Who takes care of your furbabies when you take a trip?

[jazzcat]

I don't know what to do. We are suppose to go to DC in less than two months and I don't know what I'm going to do for the cats. Disney will stay at the kennel but this is the first time we've gone somewhere since I've had three cats. I can board them at the kennel too but I don't want to disrupt their lives like that and expose them to all the kitty bugs.

I don't feel like the three of them get along well enough to leave here unsupervised with just someone checking on them once a day which is about all the options I have right now. We have pet sitting services here but I don't know these people and my husband doesn't want strangers coming in the house. I don't know my neighbors well and anyways they don't regard pets very highly so forget them.

What do you do? Please help me come up with a plan so I can go on this trip. I rarely travel (I hate it) so I don't run into this problem very often.

[Karen]

Any family of friends in the area who are cat-friendly? A friend of mine with two cats brings her kitties to her parents' house for their "vacation" when she goes away.

Miss Hoppy stays home and guards the house, and someone - either Paul's Mom or my Dad - comes in to put out food and give her some company. But she is an only bunny, so we don't have to worry about sibling battles while we're away.

[catnapper]

I hate to travel too! I thought I was the only one. People think its exciting, but all I see is packing, unpacking, waiting, driving, and uncomfortable beds and a ton of laundry when I get home.

When we go away, we have a friend who has a 4 year old son that LOVES animals, but can't have a pet since his brother is allergic to animals. This little 4 year old is the best cat sitter you'll ever meet. The dad will spend the day here, and once spent the whole night so hs son could sleep with an animal

Once, my friend went away and needed someone to watch her dog. I couldn't dedicate enoguh time, nor could another friend, but we decided to tag-team. She would check before work, I checked on him at lunch, she would visit at dinner time, and I stopped by before bed. That way, he had lots of company throughout the day and both dog-sitters weren't too stressed over making sure the lonely pooch had company.

[Randi]

We take Fister to a pension (cathotel), it's expensive but we know he's safe and well looked after. We hate to leave him, but we don't like strangers in out flat either. The "cathotels" here demand to see a vaccination paper, or they won't take any cats in, so there should be no risk they get infected.

I think the best would be if you have a close friend or relative to come and check/feed every day. Cats are so much happier in their own environment.

Best of luck finding the right solution!

[Barbara]

Since Filou and Tigris live here I went for foreign countries for 3 weeks every year. One or 2 years we even went for 4. The cleaner comes once a day for an hour for feeding, cleaning litterboxes and playing, our neighbors come a second time for feeding and playing. When we stay longer than 3 weeks, we see that someone (my parents or a friend) is in the apartment here.

They are perfectly happy together, don't have to change places, and it's less expensive than a kennel would be.

[Edwina's Secretary]

We pay someone to stay in the house. We have had our cleaning lady, niece, a college student a friend knows. We boarded Edwina once and she was most unhappy. This way, there is someone in the house and the cats don't have to sleep alone. (And it is cheaper!) Also, I did this in college as a way to make money and get out of the dorm so it is a kind of "giving back."

[sirrahbed]

THIS is a timely discussion as we will soon be going to Japan for 10 days to see Missy. It has been making me miserable worrying about it! Thankfully, one son and DIL live in town and his work is only a few minutes away and so he comes here for his lunch break and after work. (they are animal lovers - have three kitties and a sweet dog) Weekends, they both come over and watch videos, etc. For this long trip, I had hoped to find a college student to live in but we could not find one and just as well, because I was not real comfortable with that idea. And so, Bryan will watch them as usual - though we have only been gone 3 days at the most before!! Also, he will be unavailable for 2 of the days we are in Japan One dear neighbor has offered to take care of them even though she is not a pet person - she is willing to learn! I had also thought of boarding but know they are much happier in their own home. I am thrilled to be going to see Missy -but my biggest worry is my babies back home I know they mostly sleep - but I do fret over them!! They are used to having me here all the time.

[catlover4ever]

I am so very, very lucky in that my mom is the one who takes care of my furbabies when hubby and I go on a trip. I drive my hubby nuts because I always want to call home just to see how the babies are doing.

This year we are going to be in the same situation though, my mom will be going to a convention and my hubby and I are going to New Hampshire for him to run a road race, so I'm not too sure what to do. I am thinking of asking my sister-in-law to come twice a day to feed and check on them BUT.....she does not care for her animals like I care for mine....I'm not saying that she does not take care of her 2 cats, but it is not the same way that I care for mine.

Luckily, having 5 kitties, then tend to keep each other company...even if they don't always get along.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

When we go away my sister-in-law comes and stays here at the house. We can't board all of of animals (like our iguana), so we usually don't board any of them. However we do sometimes board the dogs to make it easier on her.

[Uabassoon]

I get a pet sitter from the agency I work for. The first time I used her I'd never met her before since I never get to meet any of the pet sitters in my agency since we don't work together. But I knew that the girls in my agency were more dependable than any of my friends. She always does a great job with the cats and I have never once been dissapointed with her service. I have her come over once a day for an hour to play with the kitties and feed them and all that good stuff.

[Uabassoon]

I also wanted to mention that if you do decide to go with an agency make sure they are bonded and insured. After working for a pet sitting agency for a year I now really trust using them. If you have any quesions about using a professional pet sitter just send me a PM.

[jenluckenbach]

A TRIP??? What's that?

[K & L]

For our house cats we get a tech from our vets office who does this on the side. They will either come a few times a day, or will stay at our place. You may check with your vet to see if they have anyone that does that.

For the park cats we have several people that volunteer for this job. They love doing this. We originally offered to pay someone to do this, and now they just volunteer cause they loved it so much!

[RedHedd]

I'm lucky -- my apartment building has a built in "critter sitter" - our building manager! He checks the kids several times a day and even spends time playing with them while I'm away. After my RB Goldie was returned home from being boarded with a serious URI, I've had in-home critter-sitters when I'm away from home for extended periods of time - friends, relatives, even a friend who is/was a cat psychologist. It's less stressful on the kitties if they can stay at home where at least their environment is familiar.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I have a pet sitter come in. She made a point that before the first time we were away, she wanted to come over and meet us and meet the kitties. That way a complete stranger isn't coming into the house which makes me feel more comfortable and I'm sure T & P appreciated it too - especially Peanut. I've been using her for at least 3 years now, and she's wonderful. When Peanut had her UTI, she had to take her meds twice a day, so the pet sitter came in twice a day. Cost me twice as much, but that didn't matter since Peanut needed her medicine. The pet sitter spends 1/2 hour at my house. She, first of all, cleans their litter and makes sure they have fresh food and water, but after that she just spends time with them, brushing them and talking to them.

They are always glad to see us come home and are extra needy for a day or two afterwards, but at least I know they are getting some attention while we're gone, and like sirrahbed says, they mostly sleep anyway, and will keep other company.

I don't think your husband should have anything to worry about if you get a professional pet sitter, who, like Uabassoon says, is insured and bonded. I found my pet sitter through the yellow pages, but you might want to ask your vet for a reference to make you feel better about the "stranger" thing.

Good luck!