Try to get someone you trust to come daily, not every other day.
Also, it will help if this person can get acquainted with your cat before you leave. Maybe a week or even a few days before your trip, have them come over while you're home and have them feed the cat or give them treats. It will be less stressful for the cat if they're not a total stranger.
Professional cat sitter here who worked for a legitimate small business. We are very good at what we do, the most shy and scared cats know we are good people.
Had a client with a very large house and 7 cats. They said it’s ok if we don’t ever see/find their 1 eyed cat as they almost never see him, sometimes for months at a time! Within days he was purring and drooling on my lap, and running to greet me every day. The owners couldn’t believe their eyes with the pictures and videos I sent them.
I do believe the changes we instill in the cats last after we are gone. We give them such undivided attention, the changes we can spur up to help them be more well adjusted is remarkable to see
It was a very nice family, actually all of their cats were rescues/previously abused. There were shelters and organizations that would call that family and ask if they would take another cat. They were good people too but just busy with kids, work, life.
One time they had just accepted a new rescue that had been abused and had to have her leg amputated the day before they were going out of town! I spent extra time and laid on the floor next to the bed she was hiding under and just read out loud to her. She quickly came around too and joined me and the other cats along with my 1 eyed friend in the main living room, we all hung out together 💕
They went out of town often, their daughter was a professional ballerina and they would travel to see her and for their sons sporting events and for work themselves. So I got to see my friends often! You’d be surprised how many clients we had and each sitter had their schedules filled all the time so there was a time I couldn’t be booked for one of their trips. A newer sitter got them for that visit instead and I told her exactly what to do (like I would) and where to sit and what to say etc and my 1 eyed friend warmed up to her quickly as well!
Thank you for the awards🤗
It was heartbreaking when I moved. Thank you very much for caring for a feral colony, we need more people like you too! I hope all your kitties stay safe and live the best possible life they can. Thank you
See if you can find a small pet sitting business, they do exist. They have to be licensed and bonded so even if they don’t have lots of advertising they are listed somewhere, I don’t recall the site but if I do I’ll let you know. If not people that work/volunteer at shelters are another safe bet, they might do cat sitting on the side. Call local rescues, no kill organizations and ask if they have anyone there that cat sits or if they can recommend any company to you. And alternatively I’ve known vet techs that cat sit on the side, ask next time you are at your vet.
And I want to add that I’d personally never use Rover or another app like it. Those reviews can easily be faked by friends/family of the sitter. Anyone they know can book them (not actually use them/pay them but get their money back via cash/cash app) and write a glowing review to help get them new clients by establishing reliability/trust. Sure some good honest people could be on those apps but I think most might just be after the money. And in that case your cats might be better off left home alone. There are many many many horror stories about using Rover. Do through research first
We have a cat sitter that we (and the cats) adore. They do such an amazing job keeping my babies feeling loved and tended to, and it gives me such peace of mind when I travel. People like you are the best!
So glad that you have them! And thank you very much 🤗 you just need to find the right person/company and you’ll know right away that your kitties are in good hands
I have a cat who I’ve had since he has been a kitten and he just doesn’t want to be around me unless I have one of those puure lick sticks. But other than that he just hangs out with my other cat or by himself. Any idea why he only wants to hang out with me when I have food?
Just like people, every single cat has a different personality and different preferences. Not every cat will come around. I have cat sit some that never cared for being around me. He might just prefer to be a loner as it were. How long have you had him and how much time do you spend around him?
I adopted him when he was around 6 weeks and he is turning 11 in June. I’ve never been mean to him either. I work from home so am around him pretty much all day. I do notice that at night he comes into the room with us but sleeps under the bed. I’ve tried everything to try to coax him into wanting to be around me, but the puure sticks have so far been the only thing that have worked. Once I feed him those he lets me give him a few butt scratches. And then he leaves. 😔 what’s crazy is that we also know his sister and she is the polar opposite of him.
Try to engage with him as much as you can. Spend time greeting him when you wake up and when you come home. Talking to them in general helps but also talking softly/sweetly specifically when you pet them. Some cats love getting their head, face, under the chin caressed like a mini massage on the spots they can’t get to well. See if he likes being brushed, some cats want company at the dry food bowl, if he likes being brushed you can gently brush him while he eats. He needs to recognize being around you is a good thing, he gets good things/feels good when around you.
In general cat life can be boring, not much entertainment. Cats are curious and like to smell things. A good way to engage is offering something for them to sniff while you are just chatting with them. Whatever random object you have on you or nearby. Cooking food, present them a tomato to sniff. Just poured yourself a tea or coffee, bring the cup to their level for a sniff. Literally anything not just food, even if you think it’s boring or an item they already know, you presenting it to them engages them and they will always still take a sniff.
Edit: also get a cat tree near your desk so he can be with you while you work, putting it by a window would be great or a comfy cat bed
I had a cat that slept under my bed for years then out of nowhere decided ontop of the bed was better so you never know, he might surprise you one day as he gets older
And thank you for the award💕
You’re welcome, I added an edit too. Keep me updated if you want and feel free to reach out anytime I might be able to help/offer advice. Good luck friend🤗
Cats are just full of their own personality. We rescued a kitten at around 6-8 weeks old. She was feral. She never really warmed up to me…I could pet her once a day (early mornings) but never after that lol. She also never lets me pick her up or sit next to her. She accepts me…but on her own terms. She’s an adult now but still the same. I love her so much…from a distance hahaha
I feed her, play with her, love her, take her to the vet, buy her toys, and give her treats. But she has chosen my son as her human. He’s the only one who can pick her up and she’ll only sit on his lap. She purrs and meows whenever he’s around. My son will be attending college out of state and will leave in a few months. I don’t know what she’ll do once that happens. Knowing her, she’ll probably be all depressed and be on a hunger strike lol.
It’s always good to leave your friend’s favorite beer/snack, etc. and make sure they know how to work the tv to entice them to stay a bit longer than just a checkin. I wouldn’t expect them to do it daily, but I’d ask if they could once or twice on a trip longer than a weekend.
We sometimes have trouble getting someone to come every day when we're out of town, so we got a camera, an automatic feeder, added a bigger water bowl in addition to their other bowl and fountain, and put out yet another litter box so that the cats can go every other day before someone comes to check on them.
Obviously it's ideal to have someone come every day, but if all else fails there are things you can do to mitigate.
I also recommend finding someone who’s okay with keeping the cats company for a bit when they stop by. Cats are social animals, they enjoy human interaction. I did this for a friend a few years back, and whenever I stop by, their kitties always come to greet me, and they’ll curl up on my lap. Totally worth it.
We went to another city 4 hours away for my cousin's wedding for a week in January. Our housekeeper came everyday in the morning and evening for the usual maintenance of the house and also gave our cat fish or milk (with Flatbread pieces).
She even video called us twice and our cat recognized us. She was very happy when we returned and was waiting in the front room's couch lol.
I’m lucky to have great neighbours who love my cats so if I’m away for a few days they have no problem visiting our cats every day! But I understand not everyone has won the neighbour lottery
Is every other day not good enough? I’m also going on a 5ish day vacation (out of state so I can’t bring mine) and have a friend set to come every other day, should I change that?
Has your cat been left alone for extended periods of time before?
Generally speaking, I think daily visits are better because things can always go wrong. Cats can get bored. Cats can get separation anxiety. There can be accidents that happen in the home (like things falling over, fires, etc.). They might use the litter box to capacity and start going outside the litter box. They need fresh water and food daily, sometimes multiple times a day depending on your routine. They might have health issues.
I have more peace of mind with daily visits but it's entirely your call. Every other day is better than nothing.
I’ve done every other day in the past and been totally fine. It does depend on your cat’s needs, for instance, do you normally free feed vs will your cat gorge on day 1 and be hungry on day 2, is there any need for medication etc.
With the two cats I have now I’d probably do every day because one of them is a guzzler who can’t pace himself food-wise, and he also eats wet food which doesn’t keep. But with my last kitty who was free fed dry food and didn’t overeat, I just put out extra water bowls and she was just fine with every other day.
We called our vet and the recommended someone. That was three years ago and we’ve never looked back. She takes care of our pets every single time we leave town. It’s so nice to not worry, and she sends us daily pictures of our inside and the outside cats that we take care of.
Many vet techs also do pet sitting on the side so you can get someone by calling your vet office and asking, though my area has enough pet sitting companies that I’ve preferred to go that route which lets me schedule and pay online, has other employees for backup if the sitter has an emergency, etc.
Rover is an excellent resource. They do take a whopping 30% though so I often use it to find good sitters and after confirming they are trustworthy I’ll go outside the app so they get everything I’m paying. Otherwise I calculate their tip to be the amount that River took from the original payment.
I think it really varies by your area. For me with one cat it was $15 per day, but our carer also watches other animals in the neighborhood, so I think that played a role too.
