How many drop-in visits does your pet need while you are away?

Species, age, health, diet, medication and behaviour combine to shape the care schedule. An independent adult cat has a different routine from a puppy, senior animal or pet that struggles with being alone.

For medical questions, follow individual veterinary advice. A general article must never replace a prescribed medication or monitoring schedule.

Do not look only at visits per calendar day. Record when one visit ends and the next starts; that interval determines how long the animal is without care.

Include departure and return days. A late first visit or early final visit can accidentally create a much longer gap than on the middle days of the trip.

• Feeding and medication times
• Toileting and exercise needs
• Appropriate maximum alone-time for this animal
• Temperature and conditions at home
• Duration and scope of each visit

If the required frequency becomes impractical or your pet needs longer presence, pet sitting may be more suitable than separate visits. Check which variants a provider actually offers.

For a dog, one short check does not automatically provide enough exercise or company. For a cat, leaving food without observation, hygiene and suitable interaction is not a complete plan either.

Plan around the most care-intensive part of the routine, not the minimum number of visits that happens to fit the calendar.

LICG advises written care instructions, enough supplies, veterinary details and emergency contacts. Test access and arrange a local backup person for illness or a key problem.

Request the agreed update after each visit. Define when unusual eating, behaviour, toileting or signs of illness require contact and what the sitter is authorised to do next.