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When my father was dying and I suddenly had to rush to visit, I hired a 10 year old girl in my neighborhood from next-door.com to feed my cat twice a day. Very affordable and gave a kid a chance to earn some pocket money. Could you do something like this?
Again, surely there is a neighbor kid who can come check on your cat. It would save you money and help a kid learn responsibility and earn $$ for iTunes or whatever. Please do not leave your cat alone for 3-4 days!
I've told this story before but it's worth repeating. . .
Years ago, I pet sit a former co-worker's cats. Within 12 hours of them leaving, the cat developed a terrible eye problem. He was clearly miserable, so I contacted the co-worker and rushed the cat to the vet for treatment. (We used the same vet so it wasn't a problem.)
The point being that something could happen if you leave the cat along too long. I shudder to think how that cat would have suffered if he had been along for 3-4 days.
I've told this story before but it's worth repeating. . .
Years ago, I pet sit a former co-worker's cats. Within 12 hours of them leaving, the cat developed a terrible eye problem. He was clearly miserable, so I contacted the co-worker and rushed the cat to the vet for treatment. (We used the same vet so it wasn't a problem.)
The point being that something could happen if you leave the cat along too long. I shudder to think how that cat would have suffered if he had been along for 3-4 days.
I wouldn't ever hire a stranger to enter my home when I'm not there and take care of my cat. I don't really like having even neighbors in my house if I'm not there.
If my sister can't get to the house every day that I'm gone, then the cat gets put into a kennel/pet hotel til I get home. She's a wet-food cat but she loves kibble so much that she over-eats it. I couldn't ever put out a self-feeder for her even if I wanted to. Plus she doesn't drink water ever. I keep a fresh bowl of it for her but she never drinks it. So she has to have 2 fresh cans of food every single day and someone has to feed it to her.
Not to mention the litter box. How would you like it if you were unable to flush your toilet and couldn't get anyone to flush it for you for 3 days?
I have a trip in December (roughly in a month and a week) and I need to leave my cat at home. The other option is to take him to a cat hotel or have someone take my cat to their home. I think my cat would enjoy being in a familiar setting . My brother is far away and he can only visit my cat once (mid-week).
I am thinking of getting another cat so he will have a friend. I always want 2 cats but I was going to get the other cat after my trip. I wonder if I should get the other cat before my trip, but I am afraid that the cat will not have a chance to adjust (in 1 month).
What is your thought?
Seven days. How will kitty be fed?
We used to get cat sitters. After careful screening. One very nice gal even offered to stay overnight when we were going to be gone for a long weekend IIRC. We had two cats and a dog, a sweet Lab Retriever.
She finally decided she wanted to meet some people so she retired from critter sitting and got into real estate. We should contact her and see how she's doing. She was a great pet sitter.
That was before cameras everywhere. Today I'd want some cameras placed discretely if there's a stranger in our house.
I have a trip in December (roughly in a month and a week) and I need to leave my cat at home. The other option is to take him to a cat hotel or have someone take my cat to their home. I think my cat would enjoy being in a familiar setting . My brother is far away and he can only visit my cat once (mid-week).
I am thinking of getting another cat so he will have a friend. I always want 2 cats but I was going to get the other cat after my trip. I wonder if I should get the other cat before my trip, but I am afraid that the cat will not have a chance to adjust (in 1 month).
What is your thought?
When my loving companion of 16 1/2 years passed on the 'Bridge in 2012, most adoption and vet centers here in Puget Sound area darn near demanded cats be adopted in pairs. My first fur baby was neurotic; happy enough but would have benefited from more company. I'm a solitary man, too, and traveled sometimes. She was not "unhappy" but could have been "happy-er." To me, it was obvious.
So, I did. Brother / sister pair from a litter of c. 6, in 2012. They are adjusted reasonably well, in my large home, though the brother runs the sister around with hissing and squeals sometimes. It's bullying but both seem happen enough...they just get to hassling each other.
Now: as far as leaving them to their own devices. I'm careful with doors, with those bumpers, so the dumb critters won't lock themselves in rooms (rare, but happens). So far so good, maybe ten three days trips. ANY longer than that, I have a pet sitter. They charge $25/day. Each day is mandatory visit, to protect themselves and me, the owner. That's a de facto primitive security service, too, I suppose.
I pay it, irreverent to me another hundred or two on my trip. That's a blessing, admittedly. I have no relatives nor any friends I'd foist this duty upon, which would clearly be easiest.
Under no circumstances would I place my cats in a kennel...or any I can see, anyway: "never see never". We used to do that to our dog as a kid, and he sure hated it: we'd come home in a week and he'd be a mess (dog was pretty stupid, even by undemanding canine standards, and led a soft life by-and-large). My cats won't even allow themselves to be easily trapped into a carrier for any reason. Brought to someone else's home, they'd hide and not come out. Cats don't like change, they like sameness. Period.
I once had to leave my cats alone for four nights. It was a sudden business trip to the other side of the country, and I could not get my regular cat sitter on the phone (as things turned out, he was out of town anyway).
I filled up every food bowl and the self-feeder with dry kibble. I pressed kitchen saucepans into service (along with the cats' regular water bowls), and a roasting pan full of water. I left them with clean litter, though I knew it would be a mess when I returned.
It was, and the dry kibble had been eaten so well that they wanted more when I returned. Water was okay--between all the saucepans and the roasting pan, I must have left them with five gallons or so. A retired veterinarian friend says that water is key: if they go hungry for a few days, that's not so bad; but they absolutely must have water.
My cats were fine when I returned, but I was on edge the whole time I was away, thinking about my cats. Seven days is too long to leave a cat alone. I agree that cats like familiar surroundings, and should stay where they are comfortable (like home), but you'll need a cat sitter to attend at least two, if not three or four, times during your absence. Your vet should be able to make recommendations as to who would be suitable.
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