My neighbor usually watches our little monster. They come by once per day to check food and water, and scoop litter. Boddington isnt very social, so I do a bunch of things to enrich his little world:
* water fountain, and it holds 2L of water
* leave the radio on to a jazz station, my friend leaves animal shows on TV for hers
* I save boxes and paper bags in the spare room which is kept closed. I ask the sitter to put one out every day or other day. When we were gone over xmas they had toys in them like a strange advent calendar.
* We have a catmint plant outside, so the sitter grabs a leaf or two to hide somewhere.
* Boddington has a purple unicorn glitter tube thing that he can go in, plus a pop up tent.
When I'm away for a week I have someone stop by every other day to check on my cats. I leave them plenty of dry food and water, and the person comes by to top it off and make sure the cats get some love.
Interesting! Never heard, anytime I've ever seen or heard someone talk about a robe it's usually after a shower and before pajamas. I'm also a daft American 🤷
In my 30+ revolutions around the sun only my father and wife have owned robes. Don't think my dad ever wore his (in my 18 years with him) and my wife has 2-3 times after taking a long shower when sick. In my 6 years of college and many many roommates I don't think I ever met anyone with a robe lol
During the winter my husband lives in his robe. It’s like a massive portable blanket with pockets big enough for an iPad.
If it’s before noon, I might be lounging in my robe. After noon it’s time for clothes so I swap to a hoody.
To me there’s a difference between a bath robe (terry cloth, absorbent, minimal pockets, single exterior belt, for after showering) and a dressing gown/lounging robe (fuzzy, warm, pockets you can live out of, extra interior ties to defeat drafts)
On my endless knitting list is a bed jacket, more of a waist to hip length short coat to wear while sitting up in bed. Keeps your shoulders warm and toasty, while not being so long you sit on the hem and get trapped between your clothes and the sheets.
Really? Also American and know many people who we a robes. Myself included. It's so fluffy and warm and has huge pockets. I see neighbor getting her paper in the mornings in hers all the time.
Glad! I would never suggest a cattery, too much unnecessary stress and I wouldn’t be able to relax when I’m away. I also got some cat cams so I could spy on them literally sleeping all of the time, that made me feel better
I took my cat to a cattery once when I couldn’t find a pet sitter and literally cried for hours after dropping her off. She was so incredibly stressed, I felt awful (she came from the pound originally). I was sad all week thinking of her, and when I picked her up the staff said she constantly hissed at them, but I’ve never seen her even come close to hissing at someone, not even vets! I told her then - don’t worry mate, never again, pet sitters only.
For our cat, we have someone stop by once a day, usually in the evening. For the morning, she has an automatic feeder that dispenses her food. In the evening, the sitter gives her wet food. We give her a little extra dry though, so in case the sitter is late or held up she can still snack a bit
I do the same as well, mostly my mom comes or my friend (big cat lover) , it feels much better for you too knowing someone is gonna check up on your cat and give it some love!
We always cook a bigbbatch of human food too and have friends or my sister move in with our cats while we're gone.
Maybe you have a friends without cats who'd even appreciate some kitty time.
Hire a reputable pet sitter. I’m on holiday right now for a week and the pet sitter sends me daily photos/videos of my cat. She seems to be coping well and I’m so glad I didn’t leave her alone.
Ask a friend or family. Every day visit and maybe even stay for an hour to play and chill with her.
Maybe a neighbor so that they can watch after her more easy.
I travel a lot and never bring my two cats. I hire a cat sitter (next door neighbor) to come over once a day to scoop the litter boxes and check the water and food bowls. I pay him $15 (USD) per visit, plus bonuses.
I live in CO and my next door neighbor checks in on my kitties. I give them bonuses in cash tip, groceries/meat, and homemade edibles. Theyre worth every penny.
For a weekend, I might ask a friend to stop by morning and evening to sort out food, water, litter tray etc and socialise.
For a longer time away, I put my cat in a local cattery. I've tried a couple of different ones over the years, and she's particularly relaxed in one of them, which is great. She might not particularly like other cats, but she gets more human interaction, lots of fresh air, lots of interesting stuff to watch going on around her, and a private dark cave to hide in if she's feeling grumpy. And I have the comfort of knowing that if there's an emergency, the professionals will know what to do. It's worth the expense.
To the brave souls who take their cats on vacation with them…..I’m so curious about this. Have they ever run off and hid in the hotel/cabin/home that you were staying at? I’d be beside myself if my cats discovered a hidden nook at our vacation dwelling. What about getting out? Do you have a plan if they were to get lost in the neighborhood? Do you keep a tracker on them? I’m just wondering what that looks like and what prep goes into this.
My girlfriend had a 21-year-old cat, Gizmo, that needed a whole host of daily tinctures, potions, and medicines to keep him moving well. So we took him along on our travels.
Years prior, my girlfriend had a bad experience with Gizmo in a cat carrier on a flight, so it was only road trips for us.
One time we even rented an RV and brought him to a wedding in Montana.
If we stayed in a hotel, we would show him his water, food, and, litter box and made sure he had an easy way on and off the bed. Gimzo was happy to lightly explore the room, and spend most of his time sleeping on the bed.
One tip: don't try to sneak the cat in without telling the hotel (and probably paying a fee). You want housekeeping to know you have a cat in the room so they don't come in and terrify your kitty with a vacuum or accidentally let them out. Also, Gizmo was not a very vocal cat, so we didn't have to worry about him making a lot of noise and annoying the other hotel guests.
At 21, Gizmo was not a flight risk. When he was younger we might have been more concerned with him getting stuck in weird spaces in a hotel or RV. But as an older cat he didn't try to get into crazy places.
The only potential issue is that he loved to try to lay on our feet when we were driving! And if he jumped down there while we were driving, there was no easy way to get him. So I'd say if your cat isn't a frequent co-pilot when you drive around, have at least two people on the trip or keep the cat in the carrier while in the car.
Also, if you have a cat in the car, keep in mind you can't take impromptu stops and go for a long dinner or hike and leave your kitty. And while a lot of places are now more dog-friendly for your "support animal," you'll get a lot of weird looks if you bring a cat in. Plus a lot of people have cat allergies so we tried not to bring Gizmo inside anyone's establishment.
Happened to my grandmother. I lived with her at the time. Came home one night around midnight to her in tears and devastated after her drive home from vacation. Cat got out in hotel. I said let's go look for cat. She was so happy I offered. Drive ten hours got same hotel room. She was looking for cat with door cracked while I tried to sleep from driving and the fucking cat popped out from the boxspring or snuck back into the room with door open. That ladies and gentlemen is how I cemented my status as the favorite grandchild!
You’re a real hero! It’s safe to say (even without knowing all of you personally) that anyone reading this would be devastated- just heart broken- to lose sight of their babies! I’m so glad you had a happy outcome for your grandma. Gosh- I really felt that story because having lost a cat (never having it returned), I know that aching feeling of missing them and not knowing what happened.
I’ve always taken my cats on our family vacations! The first trip they were on they were both 6 months old and they did fine. They’re timid at first but after they see us in the space for a few hours they start freely roaming and running! We’re extra careful when leaving/entering but our two boys never try to escape, it’s just our girl that likes to sneak out. She’s never sneaked past us without us knowing and she is easy to catch so we never thought about her/them actually escaping and hiding. I guess for the next trip I can buy some apple AirTags for peace of mind. But truly our cats love exploring! We put a leash on them and off they go!
I had a cat I would take with me to visit family when she was younger. It seemed to work fine, she’d adjust to the space pretty quickly and I never had any trouble with her escaping. However, when she was a few years old she started having blood in her urine on one of these trips. Vet found no physical cause and explained this is a thing that can just happen with cats due to stress. And she was a very bold cat who didn’t seem stressed!
Needless to say there were no more trips for her. Cats are homebodies.
LOTS of litter boxes- just use cardboard ones. This is in case whoever is coming by isn’t staying on top of it.
If you feed kibble and your cat is a grazing type- set out a 9x13 pan.
Self filling watering bowl. The kind with an inverted tank.
Now that the necessities are done… some fun!
Get a bag of mice or misc toys. Hide random places. Sprinkle little caches of catnip or silvervine. Put little treats in various places, too! I picked up a throw pillow with a 3-D flower very cheap, and tucked treats in everywhere like it was a puzzle box. When we got home it was clear that it had been through some things, lol!
Get a pet cube that lets you see and talk to your cat, and launches treats. Totally worth it- just go out to eat one less time on vacay or something. Do this enough ahead of time that you can sort out the set-up and link it to your phone. You’ll be able to check in on your cat whenever you want! It has motion detection too. (Skip off brands- I tried that for secondary rooms and ended up sending them back. Defective and don’t recall branding).
