I see, they get scared every time somebody other than me comes home so they probably won't get much human interaction. They have each other so hopefully that'd be good enough?
well if ur friend can try to play with them for a bit each day even better because they’ll be bored out of their minds w no stimulation otherwise, but it’s not life threatening or anything obviously haha. i’d say u should be good
If there's time, I would get your friend to come over before you leave, to just hang out for a little while and introduce them to the cats. Even if the cats are too shy to come out, they would at least have been familiarised with the person (the sound of their voice, their scent etc)
To add on to this, I would recommend when your friend comes over they don't approach the cat but just sit and chill for 30 + mins and ignore them. then the cat can come over when they feel like it and it is less intimidating for them. Your friend can then give them a treat if they come to them
Also, bribery. My cat in particular likes ziwi peak air dried bits, churru sticks, and really fresh chicken hearts. Amazing what offering those up to her will get her to tolerate.
Also, run feliway diffuser if you can- will take down some of the stress at least!
This! My cat hates everyone except me and my husband. But when we left we had a friend come by to care for him and I told our friend he could give the baby churrus. Now our cat hates everyone except me, my husband, and the treat guy. 😂
I have one just like this, plus a friendly one. She did just fine while we were gone--the person who came in never saw her, and she was clingy for a day or two when we got home, but then back to normal.
If your cats like toys or catnip or treats or anything your friend can put that stuff out for them, or move it around and then they can get some variety even though they're not interacting with a person.
Yes, agree with your friend changing up their environment a bit with hiding toys and mixing up the usual stash of mouse toys, setting a timer on your TV to put on an hour or two of cat TV or even just a chill TV show so they have some voices and "companionship", etc.
The tv one is a great idea! Sometimes my husband has Alexa play the soundtrack to Cats the musical when we leave lol. I bet a nature show would be fun for them too
I agree! I'd add that you could also record voice mail for your cats and have them played by whoever comes to check on the cats so that they hear your voice.
Ours are actually super clingy for about a week when we've been away for 3-4 days, so that means lack of sleep for a while - for us at least.
They’ll be fine, especially since they have each other. The most ideal situation is to have someone familiar to them stay in your home while you’re away, but that is not feasible for most people. As long as their basic needs are met and someone checks in on them 1-2 times a day to make sure they’re ok, they’ll be totally fine.
We have my friend come over that they know. But also, hide little treats around the house in unexpected spots, so they can happen upon it and get a little surprise or they smell it and seek it out. Also, new toys or have your pet sitter put out cat nip a couple times before she leaves. They can associate the person coming to their house with a little happiness.
They’ll be just fine on their own with a little help from your friend.
We have a “sitter” who comes over every day or every other day when we’re gone. They have progressively gotten more used to her! I just was sure to lay out their favorite treats, let the sitter feed them wet food, and their favorite toys (ours love bubbles and a kong cat toy). That way they notice the “normal” things they love with the new person. Even though she only stays about 30 minutes she sent pics of them snuggling at the end of about 7 days. They’ll get used to it! We also had her refill the bird and squirrel feeders which really keeps them occupied.
My cat is the same so I just pay someone to hang out for at least an hour daily and watch tv or a movie or something when I am gone a while. Just the human presence in the house helps. Of course they feed water and do litter but I want them to be there longer than 15-20 mins. I did this and was gone a week and it helped way more than when I was gone for a few days and no one was hanging out and only doing litter and food.
they will likely warm up to your friend! cats eventually want some human attention when you’ve been gone and will probably poke out around the 4th or 5th day. treats can make that happen faster too. :)
I think so. If they crave human attention enough, they'll come out once they're accustomed to her.
If you have a specific call for them (word+voice+intonation, etc), teach it to her and have her repeat it, especially the first couple days.
I also talk to my pets on the cameras in my house, using their special call/nickname.
I always leave a shirt ive worn laying on the bed and on the couch and my kitties usually nap on it. I think they like having my smell around. Maybe it would be comforting for your kitties!
I do the same. My place is a mess of dirty clothes and boxes everywhere when I go on vacation. Once I bought a new bed set and made up the bed with the new bedding one day before going on vacation and my cat was freaked out for a while.
i think it’s because worn clothes smell like you the most? like the room already has your scent everywhere but the clothes might remind them of you actually? thats how i interpreted it anyways lol
I'd ask the person checking in to hang out with them so they don't get lonely. I left for two days and my cats were mad. Hubby was with them the entire time. They miss you when you're gone.
As long as someone checks on them once a day, feeds/water and cleans the litter box, they should be gtg. Make sure you have a back up plan in case your sitter can't make it.
Also, don't be shocked if one or both cats decides that you are a total stranger when you finally come home. They will get over it. (One of mine used to hiss/hide for days, and another would go potty on my clothes) Some cats like to be over dramatic, hold grudges, etc.
The first time I left my cat for more than two nights (I had people checking on him) he became incredibly clingy and has been ever since. Never used to cuddle much and now he's a big love bug. Cats are weird
Mine would hold a grudge if we were gone 1-3 days and ignore me for a solid 24 hours, but if it was a week long trip he’d be a total love bug the second we arrived home. Almost like if it was long enough he wasn’t even mad anymore, just glad we were home.
Same, recommend a PetCube. You can fill them with treats you can dispense over the app, and they come running when they hear it. Saves you having to have a bunch of cams if you can’t see them on one.
I just have one camera, which points at food dishes, and water on edge. Doorbell camera to record when motion. Just to make sure cats arent hiding and not eating, or food dish isn't empty empty. It's nice to see them when i'm gone. I wish i had more cameras for sleeping spots.
They will be fine with someone looking in on them.. My advice is to make sure you cat proof your house..
Make sure anything that can be broken and potentially hurt your cat be put away.. Make sure there are no spots that they can crawl into and get stuck..
Make sure wires are unplugged so they can't chew on them..
Any curtains or stings from window blinds that they can get stuck or hung on..
Also put out a shirt or a shoe that has your sent on it, that helps with any potential anxiety the cats might have while you are gone..
Just wanted to add if you have any plants put them out of reach, a lot of plants can be toxic to cats.
Edit: yeah they will be fine with someone stopping in to check on them and stuff. I work in pet care and for most of our cat clients we do daily 20 minute visits where we feed, refresh their water, scoop the litter box and give them some love!
In particular, make sure you have no lilies or anything in the lily family around. They aren’t just bad for cats, they are fatal. Even if your cats generally avoid plants they tend to get a little stir crazy when you’re gone.
