A Pet Care Schedule: Daily, Monthly and Yearly Jobs

"Did anyone feed the cat?" Three people look at each other.

Meanwhile the flea treatment was due two weeks ago, and the vet's booster letter is on the fridge under a magnet.

Pets run on routine, but their care is spread across very different time scales: twice a day, once a month, once a year. The daily jobs are easy to keep up. The monthly and yearly ones are the ones that slip. A simple schedule with a reminder for each layer keeps everything covered.

One note before we start: this is about routines and remembering. For vaccinations, medication, diet and treatments, follow your vet's advice for your animal.

Daily jobs

These are the anchors of the day. Most pets do best when they happen at roughly the same times.

Feeding

• Set fixed meal times. Many pets eat twice a day, but your vet can tell you what suits your pet's age and health.
• Measure portions rather than topping up the bowl.
• Keep fresh water out and refill it daily.
• Decide who feeds when. In a busy house, this one question stops pets getting fed twice or not at all.

Walks and play

• Dogs: most need at least one walk a day, often two or more depending on breed, age and energy. Your vet can suggest what's right.
• Cats: short play sessions help indoor cats especially.
• Keep the times steady. A walk before work and one after is easier to keep than "whenever there's time".

Walks are where streaks help. Missing one doesn't matter much; missing a week means a restless dog. The dog walk reminder page shows how to set daily walk times and track them as a habit.

Quick daily checks

• Clean the litter tray (cats)
• Pick up the garden (dogs)
• A quick look at eyes, ears and paws while you're giving a fuss

Weekly jobs

• Brush your pet, more often for long-haired breeds.
• Wash food and water bowls thoroughly.
• Full litter change for cats, depending on the litter type.
• Wash bedding and toys, or at least shake them out.
• Check the food supply so you don't run out on a Sunday night.

Monthly jobs

These are the jobs that slip most often, because a month is long enough to lose track.

• Flea and tick treatment, if your vet recommends it, on the schedule they give you.
• Worming, on the schedule your vet recommends.
• Nail trims, or a check to see if they're due.
• Weigh your pet, if your vet has asked you to keep an eye on their weight.
• Check the microchip details are up to date if you've moved or changed numbers.

Write the date of each treatment on a note when you give it. "Was that this month or last month?" is the most common question in any pet household.

Yearly jobs

• Annual vet check-up. A general health check, often combined with vaccinations.
• Vaccinations and boosters, on the schedule your vet gives you. Some are yearly, others less often.
• Dental check, usually during the annual visit.
• Pet insurance renewal. Check what's changed before it renews.
• Pet licence renewal, if your area requires one.

Boarding kennels and catteries usually ask for proof of up-to-date vaccinations, so a lapsed booster can derail a holiday. The pet vaccination reminder page covers yearly boosters, worming and flea treatment in one setup.

Share the work in a busy house

In families, pet care often starts shared and ends up with one person. A few things help keep it fair:

• Write out who does what. Morning feed, evening walk, litter tray, weekend brush.
• Give kids jobs that fit their age. Filling the water bowl, helping with the brush, or holding the lead on a short walk with an adult.
• Keep one record of treatments and vet visits so anyone can check it.

The post on the mental load has more on sharing household jobs so they don't all land on one person. Families juggling school runs and work can find more ideas on the busy parents page.

How to set it up with Mindie

With Mindie, each layer of the schedule becomes a reminder in WhatsApp, set once.

For the daily routine:

• "Every day at 7am and 6pm remind me to walk Bella"
• "Every day at 7:30am and 5:30pm remind me to feed the cat"

Set the walk as a habit, and Mindie keeps a streak so you can see if walks have been slipping.

For monthly treatments:

• "Every month on the 3rd at 8am remind me to give Bella her flea treatment"
• "Every 3 months starting 10 January remind me to worm the cats"

For yearly vet visits:

• "Every year on 1 April remind me to book Bella's booster, due 20 April"

Keep the records as notes:

• "Note: Bella flea treatment given 3 November"
• "Note: Milo vet check 12 October, weight 4.6kg, vet said next dental check in 6 months"

Later, ask "when did Bella last have her flea treatment?" and you'll have the answer.

When a reminder arrives, reply "done" when it's handled, or "snooze 1 hour" if you're stuck at work. Mindie only messages you. If you want a family member to take the evening walk, it can give you a ready WhatsApp link so you can send them the message yourself.

Make it easier when life gets busy

• Keep supplies together: lead, poo bags, treats and torch by the door.
• Stock up before you run out. Add a reminder when the food bag is half empty, not when it's empty.
• Plan for trips early. Book kennels or a pet sitter weeks ahead, especially around holidays. The before-you-travel checklist has a section on this.
• Keep the vet's number saved, along with the out-of-hours emergency clinic.

If the daily walk keeps falling apart, how to build a habit that sticks covers how to get back on track after a missed day.

Reminders worth setting

• Dog walk reminder: Daily walk reminders at set times, tracked as a habit with a streak.
• Pet vaccination reminder: Yearly reminders for vaccinations and boosters, plus worming and flea treatment.
• Insurance premium reminder: A reminder before your pet insurance renews, so you can check the cover in time.

FAQ

How often should I take my pet to the vet?

Most pets have a yearly check-up, and older pets or those with health conditions may need visits more often. Your vet can tell you what's right for your pet's age and health.

How do I remember when I last gave flea treatment?

Write the date down every time you give it, in a note or on the box, and set a repeating reminder for the next dose on the schedule your vet recommends.

How do I make a pet care schedule for a family?

List the daily, weekly, monthly and yearly jobs, give each one an owner, and keep a single record of treatments and vet visits. Repeating reminders for the monthly and yearly jobs stop them falling through the gaps.