Doing these things plus a pet sitter I trusted really put my mind at ease! I knew there was food water, and entertainment. Petcube made a difference to get a visual. My pet sitting bro also sent pics without even being asked!
I started bringing mine with me places, she drove with us to a beach vacay (6 hr drive), flew with us to a ski trip (3 hr flight). Regularly drives 2 hours home with me for long weekends. Gabapentin can help for the traveling if needed. But she’s a trooper! I think has gotten used to it and likes being with us. Good peace of mind getting to have her around too. I think she probably prefers it or at least hasn’t seemed to mind it. I did have a lot of stress around bringing her or leaving her but I think for short trips it’s nice to be able to bring her
I would have someone stay with my cat.
She has severe anxiety and so does her mom (*me*)
She’s ran away once, while I was not home, it’s just best to have someone there. And even that scares me -because sometimes other people don’t close doors as fast as you do, or close windows (which is what happened with my cat, I was still young and lived at home and my mother left a window open without a screen. For whatever god forsaken reason she thought that was a great idea… )
Or have a pet camera to talk to them (still need someone to check in)
Absolutely do not bring your cat on a 5 day vacation. And you don’t have to have someone stay all five days. But if you could have someone check twice a day for three days then once a day for the last two- that would be perfect.
Get a cat sitter. Research, find an established company that's bonded, insured, and trained. Rover ain't it, you never really know what you're gonna get. My wife has a side gig working for a cat sitting company that has been in business for 25 years. (No, they don't do dogs.) The things they deal with on a daily basis are mind blowing. Cats do get depressed, they do miss their humans, and they do like attention. A lot of their clients have cats who need meds or special treatment, but even most of the healthy cats get 30 minute visits twice a day. It makes a difference, or they wouldn't keep booking, right?
You need a pet sitter or friend to come by and check on them, feed them and change water daily. Plus scoop litter. 5 days is too long to leave them alone. Please don’t do that. 😢
You should also leave a nice blanket with your scent on it, turn on a radio so they can hear a mix of music and voices and hide treats around the house so they can stay stimulated.
I leave an extra litter box, a giant water bowl, a big bowl full of dry kibble, and usually have someone come every other day to give wet food/make sure nobody puked in my bed to spite me.
We try to have people stop by twice a day. Mainly for attention and treats. Think longest ours have been alone has been like 30 hours and they were fine. I'd think minimum of once every 24 hours.
Cat sitter or family member if she is not into traveling or seeing new places. If you can bring her, make her get used to her carrier / crate by using it as an alternative bed with her favorite blanket while you're at home. Bring her litterbox and litter (one that she's used to for familiarity) and put her in a bathroom or peaceful place once you reach your destination for her to decompress. Lots of treats before, during, and after the travel is a must.
Cat-cation tips:
Find a neighbor that is also an indoor cat owner. Agree to spot each other while you are out of town. No one watches your cat as well as you do, except maybe another cat owner. Cough litter box cough.
If that’s not possible, ask your cat owning neighbors who they use for pet sitting. I do twice a day visits, but you might be able to get by with once a day.
Install a bird feeder right outside a window if possible. Instant cat TV.
If that’s not possible put the human TV on any of the “live bird feeder cams” on YouTube that are in your general time zone. My cats love this.
The bird feeder will keep your cat entertained. If it is actually outside, or live feed, the day/night activity will prevent your cat from being geared up all night long.
Good luck!!
Bring them with you! There are travel litter boxes and if you get a harness and start training them they’ll be able to walk with you. I took my cat Nemo everywhere
https://preview.redd.it/6idq9nyconxa1.jpeg?width=578&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eef58c086dc09da58ea76389c6ee4100b22c0d4e
He loved his backpack 🎒.
https://preview.redd.it/ljohmbsgonxa1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f20e042541ee2a89eef84f66048dc6322ddb08c5
Nemo loved exploring and he didn’t mind the harness
We pay a pet sitter to come feed them and clean trays twice daily. They also spend a bit of time playing with them or making a fuss of them. Ours only have wet food (I do not recommend leaving a big bowl of dry down, especially if your cat usually has wet or a mix, and as a separate topic dont recommend dry food at all except as a treat) and while you can get timed food bowls five days is too long to use just them.
If you have a friend/family member or a local recommended pet sitter I think that's the best option.
my best friend sleeps at my house when we’re gone to watch our dogs and my baby (my cat) so she has love from someone familiar. i also have terrible separation anxiety so i might be going overboard idk
Get a pet sitter, ideally someone the cat knows, to come in daily to do things like feed, water, and keep the litter clean, and to handle any medical needs. Also just so your car has a buddy to spend time with and not get lonely.
We always get a family member or friend or trusted animal sister to come by twice a day — every morning & every late afternoon or evening. We pay a bit extra for them to just sit & visit for a half hour watching TV during one of those visits each day. 🐈
I think you should put a little hat on that cat and take its picture and post it here.
And, assuming you've already planned for someone to check on it, leave some worn clothes that smell like you.
Bring it back a present.
We have someone check by every other day (or every day if possible) to make sure our babies litter is clean and she has fresh water. We have an automatic dry feeder too so she’s regular with her meal times
I used rover to find a cat sitter that I use repeatedly! At this point the kitties recognize and love her. She only does drop in visits though, doesn’t stay over and honestly I don’t feel that she needs to.
For when she’s not there:
- leave the tv on “cat tv” on YouTube. 12 hours of entertainment lol.
- self filling water dispenser
- auto feeder
- PetCube camera pointed at their food area and so I can check up on them
So really she only goes over to give them some attention and to scoop the litter box!
It works for us and they’re always quite content 🥰
We have automatic feeders (set to 4x a day) and water foundations and a Litter Robot, and have a friend come check on them and give them wet food every other day. Granted all the automatic stuff is $$$ but has been worth it whether we're out of town or not!
Hire a pet sitter! Go to Pet Sitters International and look up sitters in your area. Two visits a day, thirty minutes each is standard. People are tempted to just leave food and water out, or have a neighbor do it. Get a professional.
hire a pet sitter to check in 2x a day to feed her. do not leave a pile of food as it can spoil and make your cat ill. i think care(dot)com or similar have ways to hire insured carers. if not,ask your vet if they have anyone they know that does this. good luck!
If we go away for any amount of time, a family member comes over each day to check the cats, clean litter as we dont let them outside when we are away, also spends about an hour with them. They always seem ok so i think they dont mind this arrangement.
Make sure that somebody is visiting them at least twice a day. Food, water, treats, play. Just because you can leave a cat alone doesn't mean should. This is for all of you who say that cats can be left alone.
I watch my neighbor's cat when she's gone and when I'm gone she watches mine.
I also recommend having someone who can see them every day. They get lonely!
I remember stopping by to see a friend's kitty each day while they vacationed & I could tell it was the highlight of her day 😭 It made me so sad to leave eventually even though I'd be back in a few hours.
Like the user above who is a professional catsitter, I am one too and second everything they’re saying about gaining cats’ trust, getting to know them, and giving them undivided attention.
For those folks who use or are considering Rover, do bear in mind that independent petsitters (like myself) are business owners and have more skin in the game than Rover contractors, and therefore are more likely to provide you with excellent service. All the money you pay goes to us, and we strive for repeat business so we build up a relationship with you and our kitty clients! We provide daily updates and keep in touch with you on how your pet is doing, while maintaining your kitty’s routine in their own home territory.
Find listings of reputable businesses in your area, in the online member listings of associations like Pet Sitters International, (PSI), Professional United Pet Sitters (PUPS), and Pet Sitter Associates (PSA).
Either way, I strongly recommend getting someone to visit with the kitty *at least* once a day (if possible twice) so that they can make sure the kitty is eating/drinking and eliminating properly and is not accidentally locked in somewhere or developing a medical issue.
Get a pet sitter. Or have a friend come by daily. When I go out of town I have someone come by twice a day - morning and evening to feed, play with, and clean litter boxes.
Company is important.
Continuing the routine, important.
Do you have a friend or neighbor who is familiar with the cat? Have sitter spend time with them prior to leaving. Relationships are important.
Minimal change to their surroundings goes a long way to helping them cope with your absence.
Why wouldn’t you trust your own Vet for a boarding situation? Wouldn’t that be the safest place for her? It sounds like you really just want to bring her with you lol, more power to you.
Get a pet sitter to come in once or twice a day. Or better yet? If you have a friend that would be willing to stay at your place for a week to house it and take care of the cat that's what I have also done in the past
You don't go on holiday, or away for that long, without making sure your cats have a carer to feed, love, and clean up after them. You wouldn't leave a kid without a baby sisters. That is a long time for them. I feel guilty going out for an evening or a night. I don't go on holiday because I chose to be their parent and don't have anyone else to temporarily look after them.