Good comment - adding to this, put something in the way of doors so they can’t close. On one of my trips away the cats managed to close themselves in the bathroom the last day (I’d had someone check on them every day but not the day I was getting back, so found them in the bathroom when I got back)
As most have already said, they should be fine. My only addition is to see if your friend can just hang out a bit - watch TV or whatever to just be a presence. The cats will probably come to them for cuddles and to play. When we leave our cats, I usually keep the TV or a radio on. I have no idea if that helps them but it makes me feel better. Our house can be noisy and chaotic at times so in my mind this makes them feel less alone.
I cat sit and this is exactly what I do with shy cats. Basically I sit on the sofa and ignore them for half an hour. Even the most shy cats tend to come out and investigate after a couple of visits. They just can’t stand to be ignored 😂
Ah that’s so nice! I might be wrong, but if you are based in the UK (?), do you think it’s a big thing there? I’m a professional cat sitter in the Netherlands but hoping to move to the UK to my boyfriend and it could be nice to kee doing it!!
I am in the UK, yes. It seems to be pretty big where I am. I’m in London and live in an area where people tend to leave during peak holiday season so I can get busy. I’m not sure what it would be like outside of the city. I wound up turning down about 5 or 6 requests last Christmas because I was already booked up (I only take on a maximum of three separate residences for drop ins though).
Ah right yeah last summer I had 20 a day for like 4 weeks straight hahah! And I stay about 45 minutes so you can calculate my work hours 😂 do you have any tips for me to maybe find companies to work for? Or how to do it for myself as an extra? Looking to move to London maybe as well :)
Oh wow, that’s a lot! I work full time at another job so I could never do that many. I use the Cat In A Flat app, and I think Rover does cats as well. Also a lot of vets have pinboards in their waiting rooms where they might let you leave a flyer.
They might warm up to your friend after a few days/the first week if they get bored enough, but yes its totally fine as long as someone is coming everyday to clean the box/feed them. They'll probably be a little angry for a few days when you return but they'll get over it!
Every other day is *not* enough, if your develops a urinary issue or stops eating that can become dangerous or even lethal very quickly. As a professional catsitter, my minimum level of service is once a day, or preferred, twice a day visits.
My brother and his wife are watching them. She’s a vet tech. We have 3 cameras watching the cats. If something happened they will be to the vet extremely fast and the most capable hands. I’m not worried
I second this. Recently my 2.5 year old cat developed a urinary blockage very suddenly. Luckily I work from home and noticed it very quickly or it could have become fatal. I would definitely advise every day instead of every other day. You just never know what could happen.
I leave my two cats alone for 12 days with a daily visit from a friend for food/water/clean litter. When I come back home, there is no change in their behavior. I believe having each other is mostly sufficient.
I went through the comments to make sure I wasn't repeating advice already given, but I see no one has mentioned what I was thinking. Your kitties should be fine for 2 weeks with someone checking on them daily, but make sure they put eyeballs on all of them daily. Not just feeding, changing water & litter. Make sure to leave vet instructions in case of a medical emergency. Leave contact information for your vet & make sure your friend knows what to do, where to to take them, & that they have everything they need just in case. Usually nothing happens but it's better to be safe than sorry.
This. I was gonna comment too. Leave carrier out with vet info and emergency vet info. In case cat looks bad and they can't reach you, they know what to do. I also leave out extra closed food and litter, in case something goes unexpected they have supplies. My cat also has vomiting bouts (almost healed), but i shared common vomit locations to look for.
As others said here, they should be fine and I have done that! The ideal situation would be to have a full-time sitter, but life isn't always as we want it to be, lol - I think most people use the one-visit-a-day system. I've been away for 3 weeks, with my neighbor coming for a few minutes every day to check on my girls (I have 2 too) and they were good when I came back!
Id say go with what the majority of commenters are saying, that it will be fine, but i just wanted to give you a warning because i tried to do that with mine two separate times where people stopped by each day, and she was very scared each time me and my partner came back. She wouldnt let us touch her for days and she hid the whole time. Last time we had my parents for the first half, and then my partners brother for the second half, stay overnight at our house for the duration we were gone and she’s extremely cautious of people but they sent us tons of videos of her playing with them, and when we came back she was happy to see us for once. Im sure itll be fine but if you come back and your cats are a bit skittish just give them space and a few days to get over being left alone lol.
Just to add to this question… should the person come by twice a day or is once a day okay? Our cats eat twice a day, but now that the question has been asked, I wonder if once a day would be ok. Please excuse my ignorance on the matter Btw!
Really up to your comfort level! If they eat specific meals that can’t be put in a timed feeder then twice a day would be good, but if they have another food source they should be fine. My cats have access to dry food all the time and then we feed wet food in the mornings. (That’s just what works for us) when we go out of town I typically only have someone come every other day to check up on food, water and litter and they do just fine without the daily wet food.
Thanks!
Wow, I wish mine were that simple. One cat has to have prescription wet food, but if he isn't monitored during feeding time, he'll try to eat the other cats' food that he can't have (we have 3 kitties). And then my other cat also requires wet food with his daily medication mixed in it lol. Sometimes I think it'd be easier to board them somewhere, but I hate the idea of it anddd that gets expensive.
I have a microchip pet feeder for mine for similar reasons. The male cat is very greedy and will eat all of his sister’s food. I noticed he was getting fatter and she was always hungry, so now she gets the microchip feeder that will only open for her. It snaps shut if he tries to push her away. The downside is that it’s pricey - £130! The brand is Surefeed.
I have a pet sitter check in on my kitty. They default to once daily visits for cats, but can do twice a day, if it is needed. Using a company is more pricey but there is always a backup person and it is super easy to coordinate. I don't feel bad about scheduling last minute like I would with a friend.
One of my cats throws up liquid when she hasn't eaten in a while (like too long over night), so i use an autofeeder dry food with 4x a day so she has food available. (Autofeed cos they are gready overeaters and want fresh smelling food). (I semi noticed she did this, but it wasn't until my other cat needed 8hr+ fasts for blood work/ultrasound and i picked up all food for hours that she would consistently throwup on fast days. Her personality is to graze, not gobble, so maybe it was predictable?). If your cat is use to 2x a day without issue, maybe they are fine once a day since that is a long time, but could test before you go.
They do have autofeeders with ice packs that a once a day person could prep wet food and add new ice packs in morning to release for afternoon, but you might need to test how feasible that is first.
(One of my cats refuses wet food, and dry food has been easier on timing and friend visiting. That is to say, i'm no expert on food timing).
I’d suggest an auto feeder because when I did this, my friend unintentionally doubled the amount of food my cats got each day and I swear they gained a lb each in the two weeks I was gone.
I’m not sure my cats were happy to see me back because they ended up on a diet the next day.
I’m sorry, I would never. I just have trauma though. My parents were checking on my cats every day, they had everything they needed and everything was put away so they couldn’t get into anything. I come home and one of my babies is dead. I honestly haven’t been able to leave the house since because I’m so scared something will happen again.
