Lonely boxes

[Fuzzy317]

My Rosie will find any box that looks lonely, and she will keep it company by climbing inside.

She gets inside boxes, laundry baskets, and suit cases. She has even climbed inside an open dryer before to keep it company. We closed the door and just tapped the start button enough to move the drum inside just a little. She came out in a hurry when we opened the door.

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Recently adopted by 3 cats, a dog, some fish, and my fiancee

[Helen]

Sadie will also sit inside anything, boxes, bags, whatever, just like Rosie. I think it's the saddest thing though, when we get the cases and bags out to pack for holidays, and she gets inside the case - she must know that I'd love to take her with me! And really that's the time when I feel the most guilty, because I know that she's going to the cattery. How do the rest of you manage when you go away? Lots of people I know get neighbours to look after their cat, but I just think that she is much safer being looked after in the cattery.

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Helen

[D_J]

Hi there! I know I feel bad when I go away, even for just a couple of days. My cat Jazz does very well on his own. I am lucky enough to have friends to look in on him several times a day and they even stay for a while and watch tv and play with him. He would never survive at a boarding place. He was handed around before I got him. He had a least 5 homes before me and I think he does better in his own place because its familiar. That however does not make me feel any better, I always worry that he is ok and check with my friends who watch him daily. I guess it never get easier to leave them.

[Vi Co Bi]

I don't think I'd ever allow Fuzzy to put our cats or dog into a cattery or kennel. In the past I've used catteries and never had good luck. Years ago I lived on the west coast and didn't know many people, so I would have to put my babies in the "kitty hotel" when I'd travel. They were so stressed and weirded out when I got them home, it usually took days, sometimes a week, to get them settled back down. Sometimes they'd come home sick and I'd end up having to treat them for some little something-or-another (ear mites, conjunctivitis, upper respiratory infections, diarrhea, allergic reactions). During those years I think I used every reputable kitty hotel I could find, but always ended up with problems.

I've had much better luck using pet sitters. My cats can stay in their home, with their food, their litter boxes, their toys, everything that's familiar to them, and someone comes in to check on them as often as I request. At first I was tentative about having someone in my home, but a neighbor checked on the service when they visited and (probably not a pleasant thing to do since the service was bonded, but...) I had someone from the service meet me at my home when I returned in case anything was amiss. After that first time of coming home to happy, unstressed cats, I was sold.

I'm lucky now that I don't have to travel much (seldom more than a couple of nights) and our cats can handle being by themselves.

[This message has been edited by Vi Co Bi (edited February 28, 2001).]