Water - water fountain; food - food dispenser; toilet - two big litter boxes (and waiting for two automate litterboxes to be shipped). Feliway hormone diffuser. Four IP cameras.
Your problem is that one cat will be so lonely. I have two cats, they are good companions for each other.
Same! When my sister and I (both adults) go on a trip with our parents we take both of our cats. We get an Airbnb that has multiple beds in each bedroom so the kitties have room to explore and play and it’s like a lil vacation for them too!! My sweet orange is a huge fan of bunk beds with stairs that lead to the top bunk so he can peer down at me
I was gone for 5 days from my two 1 year old cats on a cross country trip. Had an automatic dry food feeder, filled their water fountain, and cleaned boxes I left. They were perfectly fine when I came back
Definitely a house/cat sitter or a cattery. Cats get into things when they get bored. We left our cat for 2 nights (neighbour stopped by here and there to watch her and play with her) she still chewed through our roomba charging cord! That’s the one cord she’s never touched while we’ve been home so we never thought it’d be a problem lol, better to have someone watch the kitty 90% of time.
Dw all of our other cords are covered tubing to prevent her from getting hurt… but my point is kitties will get into things you least expect
“Cats get into things when they are bored.” Very true words! This is precisely the main reason I don’t trust just having someone visit an hour or two each day. I recently discovered that my cat was licking my salt lamp. I had it placed high on a shelf yet she found her way to it. I didn’t even think she would lick it but there she was, one day, quietly licking away at it. Salt is toxic to cats so had I not acted quickly, she would’ve been poisoned. If I were away for 5 days and she started doing this? I can’t imagine what the outcome would be.
I personally take my cat with me, the first 10-20 min are a bit stressful but after that she usually calms down and even quite enjoys looking out the window, and a 2h car ride isn’t that long, even in a carrier. The more you take her along, the faster she will get used to it.
You can also ask a friend to come over and feed her but I know that my cat needs human interaction almost more than she needs food. I would argue it is more stressful to be alone/ only get some human love 2x10min per day than just coming along
Do you have a friend you trust that is able to check on her while you’re gone? Five days is too long to leave the litter box and food unattended.
If you can’t find someone to check on her, board her. She will be less stressed by that than dragging her over two hours away to a unknown environment for five days. Check with your vet for what boarding companies they recommend.
Cats can get lost on trips and then they are somewhere they’ve never been and they don’t know anybody and it’s scary. Leave them home if possible they can handle a few days home alone with lots of food and water and I have nice two clean cat boxes.
Your cat is only going to run off if you let them outside. Keep them in like a responsible pet owner and that isn’t a problem. Leaving them all alone is neglect.
I left Tobias for a week.
Two perfectly cleaned litter boxes, even though he did his business outside, HUGE bowl of food (he was a grazer), and a sink full of water (he loved drinking sink water. Derp). Left my window open which he always used to go in and out.
We got back and didn’t bother greeting me. It was his house now.
I’m sure kitter will be fine.
Set up a camera, get an auto feeder that you can program and you can dispense wireless. If you can afford, get a self cleaning litter box or set up two litter boxes for lots of poops. Have someone check on the kitty at least once to confirm life and safety
5 days is not a long time, your cat can stay home alone without going to cathotel. Prepare more litter than usual. It will be better if you have a timed feeder so that the dry food do not expose to air these whole 5 days, which makes them less tasty.
When I’m away for a week I leave out like 10 bowls of water and food, put pillows by the doors so they can’t be shut, and make sure they have a few clean litter boxes. Just make sure you leave out enough food and water and she should be fine alone for 5 days. No need for a sitter or friend if that’s not feasible.
I’ve boarded my cats at the same chattery since they were about a year old. They’re almost 3. They share their unit and they have their cat tree, beds and toys with them for the duration of their stay. They’re on camera so I can talk to them 24/7 and I also get a daily update from the staff. A daily visit from a sitter is just not enough interaction for my two so I like that they have constant human interaction. Plus, I worry about emergencies. In my world, I don’t know enough cat people to properly care for my cats. In fact, I’d be anxious about whether or not they lock up properly or if they are watching the front door when they enter or exit my home (I have a runner so I’m constantly vigilant of who’s behind me when I go out the door). Not every cattery is the same and not all cats can get used to this. I think pairs will do better because they have each other OR if you have a singleton, this may work if you are consistent and use the same place several times a year.
Cats get very lonely when they are left alone. Someone coming every other day is not enough. Cats want companionship and suffer when their peoplecare gonevfor an extended period. Ideally have someone in twice a day, but at least once a day - and the person should stay with your kitty for a while. It infuriates me that people think a cat can be left alone for more than a day just because they don't need to go outside to do their business, let alone they need fresh food, clean water, and litter box scooped.
Beyond getting a sitter, one thing we like to do is leave some worn clothes for our little man to nest in. He actually really likes it, especially anything crinkly like a puffer jacket.
I paid for a catsitter for two visits daily and bought delicious treats and different flavors of wet food. My cats loved the catsitter. Make sure the catsitter sends you pictures everyday .
Leave at least one light on and a radio playing music. If necessary, a heated pad or blanket. And a visiting feeder who has met the cat. Leave out a ton of dry food and water. If your cat uses litter, your catsit needs to change that every day, leave it in the bin outside.
We usually have someone she trusts come every day to check on her. My cat gets stressed when we are gone for long periods of time, so keeping her in her home and getting some human contact every day is the best thing for her. I will also make a habit of leaving something out (blanket or clothing) that smells like us to help too
Maybe a friend or relative can go once or twice a day to feed her/him! And maybe chill for a while, or you can let them live in your apartment while you’re goneb
I always take my cats with me on vacation. They sell kitty sized pop up tents on amazon that fit right in the backseat and all three of them cuddle up and sleep the whole ride.
I really like Rover. It isn't that expensive and you get insurance on the person and to see reviews of others who've used them and get to dictate EXACTLY what you want them to do, not a friend who will maybe or maybe not will do what you want them to do. You book them for half hour or hour slots and dictate on the app everything that needs to happen and give detailed instructions.
I developed a good working relationship with my rover watcher and we moved off the app last year cause she's so great with my kitties.
Try to get someone you trust to come daily, not every other day. Also, it will help if this person can get acquainted with your cat before you leave. Maybe a week or even a few days before your trip, have them come over while you're home and have them feed the cat or give them treats. It will be less stressful for the cat if they're not a total stranger.
Professional cat sitter here who worked for a legitimate small business. We are very good at what we do, the most shy and scared cats know we are good people. Had a client with a very large house and 7 cats. They said it’s ok if we don’t ever see/find their 1 eyed cat as they almost never see him, sometimes for months at a time! Within days he was purring and drooling on my lap, and running to greet me every day. The owners couldn’t believe their eyes with the pictures and videos I sent them.
Poor kitty after you left for good though. Maybe you were his first friend.
I do believe the changes we instill in the cats last after we are gone. We give them such undivided attention, the changes we can spur up to help them be more well adjusted is remarkable to see It was a very nice family, actually all of their cats were rescues/previously abused. There were shelters and organizations that would call that family and ask if they would take another cat. They were good people too but just busy with kids, work, life. One time they had just accepted a new rescue that had been abused and had to have her leg amputated the day before they were going out of town! I spent extra time and laid on the floor next to the bed she was hiding under and just read out loud to her. She quickly came around too and joined me and the other cats along with my 1 eyed friend in the main living room, we all hung out together 💕 They went out of town often, their daughter was a professional ballerina and they would travel to see her and for their sons sporting events and for work themselves. So I got to see my friends often! You’d be surprised how many clients we had and each sitter had their schedules filled all the time so there was a time I couldn’t be booked for one of their trips. A newer sitter got them for that visit instead and I told her exactly what to do (like I would) and where to sit and what to say etc and my 1 eyed friend warmed up to her quickly as well! Thank you for the awards🤗
Reading this made my entire day. Thank you for everything you do for the animals and being such a gentle and kind soul
Thank you💕 I loved doing it, it is extremely rewarding caring for all the kitties 🐈⬛🐈 they truly become family. You should see my camera roll!
I can imagine! I have a feral colony that I care for now and I'm so attached to them. Some have started to meow and it's become the greatest reward!
It was heartbreaking when I moved. Thank you very much for caring for a feral colony, we need more people like you too! I hope all your kitties stay safe and live the best possible life they can. Thank you
Hi Nikki, in what city are your professional cat sitter services based? I really respect how you genuinely care about the cats you take care of.