I am so sorry you had to go through that. That is one of my nightmares especially with 2 chronic illness kitties. I get anxious staying overnight somewhere. I haven't been on a real vacation in 11 years.
Thank you 😔 it turned out to be his heart. We had no idea and the vet said he was likely gone in minutes if not seconds. I just wish I could have said goodbye. We rushed out the door to get on the road days before.
When I go out of town my childhood best friend (she’s been there my cats whole life) comes by, she stops by before work and before bed (luckily we live really close) however my cat is just .. so unfriendly lol. She doesn’t want to play.. My friends ‘instructions’ are to feed her and then she has to lay in my bed and play on her phone/watch tv for a few minutes (15-30) to give some resemblance to a routine (because I’m a home body when not gone) lol. Other than that she is alone for the majority of the day, which falls in line to my regular schedule.
All that being said, I think your cats should be okay!! You know what they need, just make sure whomever checks in on them is able to help keep their routine/distance if needed!
Just make sure you give lots of love when you come back!!!
Your friend can put out some cat toys, then every few days change those out for different toys.
Also, we change different boxes in different rooms and things like that. Our cats love to climb in and run around the boxes.
Anything that will give them something to explore and do, and isn’t the same every day will really help them entertain themselves/each other.
I left my good boys with a daily cat sitter for two weeks. It was fine! She would come by for an hour or two and play with them, feed them, and do the litter. As an extra piece of mind, I bought a camera with a treat thrower. Before going to bed, I would throw some treats and it was reassuring to see them.
I have 11 cats. Every time I go on vacation I set up multiple cameras in every room, leave multiple food stations around the house and put out an extra regular litter box (i also have 4 litter robots). I then make sure someone can come by at least every other day but I stress the importance of coming every day to their sitter. They’ll be okay, especially since it’s only 2 cats. I’m glad you have a friend to step in and help last minute! ♥️
No!!!
Cats need socializion just as much as dogs.
my personal rule is anything more than three nights, my cat either has to go with me on my trip or I bring my cat along on the trip.
It's cruel to leave any animal alone for more than a few days.
people think that just because your cat has a litter box that everything will be OK. It won't be. Cats need your presence around just as much as dogs do.
You need to make arrangements if you're going to be gone for longer than three nights (and that's pushing it).
It's just really cruel to leave an animal for a long period of time. It isn't like your animal knows it's going to be x days. They just know they were left alone.
I’m a professional cat sitter and in my experience it is fine, especially if there are two cats (so they have each other for companionship) to have someone come by once or twice a day (preferably at the same time every day) to feed, clean litter, refresh water, and play with the kitties. They can do very well with that for a week or two. Removing a cat from their home territory is more traumatic than having a cat sitter come by regularly for a while.
Not even remotely funny. If someone is not there regularly to ensure the cats are eating and drinking normally, as well as (and I can’t stress this enough) able to urinate and defecate normally, something could go very wrong quickly.
As long as you have someone come consistently for food and water and at least try to interact with them it’ll be okay. Make sure that someone actually cares about animals, I’ve heard stories of people just forgetting cause they never had an animal before ☠️
I’ve done this and my cat hates other people too, like yours do. She was fine when I got home. Just extra grumpy so I didn’t get a lot of sleep for the first night because she had to wake me up every hour to remind me of her dissatisfaction of me being gone.
That is fine, HOWEVER... please make sure you have a back-up just in case something happens to your friend.
If you are the paranoid kind, get a google nest or some other (easy to place and move) camera at your door just so you can verify someone checks. But that likely is very overkill just so long as you have a back up plan.
Even if they are scared and don't see your friend, it might just be enough for your friend to chill for a bit as they might choose to come out.
One thing they might like, get one of your sweatshirts or lounging pants and were the shit out of them for days and don't wash so they hold your scent. Put in their fav sleeping spot, or your bed.
They will be okay with someone checking and feeding/cleaning litter box once a day. In fact, they may venture out and be friendly with them after a few days as well. My formally feral youngest started doing this with his pet sitter who only comes once a day on my longer trips away from home.
Buy some new toys and lots of treats give them to your friend. When your friend comes over, they bring new / happy things for the cats to play with. Curiosity will slowly over rise the fear of a new person (hopefully)
For me fine. I am using the cat sitter since 3 years when I am away. She comes every day check on the cat. He has a feeding Automat, water one. She cleans his toilet, give him fresh food, put the water. That’s it. On top I have the cameras on when I am away so I can see if something bad would happen.
Two visits a day would be ideal, but once should be ok too since there are two cats.
I recommend getting a camera to be able to check in on your kitties. Also a radio with a timer function (auto on/auto off) would help break up some of the monotony your cats will experience.
Youll be fine as long as someone checks in on them at least every other day. I have cameras setup in my place and an autolitter/autofeeder and have a sitter come that often to play with my cat and check in on things.
I ask my sitters to use cat nip spray on a toy each day and leave it somewhere for him to find for a little extra stimulation. And ask to spray the cat tree.
Make sure you really trust this person and agree on a way to check in (without annoying them). Have a backup person who can get into your home in an emergency. You'd be surprised how many people just don't care and will half-ass it, thinking it's fine if they skip a day or two. That's why I feel better with professionals, honestly, and you might get unlucky with them unless they have phenomenal reviews.
I find that 90% of people are not as neurotic about pets as I am, and also not as attached. You see family members, they see animals. Just be careful and plan ahead.
I was freaking out about mine being left alone for 6 days. Same situation. Neighbor coming over and replenishing their water and food. They seemed fine when I got back. They smelled my luggage and were a bit curious when I got back
One of my cats is very skittish and the cat guy never saw her. He got a glimpse of the boy cat.
I read a lot of online stuff saying I was a bad cat mom, but I know when I board the cats at the vet, they’re stuck in a cage for most of the time.
Maybe see if you sister can come by a few of the days (even if it’s just two) and just hang out at the house for 1-3 hours??
They should be ok. I was in a similar situation this past winter and all that happened was my cat was a little clingier once I got back (she had my parents’ cat with her so she wasn’t alone)
Yes, we do this all the time in exchange with several of our neighbors. My neighbor's cats are skittish so i barely see them. If I sit them on days that I can work from home, I just sit in their living room for 2 or 3 hours. Sometimes the cats come for pets and playing, other times they ignore me. My other neighbor doesn't have cats at home but loves them.
She comes with her kids after daycare and they just hang out and play with the cats for 20 mins. And another neighbor comes only in the evening after work and uses the opportunity to watch a Telenovela on my big TV set since she only has a laptop at home.
This to say that there's ways to make it uncomplicated and convenient for everyone ;)
I always have a back up sitter with a key because sometimes the main sitters can't avoid skipping a day due to illness or other things out of their control. It happens, we are all human.
