Cat sitting over Christmas and other holidays: busy season tips

Updated 26/06/2024

The holiday season is almost here! With Thanksgiving around the corner, and Hanukkah and Christmas on the horizon, it’s time for pet parents and cat sitters alike to prep for the busy festivities ahead. For our furry friends, this can be a stressful time of year with disrupted routines, loud noises, and all too tempting turkey smells wafting around the house.

But pet sitting during holidays doesn’t have to be a Christmas kerfluffle or a haphazard Hanukkah for either cat carers or sitters. Here are some tips for cat sitters and a sprinkling of reassurance for pet parents in finding a trusted cat sitter.

Tips for pet parents 

Paid pet sitting professionals vs TrustedHousesitters cat sitters

Whilst pet sitting professionals can offer visitations and basic kitty care whilst you’re away, having a trusted cat sitter means constant and consistent cat care in your home. By removing the stress of taking them to a cattery or kennel (or even having a stranger arrive just once a day to feed them), you’re allowing your feline family to enjoy their holiday season in the comfort of their home.

You won’t need to rely on favors from family and friends giving you one less thing to worry about. Plus, during an already expensive time of year, this will help you pocket those pennies.

Find a sitter easily and book early

This is probably stating the obvious, but if you’re looking for a cat sitter during the busy holiday period, it’s best to book early. To find the purr-fect paw person to care for your meow baby it’s advisable to make arrangements in plenty of time before you leave, preferably at least a few weeks beforehand. This will allow you to connect with your sitter to make sure they’re as prepared as possible whilst helping you to feel reassured as a pet parent.

We understand that the ability to book early is more of a luxury for some than others. Luckily, at TrustedHousesitters, we’re able to flag any last-minute bookings on our seasonal search page, just in case your holiday plans change. 

Leave some holiday season-specific instructions in your Welcome Pack

Pet parents should always connect with their cat sitters before meeting, as well as leave a detailed Welcome Pack with further instructions on cat care and household help. The festive season can include a few extra hazards - decorations, festive food, and wrapping paper may seem like treats to a cat, but they can be dangerous if swallowed or eaten. Let sitters know if you have any tips on kitty-proofing your decorated home and what they can and can’t eat from the table.

Tips for cat sitting over Christmas and the holiday season

Caring for pets during the festivities

For some, the holidays mean a time to have family and friends over. However, for cats, this can cause a lot of unwanted stress. If you’re cat sitting during the festive season, make sure you are completely honest and transparent with the owners about how you intend to celebrate. Always ask beforehand if you would like to have additional people over, and be mindful that some pet parents will not want this, particularly if they’re a cat carer to a nervous or anxious kitty.

Be aware of the possibility of fireworks displays nearby. Pet parents will have tips and advice on how to calm their furballs in the event of a firework frenzy. Cats are very sensitive to noise, so loud displays and music can be very distressing for them.

Protecting cats from their nemesis: The Christmas tree and other holiday decorations

Cat sitting over Christmas can often entail a few furry fights with the Christmas tree. Even if you’re not a cat carer, you’ve probably seen one of the 1000s of online videos showing how much cats love to attack and climb Christmas trees. If you’re sitting with one of these on display, it’s next to impossible to stop a cat from hiding under or launching itself at said ornament. For the friskier felines, keep delicate and glass ornaments hidden or out of reach in case of kitty zoomies. Hoover up the pine needles as often as you can, and cover the tree pot to stop them drinking the tree’s water. Both the pine needles and water can be harmful to a cat’s digestive system. It’s also a good idea to make sure that the Christmas tree is stable - you don’t want it falling down if the kitty tries to climb it!

For homes with lights or other festive decorations, keep any dangling displays tucked away and out of sight to prevent your kitty companion from pulling anything off the walls. Similarly, any decorations on countertops or shelves should be stuck or weighted down if you would like them to stay put. Cats are curious as fluff, so any new ornaments will need to be inspected and sniffed immediately.

Festive food and kitties

Your new furry friend will probably tell you they expect a seat at the dining table and a full plate with all the trimmings. We advise talking to their parents beforehand to ask what they can and can’t eat. Although some cats are fine with cooked meats, a rule of thumb should be don’t feed them any human food even if they try to purr-suade you otherwise.

Meet our veterinary expert, Hannah

This article has been checked by veterinarian Dr Hannah Godfrey BVetMed MRCV.

Hannah graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2011 and worked in mixed practice for a few years before focusing on small animal work. Clinically, she worked in a busy, multi-center hospital practice until 2018, where she underwent training in advanced canine and feline dentistry and began working towards a Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice. She then moved to a local independent practice to care for the pets nearby, allowing more time to focus on other career avenues, which include writing for a diverse range of pet websites, vet practices, drug companies, journals, and veterinary educators. 

Looking for a cat sitter this December? Browse our sitters and see who could be available to care for your kitty during the holiday season. If you fancy spending the festivities away, cat sitting over Christmas offers a chance for cozy companionship during holidays - have a look at where you could house and pet this winter.