Leave Emergency Information in One Place
Don’t assume you’ll always be reachable immediately.
Create a simple sheet with:
- Your cell phone number
- Travel itinerary
- Backup emergency contact
- Veterinarian information
- Emergency veterinary hospital information
- Medication instructions
- Feeding instructions
Keep both a printed copy and a digital copy. Your sitter will appreciate it if they ever need quick answers.
Add a Little Enrichment
A bored cat can become a creative cat. And creative cats sometimes make questionable decisions.
Before leaving, consider setting out:
- Puzzle feeders
- Favorite toys
- Window perches
- Scratching posts
- Interactive toys
You don’t need to transform your home into a feline amusement park. A few extra opportunities for stimulation can help keep cats occupied between visits.
My cats love the Cloud Nine Window Hammock from Tuft & Paw. It’s super sturdy and stays stuck to your window thanks to the powerful suction cups.
The Cloud Nine Window Hammock gives your cat front-row seating for bird-watching, sunbathing, and neighborhood surveillance. Its minimalist steel arch keeps things sleek, while the sturdy grey felt cradle supports everything from lazy naps to surprise zoomies. Heavy-duty suction cups secure it firmly to glass and hold up to 30 pounds, so your cat can lounge confidently (and you don’t have to worry about midnight crashes).
Consider a Pet Camera
Pet cameras aren’t necessary, but they can provide peace of mind.
Being able to check in and see your cat lounging exactly where they always lounge can be surprisingly reassuring.
Many cameras also allow two-way audio, motion alerts, or activity tracking.
Just be prepared for the possibility that your cat will completely ignore you when you try talking through the speaker. Cats have a long history of selective hearing.
The Furbo 360 Cat Camera is a great pick here because you can fill it with treats before you leave and interact with your cats through the app.
See, talk, and play with your cat even when you’re away! Take better care with Furbo Cat Nanny's Smart Alerts for the ultimate peace of mind. Furbo's AI Technology is always getting smarter by learning your cat's behavior to notify you of important events. Works with smart devices. Always stay one step ahead of important moments. Connect and get alerted by Furbo through a smart device of your choice.
Do a Final Walkthrough
Before you leave, do one last pass through the house.
Check:
- Food supplies
- Water sources
- Litter boxes
- Thermostat settings
- Emergency contacts
- Medications
- Windows and doors
- Pet sitter instructions
A five-minute walkthrough can prevent a lot of vacation stress later.
Final Thoughts
Leaving your cat at home during summer travel doesn’t have to be stressful. With a little planning, most cats are perfectly happy staying in familiar surroundings while you’re away.
The key is making sure the basics are covered: food, water, litter, temperature control, and a reliable person checking in regularly.
Once those essentials are handled, you can spend less time worrying about what’s happening back home and more time enjoying your trip.
And when you return, your cat will almost certainly greet you with the same expression they always have, a look that somehow says, “Where have you been?” and “I barely noticed you were gone” at the exact same time.
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