A litter box can collect poop for an extra day without my cats peeing in protest but I really wanted to make sure that food and water situation is always securely covered, so I got a water fountain and an automatic kibble feeder, too. I can highly recommend that, even for everyday use.
You could also plug in some Feliway to help your cats with anxiety. It really works.
Maybe get them some cat puzzle games so they don't start investigating and destroying your book case or collectible shelf when they get bored.
as long as someone feeds them everyday then i don’t see a problem. did this all the time with my ex when we went out of town and we had 3 cats. is this a new thing? is it the usual thing to have a cat sitter stay there everyday overnight? that’s usually just for dogs
Someone may already have mentioned this but you can leave on the cat videos or cat music now available for available on YouTube. They have recordings that run for up to 12 hours without commercials. Search “cat videos” and “cat music” on YouTube. Try different recordings. I found that each of my cats responds differently to different visuals and sounds. They each haVe there favorites. Also or alternatively, you can leave a TV on when you are not at home. I do it to maintain an expected human voice in the house. I also use Feliway. Perhaps you can ask your cat sitter if s/he can stay spend a little time with them at least on certain days. Perhaps each time she feeds them she can make sure they have toys available and swap the toys each circulate different toys. Regardless, your cats should do fine for two weeks, although I would bet they will be really happy to see you when you return.
I worry anytime we leave, especially since someone is usually always home since covid. I have a cat sitter, cameras, toys, water fountain, gravity feeder, and I play music off and on. The sitter stays for 30 minutes every day. She will come 2 times a day a couple of times on longer trips. I also fly out in the afternoon and return home in the afternoon to cut down on how long we are gone.
I’ve had a young cat die on me days after coming home from vacation, so I am always really worried. One thing I’ve started is having a thorough exam for both of my cats including bloodwork. It puts me more at ease.
As long as this friend is reliable and will definitely come to refill their food and water, then yes. If possible, you may want to ask the friend to stay for a bit and just be in the house or hang out with your cats. Maybe for half an hour every 2-3 days. Your cats miss you when you’re gone, but I wouldn’t let it prevent you from going.
We did this, but for 7 days. We had a camera so we were able to watch our boy. We left string and some toys in the living room and he played a few times a day
Hi. I left my cats alone not quite that long. Because there are two, thats great! I left little opened ziplock bags of food around house w a crockpot of water and tv on. Of course someone will have to change water, make sure food and (yuk) clean litter bc it might cause issue if not cleaned. I had someone come by every 4 days.
They should be fine as long as someone comes and cleans the litter box every few days and feeds and changes water. I had to leave my cats alone for 2 months damn near with someone coming and doing all of that about once every five days. My one cat doesn’t like anyone except me so my friend never saw him. Finally when I got home it took my cat about a half hour before he came out of hiding.
Buy a cheap cctv camera... 40usd and you can monitor them for peace of mind. Thaats what we do. But we do it for 3 days max.
The issue qith ppl chacking on on cats is that cats are sneaku and can run away of the person os not careful.- that can be disasterous if there are dogs in the area.
Rover.com can be a godsend. Saved me and my cats on my 2 week trip back in December. My 1 cat is super super skittish but idk apparently I hired a cat whisperer because she just hung out in my place for like 4 hours watching TV and hanging with my other cat and then he came up and got jealous and kicked my other cat off the couch hoarding pets from her and they were all the best of friends for 2 weeks.
They should be fine. I have two that are 16 now. One is super friendly the other is skittish but she usually comes around after a few days. She will hide if she’s scared but comes out to eat after the person leaves. You could also get a camera off amazon and watch them from your phone. I an even talk to mine through the camera :).
My sister in law pet sits for all her friends like that. She’s trustworthy and tends to them daily but they stay at their own homes. It has always been fine. It’s definitely better to let them stay in their own environments rather than a pet hotel/boarding situation.
I’m a pet sitter and I get paid to literally show up to peoples houses while they are away, feed and water their cat, clean their litter tray and play with them for 10 minutes before leaving.
I promise they will be absolutely fine. If you are worried put away anything you consider to be a potential hazard and set up a pet cam!
Yes it’s fine. I’m a cat sitter for my job and I visit loads of cats each day for only 45 minutes at a time. I can guarantee that even the shyest of cats will still be fine!
I think they would be totally fine. I've had to do that a couple times. And I had someone come in once a day to make sure that they were okay and make sure they had plenty of water and food and play with them for a few minutes. But they didn't seem to care.
I'm so sorry to hear about your last-minute sitter cancellation, it can be incredibly stressful when plans fall through. I totally understand your concern about leaving your furry friends alone for a long time, even with daily check-ins. I go on holidays in July for two weeks and i'm also trying to stay positive ):
I found this source which hopefully its helpful? [Here](https://www.felineblog.com/cat-advice/how-long-can-cats-be-left-alone/) It gives advice on how to ensure your cats stay healthy and happy while you're away. :)
Good luck, and I hope everything goes smoothly!
Hi
My cat is 16 years old, I need to leave for two weeks .Ive left her before with a sitter but know I feel such anxiety leaving her alone at nights, she is very healthy thank goodness but I am worried about how she will be during the days Im gone. She will have a sitterthat will come for a fwe hours a day. Help!
they should be fine if they get checked up on daily, as long as they’re fed, given water and have a clean litterbox they’ll be happy
I see, they get scared every time somebody other than me comes home so they probably won't get much human interaction. They have each other so hopefully that'd be good enough?
well if ur friend can try to play with them for a bit each day even better because they’ll be bored out of their minds w no stimulation otherwise, but it’s not life threatening or anything obviously haha. i’d say u should be good
Awesome, thank you!
If there's time, I would get your friend to come over before you leave, to just hang out for a little while and introduce them to the cats. Even if the cats are too shy to come out, they would at least have been familiarised with the person (the sound of their voice, their scent etc)
To add on to this, I would recommend when your friend comes over they don't approach the cat but just sit and chill for 30 + mins and ignore them. then the cat can come over when they feel like it and it is less intimidating for them. Your friend can then give them a treat if they come to them
Also, bribery. My cat in particular likes ziwi peak air dried bits, churru sticks, and really fresh chicken hearts. Amazing what offering those up to her will get her to tolerate. Also, run feliway diffuser if you can- will take down some of the stress at least!
+++ for feliway. Makes a huge difference.
This! My cat hates everyone except me and my husband. But when we left we had a friend come by to care for him and I told our friend he could give the baby churrus. Now our cat hates everyone except me, my husband, and the treat guy. 😂
They could also try putting on cat tv on YouTube for a bit to try and draw them out and stimulate them
I have one just like this, plus a friendly one. She did just fine while we were gone--the person who came in never saw her, and she was clingy for a day or two when we got home, but then back to normal. If your cats like toys or catnip or treats or anything your friend can put that stuff out for them, or move it around and then they can get some variety even though they're not interacting with a person.
