If you're heading out of town for the holidays and leaving your cat at home, planning ahead matters. Cats are creatures of habit. Changes in environment or routine, especially when you're not around, can leave them stressed, lonely, or underfed.
The good news? With a few smart moves and the right tools, you can keep your cat safe, fed, and comfortable while you travel.
1. Keep Food and Mealtime Routine on Track
When you’re away, skipping meals or serving food too early or late can throw off your cat’s routine. This is especially true if you feed wet food. A bowl of kibble isn’t a great substitute, and it won’t work for cats who depend on moist food for hydration, digestion, or medical reasons.
This is exactly where Ovvi comes in. It’s built specifically for wet food and takes over feeding duties with precision while you’re gone.
Ovvi holds up to eight 5.5 oz wet food cans, so you can preload several days of meals in one go. You can set up to 10 scheduled meals per day, each with exact portions. Choose fractions like ¼, ⅓, ½, ⅔, or ¾ of a can. Or serve full cans, up to 8 in a row, if that suits your cat’s needs.
Worried about freshness? The Open Can Life feature lets you decide how long an opened can stays available. Once that window expires, Ovvi automatically removes the leftover food and gets the next meal ready. You control how long each meal stays out, and your cat gets fresh food every time.
When you return, cleanup is just as simple. Ovvi’s one-touch can disposal makes it easy to rinse, recycle, or toss out used cans without mess or hassle.
2. Make Sure Water Stays Accessible
Wet food helps with hydration, but you still need to make sure your cat has plenty of clean water while you’re gone. If your cat tends to ignore their bowl, consider leaving a pet water fountain running or setting up multiple bowls around the house.
Top them off before you leave and double-check that any automatic waterer is clean and plugged in.
3. Keep Their Environment Calm and Familiar
Holiday decor can be beautiful, but for your cat, it might be confusing or even risky. Unplug light cords, remove tinsel or dangling ornaments, and avoid scented candles or sprays that could irritate them.
Stick to your cat’s regular setup. Keep their litter box, food area, and favorite nap spot right where they expect them to be.
4. Stick to the Schedule (Even Without a Sitter)
Some cats are fine being alone for short periods, but many do better with some level of interaction. If you’re gone for more than a day or two, have someone check in. A friend, neighbor, or sitter can refill water, scoop the litter, and offer a little company.
If no one is available, Ovvi becomes even more valuable. With your schedule saved in the app, it keeps mealtimes reliable and portion sizes accurate. Your cat won’t be waiting around hungry or overwhelmed by food that has sat out too long.
5. Add Comfort Items and Entertainment
Your scent is one of the most comforting things you can leave behind. Toss a worn t-shirt or blanket in your cat’s favorite sleeping spot. A few interactive toys or a treat puzzle can also help your cat stay busy and content.
You might even leave a radio on at low volume to mimic household noise.
Leave with Peace of Mind
Holiday travel doesn’t mean you have to worry about your cat the entire time you’re gone. A little planning and the right setup make all the difference. The Ovvi (and the Ovvi app) can pretty much handle the rest for you.
Whether your favorite feline Grinch thrives on routine or needs a special diet, Ovvi helps you deliver consistent, portioned meals while you're away, and let’s you know exactly how much your kitty ate at every scheduled feeding. It’s one of the simplest ways to keep things running smoothly at home, even when you're celebrating far from it.
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