# A Pet Care Schedule: Daily, Monthly and Yearly Jobs > A pet care schedule for dogs and cats: daily walks and meals, monthly flea and grooming jobs, yearly vet visits, and reminders that keep the family on track. Source: https://www.getmindie.app/blog/pet-care-schedule (published 2026-10-29) "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](/reminders/dog-walk) 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](/reminders/pet-vaccination) 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](/blog/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](/for/busy-parents). ## 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](/blog/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](/blog/how-to-build-a-habit-that-sticks) covers how to get back on track after a missed day. ## Reminders worth setting - [Dog walk reminder](/reminders/dog-walk): Daily walk reminders at set times, tracked as a habit with a streak. - [Pet vaccination reminder](/reminders/pet-vaccination): Yearly reminders for vaccinations and boosters, plus worming and flea treatment. - [Insurance premium reminder](/reminders/insurance-premium): 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.