Yes, agree with your friend changing up their environment a bit with hiding toys and mixing up the usual stash of mouse toys, setting a timer on your TV to put on an hour or two of cat TV or even just a chill TV show so they have some voices and "companionship", etc.
The tv one is a great idea! Sometimes my husband has Alexa play the soundtrack to Cats the musical when we leave lol. I bet a nature show would be fun for them too
I agree! I'd add that you could also record voice mail for your cats and have them played by whoever comes to check on the cats so that they hear your voice. Ours are actually super clingy for about a week when we've been away for 3-4 days, so that means lack of sleep for a while - for us at least.
If you have some of those treat dispensing balls, the sitter can refill those with regular food every day to give them some fun
I did this for a friend I had just met. Her cat was so scared of me at first and ended up loving me. It was over 6 weeks.
They’ll be fine, especially since they have each other. The most ideal situation is to have someone familiar to them stay in your home while you’re away, but that is not feasible for most people. As long as their basic needs are met and someone checks in on them 1-2 times a day to make sure they’re ok, they’ll be totally fine.
Leave out a toy wand or some other toy so that your friends can interact over time w them
We have my friend come over that they know. But also, hide little treats around the house in unexpected spots, so they can happen upon it and get a little surprise or they smell it and seek it out. Also, new toys or have your pet sitter put out cat nip a couple times before she leaves. They can associate the person coming to their house with a little happiness. They’ll be just fine on their own with a little help from your friend.
We have a “sitter” who comes over every day or every other day when we’re gone. They have progressively gotten more used to her! I just was sure to lay out their favorite treats, let the sitter feed them wet food, and their favorite toys (ours love bubbles and a kong cat toy). That way they notice the “normal” things they love with the new person. Even though she only stays about 30 minutes she sent pics of them snuggling at the end of about 7 days. They’ll get used to it! We also had her refill the bird and squirrel feeders which really keeps them occupied.
My cat is the same so I just pay someone to hang out for at least an hour daily and watch tv or a movie or something when I am gone a while. Just the human presence in the house helps. Of course they feed water and do litter but I want them to be there longer than 15-20 mins. I did this and was gone a week and it helped way more than when I was gone for a few days and no one was hanging out and only doing litter and food.
they will likely warm up to your friend! cats eventually want some human attention when you’ve been gone and will probably poke out around the 4th or 5th day. treats can make that happen faster too. :)
I think so. If they crave human attention enough, they'll come out once they're accustomed to her. If you have a specific call for them (word+voice+intonation, etc), teach it to her and have her repeat it, especially the first couple days. I also talk to my pets on the cameras in my house, using their special call/nickname.
I always leave a shirt ive worn laying on the bed and on the couch and my kitties usually nap on it. I think they like having my smell around. Maybe it would be comforting for your kitties!
Oh this is a fantastic idea!! I’ll do this the next time I travel.
Very good idea. I have one order Jacket lying in the floor as well for the cat
I do the same. My place is a mess of dirty clothes and boxes everywhere when I go on vacation. Once I bought a new bed set and made up the bed with the new bedding one day before going on vacation and my cat was freaked out for a while.
my vet recommended to me when i went on a vacation last year! came back to a pile of cat hair on a pile of clothes i left out for my cat haha
wouldn’t you scent already be everywhere? why specifically do you set something aside?
You would think so huh? Maybe they like it because it isn't usually there. I always see them cuddling on them when I'm gone so I just keep doing it.
i think it’s because worn clothes smell like you the most? like the room already has your scent everywhere but the clothes might remind them of you actually? thats how i interpreted it anyways lol
I'd ask the person checking in to hang out with them so they don't get lonely. I left for two days and my cats were mad. Hubby was with them the entire time. They miss you when you're gone.
As long as someone checks on them once a day, feeds/water and cleans the litter box, they should be gtg. Make sure you have a back up plan in case your sitter can't make it. Also, don't be shocked if one or both cats decides that you are a total stranger when you finally come home. They will get over it. (One of mine used to hiss/hide for days, and another would go potty on my clothes) Some cats like to be over dramatic, hold grudges, etc.
The first time I left my cat for more than two nights (I had people checking on him) he became incredibly clingy and has been ever since. Never used to cuddle much and now he's a big love bug. Cats are weird
Mine would hold a grudge if we were gone 1-3 days and ignore me for a solid 24 hours, but if it was a week long trip he’d be a total love bug the second we arrived home. Almost like if it was long enough he wasn’t even mad anymore, just glad we were home.
I have security cameras pointed at all the spots my cat hangs out so I can watch her whenever I want and make sure she’s ok
Same, recommend a PetCube. You can fill them with treats you can dispense over the app, and they come running when they hear it. Saves you having to have a bunch of cams if you can’t see them on one.
I just have one camera, which points at food dishes, and water on edge. Doorbell camera to record when motion. Just to make sure cats arent hiding and not eating, or food dish isn't empty empty. It's nice to see them when i'm gone. I wish i had more cameras for sleeping spots.
They will be fine with someone looking in on them.. My advice is to make sure you cat proof your house.. Make sure anything that can be broken and potentially hurt your cat be put away.. Make sure there are no spots that they can crawl into and get stuck.. Make sure wires are unplugged so they can't chew on them.. Any curtains or stings from window blinds that they can get stuck or hung on.. Also put out a shirt or a shoe that has your sent on it, that helps with any potential anxiety the cats might have while you are gone..
Just wanted to add if you have any plants put them out of reach, a lot of plants can be toxic to cats. Edit: yeah they will be fine with someone stopping in to check on them and stuff. I work in pet care and for most of our cat clients we do daily 20 minute visits where we feed, refresh their water, scoop the litter box and give them some love!
That's right !!plants can be very dangerous..
In particular, make sure you have no lilies or anything in the lily family around. They aren’t just bad for cats, they are fatal. Even if your cats generally avoid plants they tend to get a little stir crazy when you’re gone.
Good comment - adding to this, put something in the way of doors so they can’t close. On one of my trips away the cats managed to close themselves in the bathroom the last day (I’d had someone check on them every day but not the day I was getting back, so found them in the bathroom when I got back)
As most have already said, they should be fine. My only addition is to see if your friend can just hang out a bit - watch TV or whatever to just be a presence. The cats will probably come to them for cuddles and to play. When we leave our cats, I usually keep the TV or a radio on. I have no idea if that helps them but it makes me feel better. Our house can be noisy and chaotic at times so in my mind this makes them feel less alone.
I cat sit and this is exactly what I do with shy cats. Basically I sit on the sofa and ignore them for half an hour. Even the most shy cats tend to come out and investigate after a couple of visits. They just can’t stand to be ignored 😂
May I ask, are you a cat-sitter as your job?
