Joule and Scout
Sitter guide. Two cats, two floors, one swap a day.
If something goes wrong, call us
Both cats are indoor only. If a cat gets outside, call immediately, at any hour, day or night.
What to do if the cats end up on the same floorStart here
Telling them apart
Scout is larger, with white shoulders and blue eyes. Her carrier is blue.
Joule is smaller, brown, with green eyes. Her carrier is green.
Two rules that never bend
1. The cats are never on the same floor at the same time. One lives upstairs, one lives downstairs, and they trade places once a day.
2. Never let a cat jump the gate. Always carry them over it.
Who is where
They swap every day at the noon visit, so whoever is upstairs today will be downstairs tomorrow. This page works it out from the date.
{{ startUpstairs }} starts upstairs today.
At noon, carry {{ startUpstairs }} down and bring {{ startDownstairs }} up. {{ joulePillLine }}
Tomorrow it flips: {{ tomorrowUpstairs }} starts upstairs.
The day at a glance
12:00 PM routine
Give both cats their pills first, before any swapping or feeding. See Medication.
Put the downstairs cat in the bathroom next to the laundry machines and close the door.
Close the basement cat door and leave it closed until the swap is finished.
Carry the upstairs cat over the gate and downstairs. Do not let her jump it.
Move her bowls, feeding mat, and carrier down with her. Carriers swap floors too: the upstairs carrier sits by the fireplace, the downstairs one by the cat tree. Whichever cat is upstairs, hers is the one at the upstairs spot.
Feed her at the bottom of the stairs, on the landing.
How to feed, either cat
Before the bowl goes down, ask for the Touch cue. Hold out a finger, say Touch, and wait for her to boop it. Both cats know it.
Full details in Feeding.
Open the bathroom, carry that cat over the gate, and feed her upstairs at her own spot. Same amounts and the same Touch cue. Scout and Joule have different upstairs spots.
Reopen the basement cat door.
Without it the downstairs cat cannot reach the sunroom. This is the easiest step to forget.
Leave the bathroom door open so the sunroom stays reachable.
Refill and refreeze the lick mats and FreezBones so they are ready tonight. See Bedtime.
Play with both of them to burn off energy. Toys are in the blue cubby in the kitchen under the coffee machine, or the closet to the left of the barn door.
Downstairs there is more: the right cabinet of the TV stand holds extra treats, and the puzzles sit on the shelf above that cabinet. Fill a puzzle and both cats will work at it. Swap which puzzle you use across the days so they do not get bored.
Keep a Churu in your pocket during every swap. If anything goes sideways, it is the fastest way to get Scout's attention.
Watch your feet at the sunroom entry. There are plastic spikes across the threshold that are unpleasant to step on.
7:00 PM routine
Feed both cats in their spots.
Playtime.
Spend the evening downstairs with the downstairs cat. She will be by herself all night, so the company matters.
Bedtime
On your way up, give the downstairs cat a frozen lick mat or FreezBone. It settles her for the night.
You can give the upstairs cat one too, but it is optional.
Both are in the kitchen freezer, top shelf. Refill and refreeze them at the noon visit so they are ready the next night.
Two different FreezBone styles. Both get filled the same way.
If you leave your bedroom door open, expect the upstairs cat to come sleep with you. Close it if you would rather she did not.
Medication
Pills come first at the noon visit, before swapping and before food.
Both pills live in the same cabinet.
Scout: one pill every day
Her pills are already prepared in the jar with her name on it, on the right-hand side of the cabinet above her wet food.
Hold the plate for her while she eats. Keeping it right under her mouth helps.
Joule: one pill every other day
She gets a pill on the mornings when she is the one being moved downstairs. Her pill bottle is on the left-hand side of the cabinet above her wet food. Hers goes inside a pill pocket, not straight onto the plate. Pill pockets come in chicken and salmon, either is fine.
Set the plate on the floor. She will not eat it held. If she does not finish it the first time, add more Churu. If she still turns it down, switch the Churu flavor. She likes scallop and cheese a lot.
Feeding
Food is in the cabinet to the left of the kitchen sink, and each cat's food is labeled. Weigh the dry food on the scale. Both cats get the same amounts at both meals.
Scout
Joule
The Touch cue
Both cats finger target on the word "Touch" before they get their food. Hold out a finger, say Touch, and wait for them to boop it.
Where to feed
Litter and water
Litter boxes
Three boxes, on both floors. Check both floors, not just the one you are on.
They are automatic. If the lights are flashing, the bag is usually full. Spare bags are in the drawer under the litter box. Nothing else needs cleaning.
Water
Fountains are in the kitchen and the downstairs living room. Top them off only when needed. You will hear the sound of the water change when one is running low.
If something goes wrong
If the cats end up on the same floor
Scout will most likely chase Joule. Do not reach between them and do not try to pick either one up in the middle of it.
Get Scout's attention with food instead. She is extremely food motivated and will break off for a Churu or for the sound of a treat bag being shaken. Lead her away, then close the gate or a door between them.
If a cat gets outside
Both cats are indoor only. Call us immediately, at any hour, day or night.
Around the house
Mail. Please bring it in when you can.
Plants. Water the ones by the kitchen sink.
Toys. Blue cubby under the coffee machine, or the closet left of the barn door.
Puzzles and extra treats, downstairs. Right cabinet of the TV stand for treats, puzzles on the shelf above it. Fill one and both cats will use it. Swap puzzles over the days.
Wifi. In the text we sent you.
Arriving.
Doors and alarm
No codes on this page. Both codes are in the text message.
Always enter the code first, then press the button you need.
If you open any door while armed-inside is on, the alarm will go off.
If the alarm is sounding: enter the code, then press X.