Leaving your cat for a week

[Tinkerbell cat]

All that panicking for nothing. We seem to have got someone who is going to house/cat sit from that website trusted housesitters. She is coming round on Tuesday to meet us and our cat. Im still super anxious but its only a week. Thank you for taking the time to reply everyone x

 

[Bitofthebubbly]

I honestly think she will be fine with someone popping in a couple of times a day. We have a cat who is 4. The longest we have left him is 10 days. My mum came and fed him twice a day. I do feel guilty leaving him, but he’s always fine when we come back. I grew up with cats and we went on holiday every year with no problems so it’s a normal thing for me. Just got someone we trusted to come and feed them and check on them. Cats are independent little things.

 

[Giggling Squid]

I totally feel the catmum guilt! Our baby is at home on her own, right now. We had her booked in for a home stay with someone but decided it was too disruptive so she’s at home on her own.

weve got a cat sitter coming in twice a day, and our neighbours have got a key so are coming in before and after work to play with her for 4 days then my mums coming to stay for the last night and day. She’s 18 months old, and has spent 1night alone (when our neighbour actually came and watched tv in our house with her all evening)

we also got a blink camera for the room she spends most time in so I can check on her (yes I’m a fully certified crazy cat mum, and I don’t care)

I think she’s actually getting more undivided human attention than she does when we’re at home!

 

[Geranium]

We always put ours in a cattery if we are away longer than 2 nights. I just feel happier knowing they are safe and secure. The cats never seem bothered. The cattery is a really nice one with comfy beds, lots of space, a view of trees and birds and a TV

 

[Former_Antelopee]

I used to work in a cattery and most cats weren’t bothered about being there. It was mostly cats that were nervous at home anyway who would be. We had outside areas for them and the nervous cats would just sit out there on the high perch but by morning their food would’ve gone so they obviously moved around when we were gone.
The other cats settled fine, loved attention and some would even jump and sit on our shoulders whilst we cleaned their pen like they would do with their owners at home.
Sometimes we’d have long term cats in as well. We had two in for a year and another for a few months. I have so many pictures and videos of the cats. We’d also get to know them as they would come back.

 

[Tinkerbell cat]

Serious cat mum guilt.

We are due to go away next Friday for a week on holiday but can't get an overnight cat sitter for the week, we can however get cat sitters with great reviews to call in twice a day for an hour each time. The girl who normally looks after our wee cat isn't available, she is getting married! It's our own fault, we should have booked someone ages ago but there just doesn't seem to be that many available, we kept hoping one would come available and then we weren't even sure if this trip would happen. Seriously could kick myself. I can also probably get my sister to call in too on her, only she lives 45mins away so a 90min trip all in with kids. We have signed up to trusted house sitters and hoping we can get someone on there.

Its just making me so anxious and upset and instead of looking forward to our trip, I don't even want to go. Our cat is 15 months, and she has never spent a night alone. She is so affectionate, and follows us everywhere. She is an indoor cat and so used to having someone there as my partner works from home. I know I might just be being anxious and she will be ok but I can't snap out of it! She is literally my child haha.

I don't want to think about a cattery as she has never spent a night alone never mind away from home and I want her to at least feel safe and know where she is.

Just the thought of her being lonely or upset that we aren't there makes me so sad.

Am i overthinking? I do have anxiety at the best of times but this is really stressing me out.

I know some people might say, why do you have a cat if you aren't there but we are always with her, we rarely go anywhere now and on the odd occasion we do go away to visit my boyfriends parents once or twice a year we have a lovely girl that stays.

Thinking about getting two cat sitters to check on her daily if thats the only option we end up with, so she will get 4 hours of attention. I want to cancel the trip

 

[Rippedjeanmaybe]

I think she’ll be fine.

when we go away we have my MIL, FIL and SIL to come in twice a day to check in and feed our indoor cat. They feed him, play with him etc.

I wouldn’t put my cat in a cattery either, he gets so upset just leaving the house in his carrier, I wouldn’t want to put him through the stress. Our cat is alone at night technically anyway as our bedroom door is shut and we are asleep, so no issues there.

 

[WeepingCassandra]

I'd happily put my cats in a cattery for a week, I would not leave them alone without someone coming in and checking them every day if I was going more than overnight.

 

[Mamacita]

I understand you're worried, I would be too. Can you get some of those pet cameras in addition to getting someone to check on the cat?