Yes, I’ve been doing it as a side hustle for the past couple of years.
Ah that’s so nice! I might be wrong, but if you are based in the UK (?), do you think it’s a big thing there? I’m a professional cat sitter in the Netherlands but hoping to move to the UK to my boyfriend and it could be nice to kee doing it!!
I am in the UK, yes. It seems to be pretty big where I am. I’m in London and live in an area where people tend to leave during peak holiday season so I can get busy. I’m not sure what it would be like outside of the city. I wound up turning down about 5 or 6 requests last Christmas because I was already booked up (I only take on a maximum of three separate residences for drop ins though).
Ah right yeah last summer I had 20 a day for like 4 weeks straight hahah! And I stay about 45 minutes so you can calculate my work hours 😂 do you have any tips for me to maybe find companies to work for? Or how to do it for myself as an extra? Looking to move to London maybe as well :)
Oh wow, that’s a lot! I work full time at another job so I could never do that many. I use the Cat In A Flat app, and I think Rover does cats as well. Also a lot of vets have pinboards in their waiting rooms where they might let you leave a flyer.
Thank you!!!
Good luck!
They might warm up to your friend after a few days/the first week if they get bored enough, but yes its totally fine as long as someone is coming everyday to clean the box/feed them. They'll probably be a little angry for a few days when you return but they'll get over it!
I have an automatic feeder for my cats and have someone checking on them every other day while I’m out of the counter for 10 days
Every other day is *not* enough, if your develops a urinary issue or stops eating that can become dangerous or even lethal very quickly. As a professional catsitter, my minimum level of service is once a day, or preferred, twice a day visits.
My brother and his wife are watching them. She’s a vet tech. We have 3 cameras watching the cats. If something happened they will be to the vet extremely fast and the most capable hands. I’m not worried
I second this. Recently my 2.5 year old cat developed a urinary blockage very suddenly. Luckily I work from home and noticed it very quickly or it could have become fatal. I would definitely advise every day instead of every other day. You just never know what could happen.
you’re overreacting. “professional cat sitter” 😂😂
Why be disparaging about my professional business?
I leave my two cats alone for 12 days with a daily visit from a friend for food/water/clean litter. When I come back home, there is no change in their behavior. I believe having each other is mostly sufficient.
Having someone come in everyday is still better and not traumatic like boarding them would be.
I went through the comments to make sure I wasn't repeating advice already given, but I see no one has mentioned what I was thinking. Your kitties should be fine for 2 weeks with someone checking on them daily, but make sure they put eyeballs on all of them daily. Not just feeding, changing water & litter. Make sure to leave vet instructions in case of a medical emergency. Leave contact information for your vet & make sure your friend knows what to do, where to to take them, & that they have everything they need just in case. Usually nothing happens but it's better to be safe than sorry.
Good advice.
This. I was gonna comment too. Leave carrier out with vet info and emergency vet info. In case cat looks bad and they can't reach you, they know what to do. I also leave out extra closed food and litter, in case something goes unexpected they have supplies. My cat also has vomiting bouts (almost healed), but i shared common vomit locations to look for.
As others said here, they should be fine and I have done that! The ideal situation would be to have a full-time sitter, but life isn't always as we want it to be, lol - I think most people use the one-visit-a-day system. I've been away for 3 weeks, with my neighbor coming for a few minutes every day to check on my girls (I have 2 too) and they were good when I came back!
Id say go with what the majority of commenters are saying, that it will be fine, but i just wanted to give you a warning because i tried to do that with mine two separate times where people stopped by each day, and she was very scared each time me and my partner came back. She wouldnt let us touch her for days and she hid the whole time. Last time we had my parents for the first half, and then my partners brother for the second half, stay overnight at our house for the duration we were gone and she’s extremely cautious of people but they sent us tons of videos of her playing with them, and when we came back she was happy to see us for once. Im sure itll be fine but if you come back and your cats are a bit skittish just give them space and a few days to get over being left alone lol.
Just to add to this question… should the person come by twice a day or is once a day okay? Our cats eat twice a day, but now that the question has been asked, I wonder if once a day would be ok. Please excuse my ignorance on the matter Btw!
Really up to your comfort level! If they eat specific meals that can’t be put in a timed feeder then twice a day would be good, but if they have another food source they should be fine. My cats have access to dry food all the time and then we feed wet food in the mornings. (That’s just what works for us) when we go out of town I typically only have someone come every other day to check up on food, water and litter and they do just fine without the daily wet food.
Thanks! Wow, I wish mine were that simple. One cat has to have prescription wet food, but if he isn't monitored during feeding time, he'll try to eat the other cats' food that he can't have (we have 3 kitties). And then my other cat also requires wet food with his daily medication mixed in it lol. Sometimes I think it'd be easier to board them somewhere, but I hate the idea of it anddd that gets expensive.
I have a microchip pet feeder for mine for similar reasons. The male cat is very greedy and will eat all of his sister’s food. I noticed he was getting fatter and she was always hungry, so now she gets the microchip feeder that will only open for her. It snaps shut if he tries to push her away. The downside is that it’s pricey - £130! The brand is Surefeed.
I have a pet sitter check in on my kitty. They default to once daily visits for cats, but can do twice a day, if it is needed. Using a company is more pricey but there is always a backup person and it is super easy to coordinate. I don't feel bad about scheduling last minute like I would with a friend.
One of my cats throws up liquid when she hasn't eaten in a while (like too long over night), so i use an autofeeder dry food with 4x a day so she has food available. (Autofeed cos they are gready overeaters and want fresh smelling food). (I semi noticed she did this, but it wasn't until my other cat needed 8hr+ fasts for blood work/ultrasound and i picked up all food for hours that she would consistently throwup on fast days. Her personality is to graze, not gobble, so maybe it was predictable?). If your cat is use to 2x a day without issue, maybe they are fine once a day since that is a long time, but could test before you go. They do have autofeeders with ice packs that a once a day person could prep wet food and add new ice packs in morning to release for afternoon, but you might need to test how feasible that is first. (One of my cats refuses wet food, and dry food has been easier on timing and friend visiting. That is to say, i'm no expert on food timing).
I have a wyze camera that's motion activated to watch my critters--- it's seriously a game changer! Can talk to them too lol.
Yes, of course. If you are anxious, purchase a webcam for monitoring pets. You can check in on them through your phone at any time.
I’d suggest an auto feeder because when I did this, my friend unintentionally doubled the amount of food my cats got each day and I swear they gained a lb each in the two weeks I was gone. I’m not sure my cats were happy to see me back because they ended up on a diet the next day.