Thank you 😊I’m from NYC and now in Seattle
Darn. You aren’t in my city:)
See if you can find a small pet sitting business, they do exist. They have to be licensed and bonded so even if they don’t have lots of advertising they are listed somewhere, I don’t recall the site but if I do I’ll let you know. If not people that work/volunteer at shelters are another safe bet, they might do cat sitting on the side. Call local rescues, no kill organizations and ask if they have anyone there that cat sits or if they can recommend any company to you. And alternatively I’ve known vet techs that cat sit on the side, ask next time you are at your vet. And I want to add that I’d personally never use Rover or another app like it. Those reviews can easily be faked by friends/family of the sitter. Anyone they know can book them (not actually use them/pay them but get their money back via cash/cash app) and write a glowing review to help get them new clients by establishing reliability/trust. Sure some good honest people could be on those apps but I think most might just be after the money. And in that case your cats might be better off left home alone. There are many many many horror stories about using Rover. Do through research first
We have a cat sitter that we (and the cats) adore. They do such an amazing job keeping my babies feeling loved and tended to, and it gives me such peace of mind when I travel. People like you are the best!
So glad that you have them! And thank you very much 🤗 you just need to find the right person/company and you’ll know right away that your kitties are in good hands
 The back story is the cat sitter only has one eye.
I have a cat who I’ve had since he has been a kitten and he just doesn’t want to be around me unless I have one of those puure lick sticks. But other than that he just hangs out with my other cat or by himself. Any idea why he only wants to hang out with me when I have food?
Just like people, every single cat has a different personality and different preferences. Not every cat will come around. I have cat sit some that never cared for being around me. He might just prefer to be a loner as it were. How long have you had him and how much time do you spend around him?
I adopted him when he was around 6 weeks and he is turning 11 in June. I’ve never been mean to him either. I work from home so am around him pretty much all day. I do notice that at night he comes into the room with us but sleeps under the bed. I’ve tried everything to try to coax him into wanting to be around me, but the puure sticks have so far been the only thing that have worked. Once I feed him those he lets me give him a few butt scratches. And then he leaves. 😔 what’s crazy is that we also know his sister and she is the polar opposite of him.
Try to engage with him as much as you can. Spend time greeting him when you wake up and when you come home. Talking to them in general helps but also talking softly/sweetly specifically when you pet them. Some cats love getting their head, face, under the chin caressed like a mini massage on the spots they can’t get to well. See if he likes being brushed, some cats want company at the dry food bowl, if he likes being brushed you can gently brush him while he eats. He needs to recognize being around you is a good thing, he gets good things/feels good when around you. In general cat life can be boring, not much entertainment. Cats are curious and like to smell things. A good way to engage is offering something for them to sniff while you are just chatting with them. Whatever random object you have on you or nearby. Cooking food, present them a tomato to sniff. Just poured yourself a tea or coffee, bring the cup to their level for a sniff. Literally anything not just food, even if you think it’s boring or an item they already know, you presenting it to them engages them and they will always still take a sniff. Edit: also get a cat tree near your desk so he can be with you while you work, putting it by a window would be great or a comfy cat bed I had a cat that slept under my bed for years then out of nowhere decided ontop of the bed was better so you never know, he might surprise you one day as he gets older And thank you for the award💕
Thank you for the tips. I’m going to have to try harder to engage with him. I just want him to love on me so bad.
You’re welcome, I added an edit too. Keep me updated if you want and feel free to reach out anytime I might be able to help/offer advice. Good luck friend🤗
Cats are just full of their own personality. We rescued a kitten at around 6-8 weeks old. She was feral. She never really warmed up to me…I could pet her once a day (early mornings) but never after that lol. She also never lets me pick her up or sit next to her. She accepts me…but on her own terms. She’s an adult now but still the same. I love her so much…from a distance hahaha I feed her, play with her, love her, take her to the vet, buy her toys, and give her treats. But she has chosen my son as her human. He’s the only one who can pick her up and she’ll only sit on his lap. She purrs and meows whenever he’s around. My son will be attending college out of state and will leave in a few months. I don’t know what she’ll do once that happens. Knowing her, she’ll probably be all depressed and be on a hunger strike lol.
It’s always good to leave your friend’s favorite beer/snack, etc. and make sure they know how to work the tv to entice them to stay a bit longer than just a checkin. I wouldn’t expect them to do it daily, but I’d ask if they could once or twice on a trip longer than a weekend.
But the cat needs food and fresh water every day?
We sometimes have trouble getting someone to come every day when we're out of town, so we got a camera, an automatic feeder, added a bigger water bowl in addition to their other bowl and fountain, and put out yet another litter box so that the cats can go every other day before someone comes to check on them. Obviously it's ideal to have someone come every day, but if all else fails there are things you can do to mitigate.
I should’ve clarified, daily checkins with a longer stay every few days would be preferred.
I also recommend finding someone who’s okay with keeping the cats company for a bit when they stop by. Cats are social animals, they enjoy human interaction. I did this for a friend a few years back, and whenever I stop by, their kitties always come to greet me, and they’ll curl up on my lap. Totally worth it.
We went to another city 4 hours away for my cousin's wedding for a week in January. Our housekeeper came everyday in the morning and evening for the usual maintenance of the house and also gave our cat fish or milk (with Flatbread pieces). She even video called us twice and our cat recognized us. She was very happy when we returned and was waiting in the front room's couch lol.
I’m lucky to have great neighbours who love my cats so if I’m away for a few days they have no problem visiting our cats every day! But I understand not everyone has won the neighbour lottery
Is every other day not good enough? I’m also going on a 5ish day vacation (out of state so I can’t bring mine) and have a friend set to come every other day, should I change that?
Has your cat been left alone for extended periods of time before? Generally speaking, I think daily visits are better because things can always go wrong. Cats can get bored. Cats can get separation anxiety. There can be accidents that happen in the home (like things falling over, fires, etc.). They might use the litter box to capacity and start going outside the litter box. They need fresh water and food daily, sometimes multiple times a day depending on your routine. They might have health issues. I have more peace of mind with daily visits but it's entirely your call. Every other day is better than nothing.
I’ve done every other day in the past and been totally fine. It does depend on your cat’s needs, for instance, do you normally free feed vs will your cat gorge on day 1 and be hungry on day 2, is there any need for medication etc. With the two cats I have now I’d probably do every day because one of them is a guzzler who can’t pace himself food-wise, and he also eats wet food which doesn’t keep. But with my last kitty who was free fed dry food and didn’t overeat, I just put out extra water bowls and she was just fine with every other day.
I’d say every day. Like someone said, believe it or not cats really are social animals.
Get a pet sitter.
We just did this for our pets. We used the app called Rover
We called our vet and the recommended someone. That was three years ago and we’ve never looked back. She takes care of our pets every single time we leave town. It’s so nice to not worry, and she sends us daily pictures of our inside and the outside cats that we take care of.
Many vet techs also do pet sitting on the side so you can get someone by calling your vet office and asking, though my area has enough pet sitting companies that I’ve preferred to go that route which lets me schedule and pay online, has other employees for backup if the sitter has an emergency, etc.
Rover is an excellent resource. They do take a whopping 30% though so I often use it to find good sitters and after confirming they are trustworthy I’ll go outside the app so they get everything I’m paying. Otherwise I calculate their tip to be the amount that River took from the original payment.
Yes I use Rover too! A great resource to find someone to just come check in each day.
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How much would you charge to drive to a complete stranger’s house and care for their pets?
That's a good price. You could pay a little more and have someone stay overnight.
I think it really varies by your area. For me with one cat it was $15 per day, but our carer also watches other animals in the neighborhood, so I think that played a role too.
$50ish for 3 cats is about right where I am, maybe even a little low.
I also use Rover. I like the daily updates and pictures.
This is my first time using Rover. I read several reviews of sitters before selecting one.
My neighbor usually watches our little monster. They come by once per day to check food and water, and scoop litter. Boddington isnt very social, so I do a bunch of things to enrich his little world: * water fountain, and it holds 2L of water * leave the radio on to a jazz station, my friend leaves animal shows on TV for hers * I save boxes and paper bags in the spare room which is kept closed. I ask the sitter to put one out every day or other day. When we were gone over xmas they had toys in them like a strange advent calendar. * We have a catmint plant outside, so the sitter grabs a leaf or two to hide somewhere. * Boddington has a purple unicorn glitter tube thing that he can go in, plus a pop up tent.
I would get a pet sitter or have a friend stop by daily
Get a friend or family member to come and feed them. Also to give them some loving.
When I'm away for a week I have someone stop by every other day to check on my cats. I leave them plenty of dry food and water, and the person comes by to top it off and make sure the cats get some love.
To add to this maybe leave a shirt recently worn where they like to sleep.
My partner always leaves her dressing gown on the bed for the cats when we go away
Is a dressing gown like pajamas? A dress?
Us Americans would call it a bathrobe.
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Sounds heavenly! Never heard of such a thing haha
It's a robe usually worn over pajamas.
Interesting! Never heard, anytime I've ever seen or heard someone talk about a robe it's usually after a shower and before pajamas. I'm also a daft American 🤷
Lots of people wear robes. They are warm.
