The short answer for a Devon Rex
Pack for three Devon Rex truths: he gets cold, he gets bored, and he will absolutely talk the sitter into second dinners if the notes are vague. His bag needs warm bedding, measured food with the begging warning in writing, toys and puzzle feeders that occupy a clever, climbing cat, plus his litter, ear-care instructions and vet details.
Warmth for a lightly coated cat
A Devon Rex's short, rippled coat is mostly soft undercoat with little protection over it, and the breed seeks heat like a profession — laps, sunbeams, warm laundry. Pack his favourite blanket unwashed, a bed with sides he can curl down into, and tell the sitter his preferred warm spots so they can set the bed somewhere comparable rather than on a cold floor. If he wears a sweater at home in winter, send it; if he has never worn one, do not start this week. A Devon who cannot get warm will simply annex the sitter's bed, which is charming but better as a planned arrangement than a surprise.
Food, portions and the begging clause
Devon Rex cats are famously food-driven and persuasive. Measure the week's food into daily portions or send his exact measure with written amounts and times, and state plainly in the notes that he will perform hunger within minutes of a full meal and is not to be believed. Send his usual treats with a daily limit, and one or two puzzle feeders — they slow his eating, stretch his interest, and give the sitter a way to reward him without adding meals. Keep everything identical to his home diet; a week is not the time to test a new flavour on a cat whose enthusiasm will mask the early signs of a stomach upset until it is well established.
Entertainment for a climber and an opener
A Devon Rex is an athletic mischief-maker who climbs curtains, rides shoulders and investigates cupboards. Pack his wand toy, the small toys he fetches or carries, and anything he bats around at dawn, and write down where he is allowed to climb in the sitter's home and what must be latched. Tell the sitter about his shoulder-riding habit before he demonstrates it, and note any counters, plants or rooms that are off-limits. A bored Devon invents his own programme, and his inventions tend to involve height and breakables — scheduled play morning and evening is the cheaper option.
Ear care and written details
Devon Rex ears are large, open and prone to collecting wax, and many owners follow a gentle ear-check routine their vet has shown them. If that is part of his care, write it out step by step exactly as your vet described it, send the supplies he is used to, and be explicit that the sitter should stop and simply report any redness, odour or head-shaking rather than attempt deeper cleaning. Add the standing paperwork: vet name and number, your contact details, feeding and litter routines, medication only if your vet has prescribed it for him with the instructions copied exactly, and the quirks list — his greeting rituals, his sleeping spot, the noise that spooks him.
Watch-outs during the week
Ask the sitter to report a Devon Rex who goes quiet and stops pestering — in this breed, withdrawal is a louder alarm than almost anything — along with refused meals, repeated vomiting, or ears that become red, smelly or constantly scratched. Any of those earns a call to your vet rather than a wait-and-see. To make the whole handover hold together without a dozen texts, KinsLe's Care Pass passes your sitter temporary, clear access to your Devon Rex's routine and key details, and it ends when your week away does.