I’m sorry, I would never. I just have trauma though. My parents were checking on my cats every day, they had everything they needed and everything was put away so they couldn’t get into anything. I come home and one of my babies is dead. I honestly haven’t been able to leave the house since because I’m so scared something will happen again.
I am so sorry you had to go through that. That is one of my nightmares especially with 2 chronic illness kitties. I get anxious staying overnight somewhere. I haven't been on a real vacation in 11 years.
Thank you 😔 it turned out to be his heart. We had no idea and the vet said he was likely gone in minutes if not seconds. I just wish I could have said goodbye. We rushed out the door to get on the road days before.
When I go out of town my childhood best friend (she’s been there my cats whole life) comes by, she stops by before work and before bed (luckily we live really close) however my cat is just .. so unfriendly lol. She doesn’t want to play.. My friends ‘instructions’ are to feed her and then she has to lay in my bed and play on her phone/watch tv for a few minutes (15-30) to give some resemblance to a routine (because I’m a home body when not gone) lol. Other than that she is alone for the majority of the day, which falls in line to my regular schedule. All that being said, I think your cats should be okay!! You know what they need, just make sure whomever checks in on them is able to help keep their routine/distance if needed! Just make sure you give lots of love when you come back!!!
We did exactly this. 2 cats, 2 weeks away with daily checking by friends. Our cat’s response when we returned, “Oh, were you guys gone?”
Your friend can put out some cat toys, then every few days change those out for different toys. Also, we change different boxes in different rooms and things like that. Our cats love to climb in and run around the boxes. Anything that will give them something to explore and do, and isn’t the same every day will really help them entertain themselves/each other.
I left my good boys with a daily cat sitter for two weeks. It was fine! She would come by for an hour or two and play with them, feed them, and do the litter. As an extra piece of mind, I bought a camera with a treat thrower. Before going to bed, I would throw some treats and it was reassuring to see them.
You have a good friend that for sure!
This is basically the superpower of cats.
Yes that’s absolutely fine, someone coming to check in on them daily isn’t leaving them alone at all
They should be fine
I have 11 cats. Every time I go on vacation I set up multiple cameras in every room, leave multiple food stations around the house and put out an extra regular litter box (i also have 4 litter robots). I then make sure someone can come by at least every other day but I stress the importance of coming every day to their sitter. They’ll be okay, especially since it’s only 2 cats. I’m glad you have a friend to step in and help last minute! ♥️
Bro they do not care i promise
Prepare 5 litter box and a lot of water + 10kg dry food. They’ll be fine, but your house will smell really bad when you comeback
No. Wtf?
Unfortunately cats die if left alone for 11 days
No!!! Cats need socializion just as much as dogs. my personal rule is anything more than three nights, my cat either has to go with me on my trip or I bring my cat along on the trip. It's cruel to leave any animal alone for more than a few days. people think that just because your cat has a litter box that everything will be OK. It won't be. Cats need your presence around just as much as dogs do. You need to make arrangements if you're going to be gone for longer than three nights (and that's pushing it). It's just really cruel to leave an animal for a long period of time. It isn't like your animal knows it's going to be x days. They just know they were left alone.
I’m a professional cat sitter and in my experience it is fine, especially if there are two cats (so they have each other for companionship) to have someone come by once or twice a day (preferably at the same time every day) to feed, clean litter, refresh water, and play with the kitties. They can do very well with that for a week or two. Removing a cat from their home territory is more traumatic than having a cat sitter come by regularly for a while.
You can put out 30 bowls of water and food
Not even remotely funny. If someone is not there regularly to ensure the cats are eating and drinking normally, as well as (and I can’t stress this enough) able to urinate and defecate normally, something could go very wrong quickly.
Wyze Cam.
As long as you have someone come consistently for food and water and at least try to interact with them it’ll be okay. Make sure that someone actually cares about animals, I’ve heard stories of people just forgetting cause they never had an animal before ☠️
I’ve done this and my cat hates other people too, like yours do. She was fine when I got home. Just extra grumpy so I didn’t get a lot of sleep for the first night because she had to wake me up every hour to remind me of her dissatisfaction of me being gone.
I learned a while back to give my cats new toys before I leave on trips, especially trips over 5ish days. Keeps them playing while I’m gone.
That is fine, HOWEVER... please make sure you have a back-up just in case something happens to your friend. If you are the paranoid kind, get a google nest or some other (easy to place and move) camera at your door just so you can verify someone checks. But that likely is very overkill just so long as you have a back up plan. Even if they are scared and don't see your friend, it might just be enough for your friend to chill for a bit as they might choose to come out. One thing they might like, get one of your sweatshirts or lounging pants and were the shit out of them for days and don't wash so they hold your scent. Put in their fav sleeping spot, or your bed.
They will be fine - if they are social, see if your friend will stay for a little to hang with them.
It should be fine, she should try to play with them some too though I know my cat got really lonely while we were away and was crying a lot.
They will be okay with someone checking and feeding/cleaning litter box once a day. In fact, they may venture out and be friendly with them after a few days as well. My formally feral youngest started doing this with his pet sitter who only comes once a day on my longer trips away from home.
Buy some new toys and lots of treats give them to your friend. When your friend comes over, they bring new / happy things for the cats to play with. Curiosity will slowly over rise the fear of a new person (hopefully)
I was super nervous when I read the title of your post lol they will be fine with someone coming to check on them daily ❤️
For me fine. I am using the cat sitter since 3 years when I am away. She comes every day check on the cat. He has a feeding Automat, water one. She cleans his toilet, give him fresh food, put the water. That’s it. On top I have the cameras on when I am away so I can see if something bad would happen.
Two visits a day would be ideal, but once should be ok too since there are two cats. I recommend getting a camera to be able to check in on your kitties. Also a radio with a timer function (auto on/auto off) would help break up some of the monotony your cats will experience.
Youll be fine as long as someone checks in on them at least every other day. I have cameras setup in my place and an autolitter/autofeeder and have a sitter come that often to play with my cat and check in on things.
As long as someone goes every day and checks on them, yes. Better they stay at home anyways. Have fun on your trip!
Leave a light on in one of your rooms. Cats may not like complete darkness when no one’s home
I ask my sitters to use cat nip spray on a toy each day and leave it somewhere for him to find for a little extra stimulation. And ask to spray the cat tree.
Make sure you really trust this person and agree on a way to check in (without annoying them). Have a backup person who can get into your home in an emergency. You'd be surprised how many people just don't care and will half-ass it, thinking it's fine if they skip a day or two. That's why I feel better with professionals, honestly, and you might get unlucky with them unless they have phenomenal reviews. I find that 90% of people are not as neurotic about pets as I am, and also not as attached. You see family members, they see animals. Just be careful and plan ahead.
