Written by High Park Pet Care · Reviewed by Dawn Baillie
Published September 2026 · Last reviewed September 2026
Based on our experience providing professional pet care in Toronto since 2014.
Cats have a reputation for being independent.
But they can also be creatures of habit.
Their favourite chair. Their usual sleeping spot. The window where they watch the squirrels. The sound of the refrigerator opening. The exact location of their food bowl …
For cats, familiarity matters.
That’s one reason why, when their people travel, staying in their own home with someone coming in to care for them can be less disruptive than moving temporarily to a boarding facility.
That doesn’t mean boarding is wrong for every cat.
But for many healthy adult cats, home really is where they’re most comfortable.
Dogs and cats often experience unfamiliar environments differently.
While plenty of dogs enjoy going somewhere new, cats … not so much.
The most obvious example for me comes when thinking back to moving homes. It’s almost painful to see your cats (yes, we have 4 rescues presently :-)) scuttle and slink about trying to pour themselves under furniture or behind the curtains.
Home is filled with familiar smells, sounds, hiding places and routines. Your cat knows where everything is and, importantly, knows where to go when they want to be left alone.
Moving them to a boarding facility changes all of that at once.
There are new smells, new sounds, unfamiliar people and potentially other animals nearby.
Some cats adjust remarkably well.
Others would very much like to file a formal complaint.
Cats may not own watches, but many of them seem remarkably aware of what time breakfast or dinner is supposed to happen.
Daily routines can be reassuring.
Meals arrive at roughly the same time. The litter box is where it has always been. The water bowl hasn’t moved. Favourite beds and blankets are still available. The morning sun still lands on the same patch of floor.
When a cat stays home, much of everyday life continues normally even though their people are away.
A cat sitter temporarily becomes part of that routine rather than requiring the cat to adapt to an entirely new one.
For some cats, this may be the most compelling argument of all.
Just getting your cat into a carrier can sometimes be an adventure.
Then comes the elevator or trip down the stairs, the car ride, traffic and finally arrival somewhere unfamiliar.
Cats who routinely travel may handle this beautifully. Cats who rarely leave home except for veterinary appointments may find the entire process stressful.
In-home care for your cat(s) when you need to be away eliminates that mess altogether.
The cat sitter comes to the cat.
There is an important distinction here.
Staying home alone isn’t the same thing as receiving in-home care.
Cats still need someone checking on them every day.
Food and water are only part of the reason.
Litter boxes need cleaning. A cat may become sick. They may vomit, stop eating or behave unusually. A water bowl can spill. An automatic feeder can malfunction. A door can accidentally close and prevent access to part of the home.
And, of course, cats benefit from companionship and stimulation too.
For most healthy adult cats, we generally consider at least one quality visit every day appropriate while their people are away. Some cats need more frequent visits depending on age, health, medication, feeding routines and personality.
Some cats genuinely miss their people.
We see plenty of cats who don’t merely tolerate their sitter — they expect to be entertained.
For these cats, a good visit isn’t simply about completing a checklist.
There may be playtime, brushing, lap time or just sitting together.
One of the benefits of in-home care is that the visit can adapt to the individual cat.
The cat who wants twenty minutes of wand-toy action can have it.
The cat who would prefer someone sit quietly on the couch while they contemplate whether human contact is presently desirable can have that too.
In-home cat sitting isn’t automatically the right solution for every cat.
A reputable boarding facility may be worth considering when a cat requires a level of monitoring or care that can’t reasonably be provided through scheduled home visits.
There may also be circumstances involving the home itself that make boarding more practical or safer (fumigation, open houses, etc.).
And some cats simply do very well in boarding environments, particularly if they’ve been accustomed to them from an early age.
Visit the facility if possible before booking.
Ask how cats are housed, how often they’re monitored and how feeding, medications and litter-box care are handled.
Find out whether cats are housed separately from dogs and what happens if a cat becomes ill while you’re away.
You should feel comfortable asking questions.
Whether someone is caring for your cat in your home or at a boarding facility, you’re trusting them with an important member of your family.
A little preparation can make things considerably easier.
Leave clear feeding and medication instructions. Make sure enough food, litter and other supplies are available. Provide emergency contact information and veterinary details.
Your sitter should also know about the things that are normal for your cat.
Do they hide when strangers arrive?
Do they normally eat immediately?
Are they prone to furballs?
Knowing what’s normal makes it much easier for a sitter to recognize when something isn’t.
Travel is already a change in routine for your cat because you’re not there.
Whenever possible, there can be real value in not changing everything else too.
Their bed is still their bed.
Their litter box is still in the same place.
Dinner still arrives.
The birds are still outside the window.
And when you eventually walk back through the door, your cat is already home.
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