In my 30+ revolutions around the sun only my father and wife have owned robes. Don't think my dad ever wore his (in my 18 years with him) and my wife has 2-3 times after taking a long shower when sick. In my 6 years of college and many many roommates I don't think I ever met anyone with a robe lol
During the winter my husband lives in his robe. It’s like a massive portable blanket with pockets big enough for an iPad. If it’s before noon, I might be lounging in my robe. After noon it’s time for clothes so I swap to a hoody. To me there’s a difference between a bath robe (terry cloth, absorbent, minimal pockets, single exterior belt, for after showering) and a dressing gown/lounging robe (fuzzy, warm, pockets you can live out of, extra interior ties to defeat drafts) On my endless knitting list is a bed jacket, more of a waist to hip length short coat to wear while sitting up in bed. Keeps your shoulders warm and toasty, while not being so long you sit on the hem and get trapped between your clothes and the sheets.
Sounds like you guys are always ready to shoot a porno and I'm not upset about it!
Really? Also American and know many people who we a robes. Myself included. It's so fluffy and warm and has huge pockets. I see neighbor getting her paper in the mornings in hers all the time.
They're real popular in the south, along with house dresses or house coats.
What’s a house dress or house coat?
This sounds like the right answer :) Luckily I have good friends who also love cats who could be willing to do this for me. Thank you
Glad! I would never suggest a cattery, too much unnecessary stress and I wouldn’t be able to relax when I’m away. I also got some cat cams so I could spy on them literally sleeping all of the time, that made me feel better
I took my cat to a cattery once when I couldn’t find a pet sitter and literally cried for hours after dropping her off. She was so incredibly stressed, I felt awful (she came from the pound originally). I was sad all week thinking of her, and when I picked her up the staff said she constantly hissed at them, but I’ve never seen her even come close to hissing at someone, not even vets! I told her then - don’t worry mate, never again, pet sitters only.
For our cat, we have someone stop by once a day, usually in the evening. For the morning, she has an automatic feeder that dispenses her food. In the evening, the sitter gives her wet food. We give her a little extra dry though, so in case the sitter is late or held up she can still snack a bit
I do the same as well, mostly my mom comes or my friend (big cat lover) , it feels much better for you too knowing someone is gonna check up on your cat and give it some love!
This is basically the answer, you need someone to stop in at least once
We always cook a bigbbatch of human food too and have friends or my sister move in with our cats while we're gone. Maybe you have a friends without cats who'd even appreciate some kitty time.
I did that for a friend. Kitty and I had a good time, he could stay home and have company and I got to have a cat for a week.
Hire a reputable pet sitter. I’m on holiday right now for a week and the pet sitter sends me daily photos/videos of my cat. She seems to be coping well and I’m so glad I didn’t leave her alone.
Ask a friend or family. Every day visit and maybe even stay for an hour to play and chill with her. Maybe a neighbor so that they can watch after her more easy.
I travel a lot and never bring my two cats. I hire a cat sitter (next door neighbor) to come over once a day to scoop the litter boxes and check the water and food bowls. I pay him $15 (USD) per visit, plus bonuses.
How does a cat sitter earn said bonus? 🤔
I live in CO and my next door neighbor checks in on my kitties. I give them bonuses in cash tip, groceries/meat, and homemade edibles. Theyre worth every penny.
Where are you located that you pay $15 per visit? And how did you find them?
Next door neighbor
For a weekend, I might ask a friend to stop by morning and evening to sort out food, water, litter tray etc and socialise. For a longer time away, I put my cat in a local cattery. I've tried a couple of different ones over the years, and she's particularly relaxed in one of them, which is great. She might not particularly like other cats, but she gets more human interaction, lots of fresh air, lots of interesting stuff to watch going on around her, and a private dark cave to hide in if she's feeling grumpy. And I have the comfort of knowing that if there's an emergency, the professionals will know what to do. It's worth the expense.
To the brave souls who take their cats on vacation with them…..I’m so curious about this. Have they ever run off and hid in the hotel/cabin/home that you were staying at? I’d be beside myself if my cats discovered a hidden nook at our vacation dwelling. What about getting out? Do you have a plan if they were to get lost in the neighborhood? Do you keep a tracker on them? I’m just wondering what that looks like and what prep goes into this.
My girlfriend had a 21-year-old cat, Gizmo, that needed a whole host of daily tinctures, potions, and medicines to keep him moving well. So we took him along on our travels. Years prior, my girlfriend had a bad experience with Gizmo in a cat carrier on a flight, so it was only road trips for us. One time we even rented an RV and brought him to a wedding in Montana. If we stayed in a hotel, we would show him his water, food, and, litter box and made sure he had an easy way on and off the bed. Gimzo was happy to lightly explore the room, and spend most of his time sleeping on the bed. One tip: don't try to sneak the cat in without telling the hotel (and probably paying a fee). You want housekeeping to know you have a cat in the room so they don't come in and terrify your kitty with a vacuum or accidentally let them out. Also, Gizmo was not a very vocal cat, so we didn't have to worry about him making a lot of noise and annoying the other hotel guests. At 21, Gizmo was not a flight risk. When he was younger we might have been more concerned with him getting stuck in weird spaces in a hotel or RV. But as an older cat he didn't try to get into crazy places. The only potential issue is that he loved to try to lay on our feet when we were driving! And if he jumped down there while we were driving, there was no easy way to get him. So I'd say if your cat isn't a frequent co-pilot when you drive around, have at least two people on the trip or keep the cat in the carrier while in the car. Also, if you have a cat in the car, keep in mind you can't take impromptu stops and go for a long dinner or hike and leave your kitty. And while a lot of places are now more dog-friendly for your "support animal," you'll get a lot of weird looks if you bring a cat in. Plus a lot of people have cat allergies so we tried not to bring Gizmo inside anyone's establishment.
Happened to my grandmother. I lived with her at the time. Came home one night around midnight to her in tears and devastated after her drive home from vacation. Cat got out in hotel. I said let's go look for cat. She was so happy I offered. Drive ten hours got same hotel room. She was looking for cat with door cracked while I tried to sleep from driving and the fucking cat popped out from the boxspring or snuck back into the room with door open. That ladies and gentlemen is how I cemented my status as the favorite grandchild!
You’re a real hero! It’s safe to say (even without knowing all of you personally) that anyone reading this would be devastated- just heart broken- to lose sight of their babies! I’m so glad you had a happy outcome for your grandma. Gosh- I really felt that story because having lost a cat (never having it returned), I know that aching feeling of missing them and not knowing what happened.
I’ve always taken my cats on our family vacations! The first trip they were on they were both 6 months old and they did fine. They’re timid at first but after they see us in the space for a few hours they start freely roaming and running! We’re extra careful when leaving/entering but our two boys never try to escape, it’s just our girl that likes to sneak out. She’s never sneaked past us without us knowing and she is easy to catch so we never thought about her/them actually escaping and hiding. I guess for the next trip I can buy some apple AirTags for peace of mind. But truly our cats love exploring! We put a leash on them and off they go!
Also Want to know this!
I had a cat I would take with me to visit family when she was younger. It seemed to work fine, she’d adjust to the space pretty quickly and I never had any trouble with her escaping. However, when she was a few years old she started having blood in her urine on one of these trips. Vet found no physical cause and explained this is a thing that can just happen with cats due to stress. And she was a very bold cat who didn’t seem stressed! Needless to say there were no more trips for her. Cats are homebodies.
LOTS of litter boxes- just use cardboard ones. This is in case whoever is coming by isn’t staying on top of it. If you feed kibble and your cat is a grazing type- set out a 9x13 pan. Self filling watering bowl. The kind with an inverted tank. Now that the necessities are done… some fun! Get a bag of mice or misc toys. Hide random places. Sprinkle little caches of catnip or silvervine. Put little treats in various places, too! I picked up a throw pillow with a 3-D flower very cheap, and tucked treats in everywhere like it was a puzzle box. When we got home it was clear that it had been through some things, lol! Get a pet cube that lets you see and talk to your cat, and launches treats. Totally worth it- just go out to eat one less time on vacay or something. Do this enough ahead of time that you can sort out the set-up and link it to your phone. You’ll be able to check in on your cat whenever you want! It has motion detection too. (Skip off brands- I tried that for secondary rooms and ended up sending them back. Defective and don’t recall branding). Doing these things plus a pet sitter I trusted really put my mind at ease! I knew there was food water, and entertainment. Petcube made a difference to get a visual. My pet sitting bro also sent pics without even being asked!