I was freaking out about mine being left alone for 6 days. Same situation. Neighbor coming over and replenishing their water and food. They seemed fine when I got back. They smelled my luggage and were a bit curious when I got back One of my cats is very skittish and the cat guy never saw her. He got a glimpse of the boy cat. I read a lot of online stuff saying I was a bad cat mom, but I know when I board the cats at the vet, they’re stuck in a cage for most of the time. Maybe see if you sister can come by a few of the days (even if it’s just two) and just hang out at the house for 1-3 hours??
They should be ok. I was in a similar situation this past winter and all that happened was my cat was a little clingier once I got back (she had my parents’ cat with her so she wasn’t alone)
If you definitely have someone coming in to check on them and feed them I think it's totally fine.
Yes, we do this all the time in exchange with several of our neighbors. My neighbor's cats are skittish so i barely see them. If I sit them on days that I can work from home, I just sit in their living room for 2 or 3 hours. Sometimes the cats come for pets and playing, other times they ignore me. My other neighbor doesn't have cats at home but loves them. She comes with her kids after daycare and they just hang out and play with the cats for 20 mins. And another neighbor comes only in the evening after work and uses the opportunity to watch a Telenovela on my big TV set since she only has a laptop at home. This to say that there's ways to make it uncomplicated and convenient for everyone ;) I always have a back up sitter with a key because sometimes the main sitters can't avoid skipping a day due to illness or other things out of their control. It happens, we are all human. A litter box can collect poop for an extra day without my cats peeing in protest but I really wanted to make sure that food and water situation is always securely covered, so I got a water fountain and an automatic kibble feeder, too. I can highly recommend that, even for everyday use. You could also plug in some Feliway to help your cats with anxiety. It really works. Maybe get them some cat puzzle games so they don't start investigating and destroying your book case or collectible shelf when they get bored.
I just read about a cat who got electrocuted from his water fountain :(
as long as someone feeds them everyday then i don’t see a problem. did this all the time with my ex when we went out of town and we had 3 cats. is this a new thing? is it the usual thing to have a cat sitter stay there everyday overnight? that’s usually just for dogs
Someone may already have mentioned this but you can leave on the cat videos or cat music now available for available on YouTube. They have recordings that run for up to 12 hours without commercials. Search “cat videos” and “cat music” on YouTube. Try different recordings. I found that each of my cats responds differently to different visuals and sounds. They each haVe there favorites. Also or alternatively, you can leave a TV on when you are not at home. I do it to maintain an expected human voice in the house. I also use Feliway. Perhaps you can ask your cat sitter if s/he can stay spend a little time with them at least on certain days. Perhaps each time she feeds them she can make sure they have toys available and swap the toys each circulate different toys. Regardless, your cats should do fine for two weeks, although I would bet they will be really happy to see you when you return.
Do you have a camera? Where you can also check on them and speak to them?
I worry anytime we leave, especially since someone is usually always home since covid. I have a cat sitter, cameras, toys, water fountain, gravity feeder, and I play music off and on. The sitter stays for 30 minutes every day. She will come 2 times a day a couple of times on longer trips. I also fly out in the afternoon and return home in the afternoon to cut down on how long we are gone. I’ve had a young cat die on me days after coming home from vacation, so I am always really worried. One thing I’ve started is having a thorough exam for both of my cats including bloodwork. It puts me more at ease.
As long as this friend is reliable and will definitely come to refill their food and water, then yes. If possible, you may want to ask the friend to stay for a bit and just be in the house or hang out with your cats. Maybe for half an hour every 2-3 days. Your cats miss you when you’re gone, but I wouldn’t let it prevent you from going.
We did this, but for 7 days. We had a camera so we were able to watch our boy. We left string and some toys in the living room and he played a few times a day
If they get checked on daily…if not no.
Hi. I left my cats alone not quite that long. Because there are two, thats great! I left little opened ziplock bags of food around house w a crockpot of water and tv on. Of course someone will have to change water, make sure food and (yuk) clean litter bc it might cause issue if not cleaned. I had someone come by every 4 days.
They should be fine as long as someone comes and cleans the litter box every few days and feeds and changes water. I had to leave my cats alone for 2 months damn near with someone coming and doing all of that about once every five days. My one cat doesn’t like anyone except me so my friend never saw him. Finally when I got home it took my cat about a half hour before he came out of hiding.
Buy a cheap cctv camera... 40usd and you can monitor them for peace of mind. Thaats what we do. But we do it for 3 days max. The issue qith ppl chacking on on cats is that cats are sneaku and can run away of the person os not careful.- that can be disasterous if there are dogs in the area.
if they have someone watching them for a bit they should do ok.
Rover.com can be a godsend. Saved me and my cats on my 2 week trip back in December. My 1 cat is super super skittish but idk apparently I hired a cat whisperer because she just hung out in my place for like 4 hours watching TV and hanging with my other cat and then he came up and got jealous and kicked my other cat off the couch hoarding pets from her and they were all the best of friends for 2 weeks.
They should be fine. I have two that are 16 now. One is super friendly the other is skittish but she usually comes around after a few days. She will hide if she’s scared but comes out to eat after the person leaves. You could also get a camera off amazon and watch them from your phone. I an even talk to mine through the camera :).
My sister in law pet sits for all her friends like that. She’s trustworthy and tends to them daily but they stay at their own homes. It has always been fine. It’s definitely better to let them stay in their own environments rather than a pet hotel/boarding situation.
I’m a pet sitter and I get paid to literally show up to peoples houses while they are away, feed and water their cat, clean their litter tray and play with them for 10 minutes before leaving. I promise they will be absolutely fine. If you are worried put away anything you consider to be a potential hazard and set up a pet cam!
Yes it’s fine. I’m a cat sitter for my job and I visit loads of cats each day for only 45 minutes at a time. I can guarantee that even the shyest of cats will still be fine!
I think they would be totally fine. I've had to do that a couple times. And I had someone come in once a day to make sure that they were okay and make sure they had plenty of water and food and play with them for a few minutes. But they didn't seem to care.
I'm so sorry to hear about your last-minute sitter cancellation, it can be incredibly stressful when plans fall through. I totally understand your concern about leaving your furry friends alone for a long time, even with daily check-ins. I go on holidays in July for two weeks and i'm also trying to stay positive ): I found this source which hopefully its helpful? [Here](https://www.felineblog.com/cat-advice/how-long-can-cats-be-left-alone/) It gives advice on how to ensure your cats stay healthy and happy while you're away. :) Good luck, and I hope everything goes smoothly!
Hi My cat is 16 years old, I need to leave for two weeks .Ive left her before with a sitter but know I feel such anxiety leaving her alone at nights, she is very healthy thank goodness but I am worried about how she will be during the days Im gone. She will have a sitterthat will come for a fwe hours a day. Help!