I'm thinking of going away for the Canada Day long weekend, and I need to know what arrangements I should make for my cat. My best option, I guess, is having one of my boyfriend's relations come in and look after her (and the fish, and my baby plants) once a day. I'll be gone three days, at the most. Someone suggested that I can just leave her alone, as long as I have plenty of food and water set out for her, but I'm afraid she'll get lonely. I have enough guilt leaving her alone while I go to work! Any suggestions?

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2000

Answers

I'd leave George alone - having people in his house would upset him far more than having me gone for 3 days does. With that time frame, I'd leave the TV on to keep him company, leave out plenty of food and water, and kitty should be fine. Cats are pretty good about being about to take care of themselves. Leaving a TV or radio on also keeps 'em company - relatively.

Just be prepared to give kitty lots of love & UNDIVIDED attention when you get home.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2000

I think that I'm going to get someone to look in on Butterscotch. Not to disregard what you said, but I've been thinking about it all morning. There are other reasons I'd like someone to come in: I live in a basement apartment, and this will be my first trip away since I moved in. I'm paranoid, and I need someone to make sure my place hasn't been broken into. Also, someone has to water my seedlings and feed my fish (two things I am not used to having!)

As for Scotch, she's really good with people, and I would make sure that the person coming in would be someone she has met. I don't mind leaving her alone, but I think I want someone looking in on the place just the same (and giving Scotch a treat or two wouldn't hurt. Oh, the guilt!). It was better when I had two cats-- at least they had company!

I guess I'm just feeling bad because this would be the first time I left her alone. Like I said, she goes through a whole song and dance when I go to work, and it makes me feel guilty. Leaving her alone for a few days is probably causing me more stress than it will cause her.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2000

Tristan won't let me get a cat for exactly this reason - we have at least two overseas holidays a year (the one perk of having a husband who works in travel), and he doesn't think it would be fair on the cat. Of course, I know that's just a big filthy excuse.

-- Anonymous, June 27, 2000

When I leave, even if it's only for 3-4 days, I get someone to come and look in on them once a day. My cats are shy of strangers, but by the end of my trip they usually love the pet sitter because they're so lonely. Our vet school has a service where you can call in and get a vet student to come and take care of your pet. Very convenient. It doesn't cost too much, either. If you live near a university, you could check to see if they do something similar.

-- Anonymous, June 27, 2000

I just went away for a week and had a pet sitter come in twice a day every day I was gone. They are relatively inexpensive and worth it because at least they play with the cats besides feed and water them. I think they lack stimulation without you around and just leaving food and water can make for a very lonely 3-4+ days. I should have actually brought one of my cats, the cottage would have been fine for him to be in, and at least he would have been near me (he's very needy). Get the pet sitter, it is a good choice.

-- Anonymous, June 27, 2000

We're going away to Dragon*Con for the upcoming weekend. We'll be gone for 4 days.

Our landlady's twelve-year old daughter, who absolutely adores our cats, is going to stop by to feed Pearl, play with the horde of 5 and keep an eye on the litter box.

I think finding a kid/young adult who loves cats is a nice solution, because it gives them a little job they can do, to earn some pocket money and also ensures that you don't have to worry about whether or not Fluffy is going to be okay.

-- Anonymous, June 27, 2000

Audrey (my kitty) loves only me (antique history teacher and friend of stray cats). Linda and I are about to enjoy a GUlf Coast vacation. Usually we leave Miss Audrey with the Veternarian but they just hate her because she is absolutely vicious to everyone except me. (She is right her at my feet all cuddled right now, isn't that sweet?)

This time we shall leave her with our daughter--I wonder if she (Audrey) will be home when we return...

-- Anonymous, June 27, 2000

For any period of longer than 2 days I think it's a good idea to have someone come in once a day to feed, clean litterbox, and play with my kitty Pico. In the past I've asked friends to do it, then brought them back a gift from wherever I was. My ex usually hires a petsitter who's quite good with the usually vaguely hostile Max. The petsitter even keeps a log of the goings on (i.e. Max ate a lot today. We played using his fishing toy. Boy can he jump high!) which I think is a neat touch.

-- Anonymous, June 28, 2000

I guess it's sort of a moot point, now. Our plans for the long weekend were to go camping, but the campgrounds are all full. So I guess I get to stay and look after Scotch myself. Oh, well.

I appreciate all the suggestions, everyone, because now I know what to do next time I think about going away (including planning way in advance. Hopefully the boyfriend and I can go away over the next long weekend-- we only thought up this idea last week. I wish he had Saturdays off!)

-- Anonymous, June 28, 2000

Hi Heather, I know you aren't going now, but I just wanted to mention to you that your fish can probably go 3 days without being fed. Most fish can go a week. I have a professional pet sitter that takes care of my cat if I am going to be gone for more than 2 days, but I don't let her fool with the fish.

-- Anonymous, June 28, 2000

Ironically, last night my mother was relating the story of my aunt having her mother-in-law, brother-in-law, his wife and kid house-sitting for a week or two (I forget which it is).

Let's see...they (a) made the house a mess, never once doing dishes or so much as draining the bathtub or cleaning up the overflowing water after using it (b) stole my cousins' toys and ripped the Ty tags off the Beanie Babies (the baby did that) (c) left the house unlocked, AC on and windows open, WHILE there were burglars in the neighborhood, (d) possibly hit both the dog and cat, as the cat won't come indoors any more and the dog flinches when anyone goes near her, and (e) killed the hamster. The mother-in-law never once changed the cage or water (just kept pouring more sawdust/water in) and never gave it more food. It died at the vet's office.

Moral of the story: Be careful who you let into your home.

-- Anonymous, July 04, 2000