The temperament brief: patient, cuddly, and quietly demanding
A Selkirk Rex is one of the more sitter-friendly cats to leave, but the sitter still needs her character in writing. Selkirks are patient, tolerant, and fond of people, usually greeting a visitor rather than vanishing under the bed, yet they are also quietly persistent about affection and will plant themselves on a lap or a keyboard until noticed. Tell the sitter she is not being naughty when she seeks them out; she is doing what the breed does. Note her usual rhythm of active spells and long naps, her favourite resting places, and whether she is used to being picked up, because a sturdy Selkirk who enjoys a cuddle will ask for one.
Feeding and litter: the daily numbers that matter
Write out your Selkirk Rex's meals precisely: what she eats, the amount per meal, feeding times, and where everything is kept. Selkirks are solidly built cats with a healthy appetite, so warn the sitter against generous extra treats undoing your portion control, and name the treats she may have instead. Record her water setup, whether a bowl or a fountain that needs topping up, and the litter arrangement, including which tray she favours in a multi-tray house and how often you scoop. Ask the sitter to flag a tray left unused or food refused for more than a day, since a cat this placid can be unwell for a while before she makes a fuss about it.
The curly coat: what to do and what to leave alone
Coat care is the one area where a Selkirk Rex sitter can do harm with kindness, so spell it out. Those loose ringlets, including curly whiskers, should not be brushed hard or combed out thoroughly, because working through the curls strips the very texture the coat is prized for and can leave it frizzy and thin-looking. Tell the sitter no grooming is required during a short stay beyond a gentle finger-comb if she leans into it, and that a bath is never part of the job. If she sheds a curl or two on the sofa, that is normal. Note any skin sensitivity you already manage and ask the sitter to mention new scratching, bald patches, or a greasy feel to the coat when you return.
Vet details, permissions, and warning signs
Leave the Selkirk Rex's vet practice contact details, your own number, and a backup person who can authorise treatment if you cannot be reached. Give the sitter explicit permission to seek veterinary help and explain how payment will be settled, so there is no delay. Name the changes that should trigger that call for this cat: complete refusal of food, repeated vomiting, difficulty breathing or open-mouth panting at rest, straining in the litter tray, or a sudden switch from sociable to hiding. Because a Selkirk's calm nature masks discomfort, tell the sitter to trust small changes, such as skipping her usual evening lap session two nights running, and report them rather than waiting for drama.
Turning the brief into a checklist the sitter follows
A long letter gets read once, so convert your Selkirk's information into dated duties the sitter can tick off each visit: morning feed, tray scoop, water top-up, evening play and lap time, doors and windows checked. That structure stops the quiet tasks, like the second tray in the spare room, being forgotten entirely. It is also easier for you to review on your return and see the stay at a glance. KinsLe's Care Teams supports exactly that handover, letting you assign each care duty for your Selkirk Rex to the person helping and see every completed task marked with its timestamp.