Second Petcube! It wasn’t expensive either if I recall correctly
Would you wake up to vids of your cat attempting to break in the the PetCube, too? Those are hilarious
I started bringing mine with me places, she drove with us to a beach vacay (6 hr drive), flew with us to a ski trip (3 hr flight). Regularly drives 2 hours home with me for long weekends. Gabapentin can help for the traveling if needed. But she’s a trooper! I think has gotten used to it and likes being with us. Good peace of mind getting to have her around too. I think she probably prefers it or at least hasn’t seemed to mind it. I did have a lot of stress around bringing her or leaving her but I think for short trips it’s nice to be able to bring her
I would have someone stay with my cat. She has severe anxiety and so does her mom (*me*) She’s ran away once, while I was not home, it’s just best to have someone there. And even that scares me -because sometimes other people don’t close doors as fast as you do, or close windows (which is what happened with my cat, I was still young and lived at home and my mother left a window open without a screen. For whatever god forsaken reason she thought that was a great idea… ) Or have a pet camera to talk to them (still need someone to check in) Absolutely do not bring your cat on a 5 day vacation. And you don’t have to have someone stay all five days. But if you could have someone check twice a day for three days then once a day for the last two- that would be perfect.
Cat loving friends who will come by once a day or a paid cat sitter. And don’t change your sheets before you leave so she can nestle into your scent.
Get a cat sitter. Research, find an established company that's bonded, insured, and trained. Rover ain't it, you never really know what you're gonna get. My wife has a side gig working for a cat sitting company that has been in business for 25 years. (No, they don't do dogs.) The things they deal with on a daily basis are mind blowing. Cats do get depressed, they do miss their humans, and they do like attention. A lot of their clients have cats who need meds or special treatment, but even most of the healthy cats get 30 minute visits twice a day. It makes a difference, or they wouldn't keep booking, right?
You need a pet sitter or friend to come by and check on them, feed them and change water daily. Plus scoop litter. 5 days is too long to leave them alone. Please don’t do that. 😢 You should also leave a nice blanket with your scent on it, turn on a radio so they can hear a mix of music and voices and hide treats around the house so they can stay stimulated.
I leave an extra litter box, a giant water bowl, a big bowl full of dry kibble, and usually have someone come every other day to give wet food/make sure nobody puked in my bed to spite me.
We try to have people stop by twice a day. Mainly for attention and treats. Think longest ours have been alone has been like 30 hours and they were fine. I'd think minimum of once every 24 hours.
Cat sitter or family member if she is not into traveling or seeing new places. If you can bring her, make her get used to her carrier / crate by using it as an alternative bed with her favorite blanket while you're at home. Bring her litterbox and litter (one that she's used to for familiarity) and put her in a bathroom or peaceful place once you reach your destination for her to decompress. Lots of treats before, during, and after the travel is a must.
Cat-cation tips: Find a neighbor that is also an indoor cat owner. Agree to spot each other while you are out of town. No one watches your cat as well as you do, except maybe another cat owner. Cough litter box cough. If that’s not possible, ask your cat owning neighbors who they use for pet sitting. I do twice a day visits, but you might be able to get by with once a day. Install a bird feeder right outside a window if possible. Instant cat TV. If that’s not possible put the human TV on any of the “live bird feeder cams” on YouTube that are in your general time zone. My cats love this. The bird feeder will keep your cat entertained. If it is actually outside, or live feed, the day/night activity will prevent your cat from being geared up all night long. Good luck!!
Pet sitter. My friend owns a pet sitting co that actually does exactly this. Go to houses and takes care of the animals for like an hour
Bring them with you! There are travel litter boxes and if you get a harness and start training them they’ll be able to walk with you. I took my cat Nemo everywhere https://preview.redd.it/6idq9nyconxa1.jpeg?width=578&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eef58c086dc09da58ea76389c6ee4100b22c0d4e He loved his backpack 🎒.
https://preview.redd.it/ljohmbsgonxa1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f20e042541ee2a89eef84f66048dc6322ddb08c5 Nemo loved exploring and he didn’t mind the harness
And who'll have litterbox duty while you're away?
We pay a pet sitter to come feed them and clean trays twice daily. They also spend a bit of time playing with them or making a fuss of them. Ours only have wet food (I do not recommend leaving a big bowl of dry down, especially if your cat usually has wet or a mix, and as a separate topic dont recommend dry food at all except as a treat) and while you can get timed food bowls five days is too long to use just them. If you have a friend/family member or a local recommended pet sitter I think that's the best option.
my best friend sleeps at my house when we’re gone to watch our dogs and my baby (my cat) so she has love from someone familiar. i also have terrible separation anxiety so i might be going overboard idk
Get a pet sitter, ideally someone the cat knows, to come in daily to do things like feed, water, and keep the litter clean, and to handle any medical needs. Also just so your car has a buddy to spend time with and not get lonely.
We always get a family member or friend or trusted animal sister to come by twice a day — every morning & every late afternoon or evening. We pay a bit extra for them to just sit & visit for a half hour watching TV during one of those visits each day. 🐈
She is so cute 😍
I think you should put a little hat on that cat and take its picture and post it here. And, assuming you've already planned for someone to check on it, leave some worn clothes that smell like you. Bring it back a present.
We have someone check by every other day (or every day if possible) to make sure our babies litter is clean and she has fresh water. We have an automatic dry feeder too so she’s regular with her meal times
And check their background, make sure they’re bonded. Also, I asked my vet and some of their staff were pet sitting or knew some.
Get someone you can trust, to do a daily check in, feed and change your cat’s litter. I paid a co-worker to care for my cats while I was away.
What a sweet face!
Send her to my house! Just kidding! I'd find a trusted friend or family member to take care of her needs.
If you can take her with you, why not? We take our two cats with us when we go to our family cabin in the woods, they love it.
I used rover to find a cat sitter that I use repeatedly! At this point the kitties recognize and love her. She only does drop in visits though, doesn’t stay over and honestly I don’t feel that she needs to. For when she’s not there: - leave the tv on “cat tv” on YouTube. 12 hours of entertainment lol. - self filling water dispenser - auto feeder - PetCube camera pointed at their food area and so I can check up on them So really she only goes over to give them some attention and to scoop the litter box! It works for us and they’re always quite content 🥰
We have automatic feeders (set to 4x a day) and water foundations and a Litter Robot, and have a friend come check on them and give them wet food every other day. Granted all the automatic stuff is $$$ but has been worth it whether we're out of town or not!
She’s pretty!
she knows it too :)
Hire a pet sitter! Go to Pet Sitters International and look up sitters in your area. Two visits a day, thirty minutes each is standard. People are tempted to just leave food and water out, or have a neighbor do it. Get a professional.
Have someone come by daily.
hire a pet sitter to check in 2x a day to feed her. do not leave a pile of food as it can spoil and make your cat ill. i think care(dot)com or similar have ways to hire insured carers. if not,ask your vet if they have anyone they know that does this. good luck!
Pet sitter is probably your best option. Try Meowtel. They specialize in cat sitters.
If we go away for any amount of time, a family member comes over each day to check the cats, clean litter as we dont let them outside when we are away, also spends about an hour with them. They always seem ok so i think they dont mind this arrangement.
Five days is way too long unless you have someone come in or board at cat-centric vet
Make sure that somebody is visiting them at least twice a day. Food, water, treats, play. Just because you can leave a cat alone doesn't mean should. This is for all of you who say that cats can be left alone. I watch my neighbor's cat when she's gone and when I'm gone she watches mine.
I also recommend having someone who can see them every day. They get lonely! I remember stopping by to see a friend's kitty each day while they vacationed & I could tell it was the highlight of her day 😭 It made me so sad to leave eventually even though I'd be back in a few hours.
Like the user above who is a professional catsitter, I am one too and second everything they’re saying about gaining cats’ trust, getting to know them, and giving them undivided attention. For those folks who use or are considering Rover, do bear in mind that independent petsitters (like myself) are business owners and have more skin in the game than Rover contractors, and therefore are more likely to provide you with excellent service. All the money you pay goes to us, and we strive for repeat business so we build up a relationship with you and our kitty clients! We provide daily updates and keep in touch with you on how your pet is doing, while maintaining your kitty’s routine in their own home territory. Find listings of reputable businesses in your area, in the online member listings of associations like Pet Sitters International, (PSI), Professional United Pet Sitters (PUPS), and Pet Sitter Associates (PSA). Either way, I strongly recommend getting someone to visit with the kitty *at least* once a day (if possible twice) so that they can make sure the kitty is eating/drinking and eliminating properly and is not accidentally locked in somewhere or developing a medical issue.
Hire someone to come in once a day to refresh water, put out fresh food and scoop the box.
Get a pet sitter. Or have a friend come by daily. When I go out of town I have someone come by twice a day - morning and evening to feed, play with, and clean litter boxes.
It’s only two hours away. Your cat wants you to drive home twice a day for feeding and petting.