 

[JoeBloggs]

We went away for 11 nights and had a twice a day visit. Our cat was absolutely fine and I would do the same again when we go away again.

 

[Quattro formaggi]

When I go away I have a cat sitter that comes once a day in the morning gives them a meal then puts another meal for later on in the timer feeder thing (it has a dial and the lid pops up at the given time hope you know what I mean). That way the cat sitter only needs to come once a day and the cats are fine with that.

 

[Curlywurly85]

When I go away I have a cat sitter that comes once a day in the morning gives them a meal then puts another meal for later on in the timer feeder thing (it has a dial and the lid pops up at the given time hope you know what I mean). That way the cat sitter only needs to come once a day and the cats are fine with that.

I do exactly the same and our cat is fine.

 

[AladdinSane]

We're going away for a weekend soon and I feel exactly the same I feel like I'm abandoning my child haha.

I did feel better though when I read once that cats don't really have a concept of time - they won't even realise that you've been gone for ages. I don't know how true that it but I'm using it to make me feel better
We did leave them for a few days last year and when we got back it was like they had no idea we'd been gone - they came and said hi like they always do when we come in the door but nothing excessive that would suggest they missed us.
We've only ever left ours when we've been away in the UK. I don't know how I would cope in another country!!!

 

[WeepingCassandra]

There would be someone coming in twice a day maybe 3/4 but its not overnight.

I'd happily do that then (leave them at home). We have a local friend who will look after our two - she pops in once in the morning for ten minutes, then for twenty at night just to make sure there's food and water down and give them a bit of fuss. They're cats, they're quite happy just doing their own thing.

 

[Brianbadonde]

I have a house cat who is nervous of strangers (but loves us) and has only ever been in a cattery once during which he wouldnt eat or wee for 4 days so now he stays home when we go away. Just been abroad for a week and my mum popped in twice a day to feed him, play and change his litter. He was absolutely fine but went nuts once we were home (excitement wise) and has not left me alone since. Him being home is far less stressful than going to unfamiliar territory. I feel your guilt but your kitty will be just fine

 

[DCICassieStuart]

You're not being silly at all. I think she'll be fine with someone popping in. I think that's definitely preferable to putting her in a cattery.
I've never out mine in a cattery. She's a very shy cat (she was a stray) and I think she'd absolutely freak out.

We're very very lucky. If we go away our cat stays in the house and our neighbour from a few doors up pops in to her a couple of times a day, feeds her, cleans her litter tray, plays with her for a while etc and if he's away then we do the same for him.

 

[Noseyoldcow]

I totally get how you feel - we went away for 4 nights recently and left our kitten home but our neighbours popped in 2/3 times a day to check on him and feed him etc.
I still felt INCREDIBLY guilty but he was absolutely fine.

 

[Berty]

firstly, don’t worry, your cat may have her nose put out of joint first but they soon get used to it and will all find their hierarchy and safe spaces.

at first, keep the new arrivals in one room for the first week or so to allow them to get used to you and have a ‘safe space’. This also allows your cat to get used to the noises and smells without her area being invaded.

then get a baby gate (a netted one) so that they can see each other but not allow your cat to enter their space. You can feed your cat by this net whilst feeding the newbies to associate them with nice things. Feed treats etc

keep an eye and allow them to get out their hissing and so on. Then gradually you can open up the netting and allow introductions and make sure the kittens can go back to their room with a bed and safe area and your cat can also get away to hers. Distract from aggression by playing with toys etc. Make sure you have plenty of litter trays, ideally one in each room along with plenty of water bowls and food bowls.

good luck! I’m sure it will be ok. There are lots of videos you can watch on YouTube and even TikTok etc.

Thank you so much for your help, I'll pick up a few more litter trays and sort a gate out too xx

 

[Tinkerbell cat]

She will be fine. I remember I once went on holiday for a week and the cat went in a cattery she was really happy to see us when we got back but she was fine.

She has never stayed anywhere else overnight than home so I wouldn't want to take her away from her home comforts, but I will weigh it up.

I'd happily put my cats in a cattery for a week, I would not leave them alone without someone coming in and checking them every day if I was going more than overnight.

There would be someone coming in twice a day maybe 3/4 but its not overnight.

 

[MyLittlePony25]

Thank you so much for your help, I'll pick up a few more litter trays and sort a gate out too xx

no problem! I have a degree in animal behavioural science and welfare and have cats so I have some experience of introducing animals and training I’m sure you will do just fine and they kitties will find their place in the hierarchy.