Question about leaving cats alone?

[gini]

I will be going away for just a few days, Saturday through Tuesday, a total of four days.

My friends are going to leave plenty of food and a big bowl of water for their cat - no one will visit the house.

I would never tell them this, but I wouldn't dream of leaving Rascal alone for four days. I have made arrangements with a Pet Sitter for Rascal to come every day. I have made separate arrangements with my neighbor's children for Annie and Emma to be fed in the evening and to be given fresh water. Annie and Emma for the most part, live out of doors.

What do you do? I just wondered if I am the only person who is so protective. I want to feel comfortable that Rascal and the girls are well taken care of while I am away.

[Nomilynn]

Four days would be about the maximum I would leave my cats alone. They have five litter boxes for the three of them, and I would also leave out lots of food and extra water. Any longer than that, though, and I have my grandparents come in and fill their dishes, clean the boxes and give them some play time

But, I don't have a problem leaving them alone for a weekend. They have each other for company, and have never done anything to cause me to worry.

[Uabassoon]

I worry about my kitties only because they are destructive. I worry that they would break something and get injured on it. When I took a weekend trip I was only away for 2 days and 1 night but I still had a pet sitter come over and check on them to make sure that nothing had been destroyed. Even if they weren't destructive I don't think I would leave them alone for 4 days. I think maybe a weekend would be the longest I would go for.

[Logan]

Gini, I'm with you. I prefer having someone check in, once a day, just to make sure all is ok. Of course, my petsitter comes often these days to check on everyone, but when I only had a cat, I still had a neighbor drop in once or twice a day to check on Mimi and give her some attention. I would leave her inside on these occassions.

My sister has left food for a week at a time for her cats and they have always been ok. But they had each other to play with too. A single cat, in my opinion, needs that human touch more often.

Logan

[jazzcat]

I've left Ripley alone for up to 4 days but now that I have Jazz and Scout too I've never left them all yet. I dread when that time comes. I won't know what to do. I have a sister in law that will come in a check on them but I'll be so afraid she or her kids will let one out. I just really dread my next vacation - isn't that awful?

Anyway, Ripley always did just fine when we left him and if anything he was just more affectionate when we got home.

[lbaker]

I'm fortunate in that I have a few friends that love to house sit when I go away. They love animals and all my furkids feel comfortable around them (I'm thinking of two friends in particular that appreciate my filling the fridge for them and the fact that I have cable ). I have left the cats overnight before when I've taken all the dogs camping but only for one night. Never for four days. Wouldn't one want someone to check on the house anyway

[cubby31682]

When I got married hubby's mom got us a hotel room for a night. But we didn't want to stay and leave the cat there. Cubby has alot of promlems if I'm not here when he wants to go to bed. He gets mad at me. I always think about going some where then not go because I don't want to leave Cubby here by him self.

Katie

[bisi.cat]

I know Nellie is spoiled rotten, but when we've been on holidays last time my mom would come to look for Nellie...I said it would be okay if she'd visit in the morning and evening...but my mom loved to care for Nellie and she visited her three times a day!!!

My mom and I phoned each evening...just to be sure that everything is okay...I know I am always too worried, but that was the first time we've been away since we got Nellie seven years ago and she never was alone before...

Well, that's me...

[Edwina's Secretary]

I, too, would be worried about what I would come home to find. And four days would be longer than I would want ANYTHING to be left undiscovered.

We go for weekends -- Friday and Saturday night but any longer than that and we get a house/pet sitter.

[catlover4ever]

My husband and I go away all the time BUT we have my mom who comes up to our house twice a day to look in on them, feed them and do whatever else needs to be done for them.

Now my in-laws on the other hand think nothing of leaving for a week with nobody to check on the 3 cats that they have. They do not pay their cats any attention either, I don't understand people like that, but then again they do not understand me with treating my furkids like they were my own real children. To me they are my children...and I would not have it any other way.

[K & L]

We never leave our cats alone. We have someone check on them on a daily basis. What if one would be critically ill and no one to rush him to the vet?

[Randi]

We have left Fister alone in the flat once. We put extra food and water bowls around different places. I think he was sleeping most of the time.

If we're away for more than one night, we board him in a cat hotel - so far, we've tried 5 and have decided which one is best. That's of course where he goes next.

[rosethecopycat]

What if he knocks his water bowl over on day one?

I have a pet sitter come as often as three times a day, if necessary. Usually only if there are meds involved.

Remember not to leave them alone with collars on.

[nodgeness]

Are they leaving Sat and coming home on Tues? If so the cats would really only be by themselves for 2 full days. That might not be so bad?
I know I would have a hard time leaving mine but if it was only two full days they wouldn't have me there I think i would be ok.

[RedHedd]

I haven't left my new two alone for an extended period of time (yet), but when Goldie was alive at first I'd board her at a local shelter or the vet's while I was away. The last time I boarded her, she came back with fleas and and a UTI so that ended that. Ever since then I've always gotten a "critter sitter." Now it's my building manager; he lives right downstairs and has two cats himself and loves mine so I know they're in good hands. They will be checked at least twice a day, food, water and litter will also be taken care of. I always leave enough food out to last the time I'll be away -- I have a food "tower" and a water tower so they won't starve or go thirsty.

Of course my two are so "voluptuous" right now, I don't think they'd starve anyway ...