What to do with cat while traveling

[Anonymous]

What do you all typically do with your cat when you travel? We had a cat when I was a kid, but there was always at least one person home to take care of her. I recently adopted a cat, but now I live alone and am going to boyfriend's family member's wedding next month, so the cat will be alone for the first time. Boyfriend suggested I board her, because she will always have other cats or people around to play with. I am thinking - and I know this is crazy - that she was adopted recently and so being dropped off in a cage for a few days may be very scary/upset for her. I don't want her to think I've abandoned her. Final decision is mine, obviously, because she's my cat, but I'm wondering if my bf is onto something? Just wanted to know if anyone had insight. I think drop-in sitter once or twice a day to feed and play with her may be best. I'll be gone for five days, so I can't just leave a big bowl of food and a few bowls of water.

[Anonymous]

Hire a cat sitter to come feed snd play with your cat.

[Anonymous]

Yes, cat sitter to come visit. Twice a day ideal if she's still somewhat new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you all typically do with your cat when you travel? We had a cat when I was a kid, but there was always at least one person home to take care of her. I recently adopted a cat, but now I live alone and am going to boyfriend's family member's wedding next month, so the cat will be alone for the first time. Boyfriend suggested I board her, because she will always have other cats or people around to play with. I am thinking - and I know this is crazy - that she was adopted recently and so being dropped off in a cage for a few days may be very scary/upset for her. I don't want her to think I've abandoned her. Final decision is mine, obviously, because she's my cat, but I'm wondering if my bf is onto something? Just wanted to know if anyone had insight. I think drop-in sitter once or twice a day to feed and play with her may be best. I'll be gone for five days, so I can't just leave a big bowl of food and a few bowls of water.

1. Your boyfriend is wrong. Cats don't like being placed in unfamiliar, busy environments, and this would stress her out. She would not be comforted by being surrounded by many other cats and unfamiliar humans in a boarding kennel.

2. I think you sound like a thoughtful, caring person, and that you are probably correct in thinking it is best for your cat to stay in her new, stable home. She very well might assume she has been put out of her home and abandoned again if she ends up at a boarding kennel.

My advice is to do what PP suggested and pay someone to come clean her litter box, feed her, and play with her a little in your home while you are gone. She'll be a much happier kitty that way.

[Anonymous]

Pet sitter 2x a day. Introduce to cat beforehand, if possible.

[Anonymous]

Ask a friend or teen neighbor to come by and feed and play with the cat and empty the litter box. Have them come over once to meet the cat while you're there - hand them a treat to give the cat so the cat sees that you trust the person. If it's a neighbor, tell them they can hang out and read or watch a Netflix show.

Pay them like $50.

[Anonymous]

We take them with us. They are going to San Diego this week by car. We took 3 cats last summer and taking 4 now. We took them up to New England in May.

The 2 boys don’t really like it but tolerate it fine. They’ll go into the carrier when we are leaving and meow for about 5 minutes in the car to voice their displeasure. Then they doze on top of the carrier.

The 2 girls don’t mind at all. Don’t meow. Sleep and look out the window.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you all typically do with your cat when you travel? We had a cat when I was a kid, but there was always at least one person home to take care of her. I recently adopted a cat, but now I live alone and am going to boyfriend's family member's wedding next month, so the cat will be alone for the first time. Boyfriend suggested I board her, because she will always have other cats or people around to play with. I am thinking - and I know this is crazy - that she was adopted recently and so being dropped off in a cage for a few days may be very scary/upset for her. I don't want her to think I've abandoned her. Final decision is mine, obviously, because she's my cat, but I'm wondering if my bf is onto something? Just wanted to know if anyone had insight. I think drop-in sitter once or twice a day to feed and play with her may be best. I'll be gone for five days, so I can't just leave a big bowl of food and a few bowls of water.

1. Your boyfriend is wrong. Cats don't like being placed in unfamiliar, busy environments, and this would stress her out. She would not be comforted by being surrounded by many other cats and unfamiliar humans in a boarding kennel.

2. I think you sound like a thoughtful, caring person, and that you are probably correct in thinking it is best for your cat to stay in her new, stable home. She very well might assume she has been put out of her home and abandoned again if she ends up at a boarding kennel.

My advice is to do what PP suggested and pay someone to come clean her litter box, feed her, and play with her a little in your home while you are gone. She'll be a much happier kitty that way.

+1

[Anonymous]

We always had a pet sitter come to our house. Once a day when the cats are younger, and twice a day when they were seniors and on meds.

[Anonymous]

Our cat sitter comes once a day when we’re gone.

[Anonymous]

Hire a pet sitter. 2 visits a day is totally unnecessary for a cat. If you have a pet feeder and more than one litter box, you can even go more than one day between visits.

[Anonymous]

Boarding the cat isn't a bad idea. I cat sat for a friend once while they were out of town. I think I saw the cat's tail once when I went there, just as it was running out of the room. The rest of the time it hid and it was only the fact the food was eaten and the tray had to be cleaned that let me know the cat was doing OK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Boarding the cat isn't a bad idea. I cat sat for a friend once while they were out of town. I think I saw the cat's tail once when I went there, just as it was running out of the room. The rest of the time it hid and it was only the fact the food was eaten and the tray had to be cleaned that let me know the cat was doing OK.

Yes, it ran away because it wasn't familiar with you and the presence of a new person was stressing it out. Now imagine being surrounded by new people/cats and not being able to run away...

I vote for sitter. Honestly if she's a young cat w/o special needs of any kind, you could probably just have someone come by once a day or every other day

[Anonymous]

Cat sitter.

If you have a friend who lives with roommates, they may enjoy a quiet apartment for the weekend.

Otherwise this is a great job for a young teen who lives nearby. Leave them some snacks and let them know the Netflix is up and running, and then they may actually hang out with the cat for a bit.

If it's just a long weekend, they probably only need to come once a day. For a week, I'd ask for twice a day.

[Anonymous]

Cat sitter.