Feedback from cat owners who go on vacation

[mrichar]

I am interested in feedback from people who go on vacation and leave their cats at home or board them. My husband and I would like to take a one-week trip in the near future and are unsure what to do with our two cats (both age 2). Would they be OK if someone came in twice a day to feed them and change their liter box. I was also thinking of leaving a light and TV on a timer that would turn on in the evening. I'm not sure if they will be too lonely during the week or if I'll miss them more than they will miss me.

I also have the option of taking them to my mom's house, but I think it might be better to leave them in their familiar environment.

Any advice would be helpful!

Thanks.

[moosmom]

Hi Mrichar!

I go on vacation at least twice a year for a week at a time. I have 6 cats. Now if I were to board them I'd be broke.

My friend comes over 2x a day, once in the a.m. and once in the p.m. This routine is SO much better for my cats. No stress, no diseases to be caught, no chances to take. Remember...it only takes ONE flea (when boarding your pets).

I leave a light on for them also on a timer. The radio plays classical music. Sometimes I'll leave the tv on.

I call her to see how things are going.

If you have someone you know who is willing to do that, wonderful! Take them up on it. Your cats will love you for it, and you'll have peace of mind.

Happy vacationing!!

[slick]

I rarely go away because I do so much cat-sitting for other people. As I cat-sitter I do go over twice a day to feed and play. I am also fortunate enough to have someone in my building who is willing to come to my apt twice a day to feed, play and scoop! A much better solution than boarding them. Somtimes the stress of being moved to a strange place with no Mommy and Daddy can really be a problem. I've tried it and it does not work for my kitties because they stop eating.

I think having a timer switch on a light is great and leaving a radio softly playing can make them feel less lonely! Good luck and have a safe trip!

slick
max & speckles

[Randi]

Allthough we board Fister when we go on vacation, I totally agree with Moosmom and Slick! Your cats will be much happier in their own surroundings, as long as someone comes in to keep them company and do what else is needed.

Let the person get to know your cats a little beforehand, if possible.

Happy Holidays!

[gini]

After having had kitties for many years, I would highly recommend finding someone who is willing to come to your home and attend to your cats's needs.

Only once, in an emergency, did I board the two cats that I had at the time. They were so stressed when I returned home and one had rubbed his nose raw on the cage. It took me weeks to get them calmed down.

I swore I would never do that again. They are better off in their familiar surroundings, even though you are absent.

Secretly, I think we always miss them a lot more than they miss us. However, my Calico who would be overjoyed when I came home, would soon remember that she was mad at me and then would have nothing to do with me for over a week. Talk about punishment!

[Cataholic]

I would either have someone stay at your house, or come over to check on things. Now, I may get some flack for this, but, I think once a day is fine. Is twice even nicer? Yes, but, that is alot for someone that isn't staying at your house. When I go away, I have someone come over one time a day. Now, I have a boy that needs meds twice a day. So, I am unsure if I will take just him to my mom's, or have someone come over twice...I am just not sure...Good luck!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

No flack from me, Cataholic. The longest we've been gone was 10 days at one time. We have someone come in once a day. She spends 20-30 minutes there, scooping, feeding, brushing and playing...and collecting our snail mail. Yes, twice a day would be better, but that would get quite costly ($14.00 x twice a day x 10 days ). Anne, our kitty sitter, always says that they are anxious for us to get home, but she never tells what they do to give her that idea. They do seem glad to see us when we get back so I like to believe her when she says they miss us.

I believe it is less stressful on the cats to have someone come in, because then they are not taken out of their environment. However, I also believe that if you are thinking about boarding them, it's good to start them young. I think boarding would be like anything else for a cat, once they get used to it, it shouldn't be a problem, and best to acclimate them to it when they are young.

Good luck and let us know how it goes, and whether they seemed to miss you as much as you missed them.

[Barbara]

We have been away 20 days several times and they got 2 visits per day -one of them by our neighbor whom I do not have to pay. We also gave a key to a friend of ours and special friend of Filou who came additionally irregularly for more playing.

Our cleaner who does the main job is somehow like Granny for the cats. She loves them amd comes for feeding, playing and cleaning litterboxes. The neighbor just for playing and feeding.

They are fine when we come back and have never been upset with us. However they follow us everywhere for some days when we're back.

[lynnestankard]

We always board our three when on holiday. We've found the most wonderful place where they are together and have enough room to play - sleep - feed.....and the other! They have a lovely outlook over a gorgeous pond complete with ducks and geese.
Their very good with all the little foibles of the three musketeers - they get the food they have at home. They have the phone number of our Vet., and the understanding is they call him for anything . I really am happy to leave them there and always tell them - 'Your going on your holidays kids!'.

Lynne

[neko1]

When we go on our honeymoon, we will either have my mom or my friend come over and take care of them.

[NoahsMommy]

My best friend and I are each others cat sitters. We both stop by one time a day and play with each others cats for about a half hour then feed, water and clean the litter box.

Our cats seem to enjoy that...and I think they are happy in their own home.

Welcome to Pet Talk by the way.

My cats go to a cat pension . For Maya & Inka , this will be the first time ! But that pension is really good ! Our previous cat , Sydney (is at the Rainbow Bridge) was there twice . He was even there when he died , poor baby ... . The pension keeper handled this so well !!
This time , we will take a double "space" , as my kitties get along so well and would hate it to be seperated ...! The cost is €11 per day . How are prices in the USA ?

[catlady1945]

If you have someone trustworthy to come in twice a day, that's a good option. Or you could take them to your mother's if she has no other animals. We have boarded our cats. There is a place about 2 miles away from us with really first class accommodations. However, some cats really hate anything new while others don't seem to mind. Kitties do hate change. Just a funny story when we had two cats we boarded them for two weeks. When we got back we heard about what a sweetie the tabby was and what a holy terror the tuxedo was. When I went to their kennel, the tabby was all happy to see me but the tuxedo took one look at me, turned his back and walked away. We had to apologize profusely - poor guy felt so betrayed.

[AmberLee]

I use a cat sitter when I travel and have her come in once a day. Here it's $17/visit and there's a holiday surcharge at several of the holidays -- Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Labor Day, for sure, possibly others.

Cassy stresses very badly away from home. I interviewed several local pet sitters from the Pet Sitter website and am happy with the one that was the best fit for us. (Of course, I also totally freaked a few months back and was convinced she hated my Livvy, but we found where we were miscommunicating...)

Different cats have different needs, and different communities have WAY different facilities/services. There've been several important factors to consider brought up in the various posts here.

Welcome back to Pet Talk, and good luck on your traveling.

[P. S. I've even *gasp, BAD MEOWMY* left the fur-kids alone without a sitter as long as I wasn't going to be gone longer than 36 hours... Just a personal rule of thumb that works for us.]

[mrichar]

Thanks for all the feedback. It's been very helpful.