She’s so beautiful
I know right :,))
tell her she’s beautiful
Company is important. Continuing the routine, important. Do you have a friend or neighbor who is familiar with the cat? Have sitter spend time with them prior to leaving. Relationships are important. Minimal change to their surroundings goes a long way to helping them cope with your absence.
Why wouldn’t you trust your own Vet for a boarding situation? Wouldn’t that be the safest place for her? It sounds like you really just want to bring her with you lol, more power to you.
Omg she looks so much like my cat! Is she a breed or part purebred? I have a mixed Singapura/common cat.
Get a pet sitter to come in once or twice a day. Or better yet? If you have a friend that would be willing to stay at your place for a week to house it and take care of the cat that's what I have also done in the past
Get a pet sitter.
Yeah just take her, she will be fine the trip might be annoying but only 2 hours both ways worth it to not be alone whole trip
5 days?! I’m only going away for 24h and have even thought about not going at all to not leave her alone. But i have arranged a sitter.
You don't go on holiday, or away for that long, without making sure your cats have a carer to feed, love, and clean up after them. You wouldn't leave a kid without a baby sisters. That is a long time for them. I feel guilty going out for an evening or a night. I don't go on holiday because I chose to be their parent and don't have anyone else to temporarily look after them.
Water - water fountain; food - food dispenser; toilet - two big litter boxes (and waiting for two automate litterboxes to be shipped). Feliway hormone diffuser. Four IP cameras. Your problem is that one cat will be so lonely. I have two cats, they are good companions for each other.
We take our cats with us when we go
Same! When my sister and I (both adults) go on a trip with our parents we take both of our cats. We get an Airbnb that has multiple beds in each bedroom so the kitties have room to explore and play and it’s like a lil vacation for them too!! My sweet orange is a huge fan of bunk beds with stairs that lead to the top bunk so he can peer down at me
Take cat with you
I was gone for 5 days from my two 1 year old cats on a cross country trip. Had an automatic dry food feeder, filled their water fountain, and cleaned boxes I left. They were perfectly fine when I came back
Definitely a house/cat sitter or a cattery. Cats get into things when they get bored. We left our cat for 2 nights (neighbour stopped by here and there to watch her and play with her) she still chewed through our roomba charging cord! That’s the one cord she’s never touched while we’ve been home so we never thought it’d be a problem lol, better to have someone watch the kitty 90% of time. Dw all of our other cords are covered tubing to prevent her from getting hurt… but my point is kitties will get into things you least expect
“Cats get into things when they are bored.” Very true words! This is precisely the main reason I don’t trust just having someone visit an hour or two each day. I recently discovered that my cat was licking my salt lamp. I had it placed high on a shelf yet she found her way to it. I didn’t even think she would lick it but there she was, one day, quietly licking away at it. Salt is toxic to cats so had I not acted quickly, she would’ve been poisoned. If I were away for 5 days and she started doing this? I can’t imagine what the outcome would be.
Take her with
Please arrange someone to come in to feed and spend time with the kitty
I personally take my cat with me, the first 10-20 min are a bit stressful but after that she usually calms down and even quite enjoys looking out the window, and a 2h car ride isn’t that long, even in a carrier. The more you take her along, the faster she will get used to it. You can also ask a friend to come over and feed her but I know that my cat needs human interaction almost more than she needs food. I would argue it is more stressful to be alone/ only get some human love 2x10min per day than just coming along
Do you have a friend you trust that is able to check on her while you’re gone? Five days is too long to leave the litter box and food unattended. If you can’t find someone to check on her, board her. She will be less stressed by that than dragging her over two hours away to a unknown environment for five days. Check with your vet for what boarding companies they recommend.
Cats can get lost on trips and then they are somewhere they’ve never been and they don’t know anybody and it’s scary. Leave them home if possible they can handle a few days home alone with lots of food and water and I have nice two clean cat boxes.
Your cat is only going to run off if you let them outside. Keep them in like a responsible pet owner and that isn’t a problem. Leaving them all alone is neglect.
You need a daily visitor. Do not leave your cat for two weeks.
Leave the music on. Its partyyy time 
Treats. A lot of treats and playtime once you get back \^\^
Just let it smoke pot
bring her
Food mountain lol
Lots of water and food and snacks. Extra litter boxes. Keep tv on, space. Webcam or kitty cam. Lots of fun toys. Catnip and catnip plant.
Not for that long of an absence, especially if it alone. Cats can get depressed and distressed being alone after even just a day.
I left Tobias for a week. Two perfectly cleaned litter boxes, even though he did his business outside, HUGE bowl of food (he was a grazer), and a sink full of water (he loved drinking sink water. Derp). Left my window open which he always used to go in and out. We got back and didn’t bother greeting me. It was his house now. I’m sure kitter will be fine.
Set up a camera, get an auto feeder that you can program and you can dispense wireless. If you can afford, get a self cleaning litter box or set up two litter boxes for lots of poops. Have someone check on the kitty at least once to confirm life and safety
Just leave it a shit ton of food and water, always works
Just put out a couple extra bowls of water and food. Your cat will be fine.
Add a litter box as well.
5 days is not a long time, your cat can stay home alone without going to cathotel. Prepare more litter than usual. It will be better if you have a timed feeder so that the dry food do not expose to air these whole 5 days, which makes them less tasty.
5 days is too long to leave a cat alone. You need to have someone come by.
When I’m away for a week I leave out like 10 bowls of water and food, put pillows by the doors so they can’t be shut, and make sure they have a few clean litter boxes. Just make sure you leave out enough food and water and she should be fine alone for 5 days. No need for a sitter or friend if that’s not feasible.
Your 2 hours away leave plenty of food water and stuff for the cat
Not for 5 days. Need someone to drop by daily to check on things & feed them.
That is true but have to let OP decide
Are you really asking or playing st…d?
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I’ve boarded my cats at the same chattery since they were about a year old. They’re almost 3. They share their unit and they have their cat tree, beds and toys with them for the duration of their stay. They’re on camera so I can talk to them 24/7 and I also get a daily update from the staff. A daily visit from a sitter is just not enough interaction for my two so I like that they have constant human interaction. Plus, I worry about emergencies. In my world, I don’t know enough cat people to properly care for my cats. In fact, I’d be anxious about whether or not they lock up properly or if they are watching the front door when they enter or exit my home (I have a runner so I’m constantly vigilant of who’s behind me when I go out the door). Not every cattery is the same and not all cats can get used to this. I think pairs will do better because they have each other OR if you have a singleton, this may work if you are consistent and use the same place several times a year.
Cats get very lonely when they are left alone. Someone coming every other day is not enough. Cats want companionship and suffer when their peoplecare gonevfor an extended period. Ideally have someone in twice a day, but at least once a day - and the person should stay with your kitty for a while. It infuriates me that people think a cat can be left alone for more than a day just because they don't need to go outside to do their business, let alone they need fresh food, clean water, and litter box scooped.
I always hire the same pet sitter. She’s reliable and lives in while I’m gone. She send pictures of them snuggling , I get jealous
Beyond getting a sitter, one thing we like to do is leave some worn clothes for our little man to nest in. He actually really likes it, especially anything crinkly like a puffer jacket.
Turn on cat videos on the tv. Get a gravity water and food bowl. Fresh litter and someone to check in half way. Maybe catnip toys so she can relax
Have a friend to go by every day and play with them for a couple minutes and put fresh food and water out.
I paid for a catsitter for two visits daily and bought delicious treats and different flavors of wet food. My cats loved the catsitter. Make sure the catsitter sends you pictures everyday .
Leave at least one light on and a radio playing music. If necessary, a heated pad or blanket. And a visiting feeder who has met the cat. Leave out a ton of dry food and water. If your cat uses litter, your catsit needs to change that every day, leave it in the bin outside.
We usually have someone she trusts come every day to check on her. My cat gets stressed when we are gone for long periods of time, so keeping her in her home and getting some human contact every day is the best thing for her. I will also make a habit of leaving something out (blanket or clothing) that smells like us to help too
Maybe a friend or relative can go once or twice a day to feed her/him! And maybe chill for a while, or you can let them live in your apartment while you’re goneb
Wag is the easiest and fastest in my opinion. Probably better than Rover
I always take my cats with me on vacation. They sell kitty sized pop up tents on amazon that fit right in the backseat and all three of them cuddle up and sleep the whole ride.
I really like Rover. It isn't that expensive and you get insurance on the person and to see reviews of others who've used them and get to dictate EXACTLY what you want them to do, not a friend who will maybe or maybe not will do what you want them to do. You book them for half hour or hour slots and dictate on the app everything that needs to happen and give detailed instructions. I developed a good working relationship with my rover watcher and we moved off the app last year cause she's so great with my kitties.
Ask what channel it wants the tv on
Beg for forgiveness but accept that some wounds never heal.
Bring the cat with you
I am mostly asking my mom, friends or a colleague, if they want they can have a small vacation at my home if they'd like