A question for cat owners...
 

If you were going to be gone for two days, would you be more inclined to leave you beloved kitty at home or would you board him? I'm so torn. My first inclination is to leave him alone in the house (with plenty of food and water of course) rather than boarding him at a kitty kennel. I know he hates to be alone, but I know he would hate being kept in a cage in a strange smelly place even more. I can ask my next door neighbor to check on him each day, but we aren't really that close and I'm not liking the idea of imposing on her.

I would - and have - left the kitties at home with plenty of food and water.

Its does seem like a nicer thing to do, doesn't it.

Hates to be alone the 1/10th of the day it's not sleeping? :haha:

Leave it

:) True dat!

I put out a bunch of bowls of water, plenty of "dry" food, and give them a big heap of "wet" food before I leave. They are fine, just a little pissy that they didn't get their twice daily wet food. If it's longer than two days I have a friend check on them (well, the ex...part of the shared parenting agreement.) :)

Two days? Like 3 nights? or 2 nights? 2 nights would be my maximum -mostly because their water dries up so fast and they're not averse to knocking it over. But I'd definitely choose home alone over kenneling, it's just not a good thing for cats imo

I put NUMEROUS bowls of all shapes and sizes...relying heavily on the stainless steel ones with wide bottoms they can't knock over. At these times, I ALSO use an automatic watering dish. I don't take any chances of them running out of water. They'll live a few hours without food, if it came to that, but I would never want them to not have access to water. Doesn't hurt to leave the bathroom sink dribbling, either.

If its only for a couple of days, I'd leave him at home. Kennels are extremely stressful for cats, especially if dogs are also kenneled in the vicinity. Buy him some nice cat toys to play with. You can also buy videos especially for your cat to watch or else leave the radio on to his favorite station!

He'll probably be mad at you and sulk for an hour or two after your return, but he'll get over it and be just fine.

Ok then, that settles it...at home he will stay. It is just only two nights. I plan on leaving the toilet lid up for him...he tends to drink out of it mostly anyway - biggest reason why I have a flush twice rule in my house. I know he will spend his waking moments howling and looking for me...he is really attached, but it is much better than a cage in a kennel. Wish I could do the same for Pico. They would be good company for each other.

Am I a wuss or what...:o

Couple days is no big deal at all.

Actually, though, I have heard it isn't good to leave TVs or radios on for cats...it actually unnerves them when you're not around. Not sure if it's true, just something I read somewhere a long time ago.

edit: I can find nothing to substantiate the above. Might not be true.

I left my two boys alone for two nights over Christmas 2008 - I stressed the whole time! I think I was more upset than they were in the end. They seemed so dependent on me, but at the time they had eachother for warmth and comfort.

I think a cat alone will fall into "safe mode". In other words will sleep more and eat more, but unless any other issues come up will not panic or assume there is something wrong. Rescue charities often have to rescue starving cats from their previous homes; they hang on where they are comfortable long after they've been abandoned. Sorry - that sounds bloody awful. I just mean cats have a long memory for the good times.

Truth is, I would probably do the same for Diz now if the precise situation arose, ie I had no choice. I'm lucky being back at the 'rents - they've cat sit so many other people - and Diz has also charmed many cat-loving visitors... His trouble is that being such a people-cat trades off against him being a cat-cat; I suspect that in a cattery he'd be completely miserable, smelling all the other cats and not being able to assert himself.

I think you've made the right choice Pico.

ETA - if he sleeps on your bed, don't change it before you go. If not, leave him a worn item of clothing.

the the knocking water over is because the fussy buggers won't drink from anything low to the ground. We once used Hebe's "chalice" because it was handy and they haven't looked back. We leave water in unexpected places -we've noticed they enjoy drinking from anything that looks verboten :lol: