Question:
Hi- I am new to this site and found you by searching endlessly on the internet to help with my problem. I have a kitty who is 3-1/2 yrs old. I am going away from tues to tues. I was going to take him to my sisters, well, got in the car, got about 40 minutes, he starts throwing up, panting, etc. So, turned around and came home. I have a friend who will come over every other day and check him, food, water, litter, and play with him. Is this too long to leave him? I just don't want to board him and have him locked in a cage, and obviously putting him in the car, doesn't work! Any ideas? Thanks

Answer:
Oh wow! A week is a long time for a kitty to be alone. I usually have a kitten/cat sitter for mine if I have to leave them - one Siamese (who won't be denied) and two laid back Sphinxes). It depends on the breed too I guess - my Siamese HATES to be left out of anything and has been travelling since she was a baby so is quite good at it. Maybe you can train your cat to become a good traveller before you leave? Otherwise, I would find a sitter which given the kind of germs that can create havoc in even the best catteries. There are some great cat sitting services available now.

In your shoes, I'd leave a kitty for a weekend with someone checking up on making sure she has water, food, toys and play time and is OK. But a week is too long!

Answer:
Welcome.

That could be a loaded question. Really the Dr. Phil answer would be - Do you think it is? It's as much about your comfort level as your kitty's well being.

The longest I've left my cat's is for a month with the same situation as you've set up. Luckily my sitter is a cat lover and usually spends a couple hours with the kitties when she visits. In my experience the first long trip away is the worst for both you and your kitty.

Personally, I think it is best to leave your animals in a familiar environment and have someone check in on them.

Answer:
Where is Dr Phil when you need him. I am way more at ease knowing Mikey is at home. The car ride would be a 2 hr ride and it just wasn't healthy for him. I think I can get 2 pet sitters to check on him so he is covered every day. I know my sitter hangs out and plays with him, and in typical kitty fashion, he plays for 5 minutes and then is off to do his own thing. I know it's a long time but knowing how sick and out of sorts he was in the car, it's a better solution. I have thought about getting him a buddy but concerned how he would adjust - I'd prefer to adopt one that is close to a yr old. He was about 5 months when I adopted him. I have left him on weekends and he is just fine when I get home. Just happy that someone is there to open a new can of food he won't eat rather than that dry stuff! any more thoughts are welcome! thank you!

Answer:
Don't get me wrong. He'll miss ya and you'll probably have to make up for it when you get back!

The reason I got two was becausing I was commuting 3/4 of an hour each way to work and didn't want to leave one alone for so long. It worked on fine as now they even get sick of each other once and awhile.

Answer:
What about your neighbour?

My neighbour has a cat, and her and I have an agreement that if the other needs to go for a weekend or something, we will take care of each others pets. . . that means the cats aren't uprooted somewhere, and it really isnt out of the way of my neighbour (we are in an appartment)

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Your cat will be much happier staying home. If you have someone coming in regularly to feed, pet and play with him, he'll be a bit lonely, but fine!

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Maybe I am just an overprotective meomy, lol Tho even the cats I do this for are never alone for longer than a weekend. Cats do tend to do better in their own envionment however!

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Oh yes, I had a woman below me with 2 cats, we had a great arrangement. The cats actually wandered 24-7 between both apartments. Unfortunately, she moved out but..... I don't know other neighbors as well as her but I am going to ask one of the neighbors tomorrow am if she will just walk over and check on him. It is really late notice but thought I was covered taking him to my sisters and then the fated car ride.....

Answer:
Originally Posted by CyberKitten
Maybe I am just an overprotective meomy, lol Tho even the cats I do this for are never alone for longer than a weekend. Cats do tend to do better in their own envionment however!

You're a "Meomy". I'm sure everyone worries about our furry family members but, sometimes we have to be away.

Answer:
As long as your kitty has someone to check up on her everyday, and feed her and such. She should be a lil lonely but fine.

I am taking a week of vacation this summer and will probably be leaving the kitties home. My neighbor will check on them every day, feed them check litter box, and give them treats . They should be fine but I will not be because this will be the longest I will be away from them. :(

Answer:
Re: You're a "Meomy". I'm sure everyone worries about our furry family members but, sometimes we have to be away.

I am away alot too but my cat comes to work with me sometimes - the fosters like to cuddle up at home tho -. My little Siamese is a wonderful traveller however - she just falls asleep in her carrier. I do have an arrangment with a friend tho (and my parents) when I am away for extended periods but that means they either stay at my home or spend much time with her. Siamese especially hate to be alone.

Answer:
The max time I leave my girls is a three-day weekend, generally if I'm camping...I leave them lots of extra food and a ton of water. They both eat dry food, so canned isn't an issue. Any longer than that and I start worrying about stuff that probably won't happen.

Unfortunately, you can't take cats camping (though the coyotes would love that) and most of the people I visit either have cats or are horribly allergic. I can't afford to board them, and they also tend not to eat if they're at the vets or somewhere like that.

I used to have this wonderful neighbor, who also had two cats, and she worked from her home, so she would take her laptop over there and work for a while and visit and keep them company...and I would take care of hers if she had to travel. It was wonderful...until I moved out, sigh.

When I went on my week's vacation I had a friend come in and housesit. My cats are both pretty gregarious once they get comfortable with someone, and she was a cat lover, so it worked out very well. On a more recent trip, some other friends took turns stopping in and seeing them.

I vote for keeping the kitty at home and having someone housesit or check in. Be sure to leave your phone number and the number and location of the vet. I leave this long note with all the info, including about Chaco's asthma and where her medicine is, and so on. It usually works out pretty well.

Answer:
I have left my cats alone every year for 10 days (friday to the following sunday) And have a friend or family member come everyday to feed water, litter and spend time with them, and my cats have been fine

I think it's much better and less stressfull to do it this way as they have a very difficult time in the car, and I think boarding them would be VERY stressfull to them, and would probably kill my senior cat.
My cats also have each other for company

Since my cats are getting older now, I will not be leaving them for longer then 1 night here and there now, I couldn't bear to leave my 17 year old any longer, it just wouldn't be fair.

Answer:
Well,I am exactly like Cyber K,unfortunately...but I am sure your cat will be ok in his own home,although very lonely,he'll take it out on you once you get home .You should however have someone come in EVERY day IMHO,something could happen and nobody would be there to help him..
I am lucky I have a son to come and live in my house while we are gone for a couple of weeks.
I would make sure this person comes in every day,I've heard of cat-sitters who "forget"and leave the cats for days.....some people consider cats"independant"which in my view is a myth,as of yet,my cats have not learned to feed themselves(although they are really smart)..

Answer:
The most I've left my cats for is a long weekend, if I have to go for a week I get someone to come in and feed, water them and just spend a little time. Mind you I think they are happy when we go away as we take Tucker and it gives them peace and quiet.

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