what to do when you're leaving the cats at home for a few days?

Discussion in 'Cat Chat' started by erik, Jun 5, 2015.

  1. erik

    erik Well-Known Member

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    Sometimes I am out of the house for 2 to 3 days and I have to leave the cats at home with nobody but them.

    What do you do when you're leaving the cats at home for a few days or a week so that they don't eat all the cat food you left them in one sitting? Sometimes I worry that even if I leave them with more than enough food they will eat it all up in a day or two and be starving the rest of the days I'm gone.

    I leave them with treats and food at random parts of the house and my big cat can go in and out of the house as she please but I have two kittens that stay at home.

    Also, water is not a problem for them. The furniture and chaos and destruction that awaits me when i return is another story altogether...
     
    erik, Jun 5, 2015
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  2. erik

    Herman&Eddie Well-Known Member

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    Hmm. We do not leave our cats away, when gone for the night. We have a cat sitter. Yep, they exist. She comes in and gives them fresh water and food. She also talks to them, etc. I am not sure, if she actually plays with them. She is a little old lady. We, also, leave a TV on in one room and a radio station in another. This gives them some background entertainment.

    Now, in your case, being gone more frequently this could get expensive. Maybe you could ask one of your friends to stop over to check on your little kittens. You know, cats can be pretty mischievous and get into all kinds of situations.
     
    Herman&Eddie, Jun 6, 2015
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  3. erik

    Trellum Well-Known Member

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    Lol, ok, I think I have heard it all! A cat sitter! Where did you find that cat sitter by the way? Does she normally announce she is offering cat sitter services? Like on newspaper or internet ads? I'm just curious. I never thought people would pay for something like that.
     
    Trellum, Jun 6, 2015
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  4. erik

    Trellum Well-Known Member

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    I never let my Bob alone for more than one day, if ever maybe 12 hours but then I am back. If I go on a long trip I leave him with my mom, they don't get along so well, but I have no choice. I have heard there are devices to keep your cats well feed and with enough water for very long. But of course is still recommended to have someone supervise your cats every couple of days.
     
    Trellum, Jun 6, 2015
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  5. erik

    erik Well-Known Member

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    I think I want to earn money on the side working as a cat sitter ! So I can pay for someone to cat sit my cats! Wait... It doesn't make sense :p

    Seriously tho... Seems a good idea! I'll probably ask my girl friend to drop by and watch over the cats when I'm out for extended periods of time...
     
    erik, Jun 7, 2015
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  6. erik

    LilAnn Well-Known Member

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    Cats won't eat all their food in one sitting. You can leave an entire bag poured out for them and they'll still only eat when they're hungry
     
    LilAnn, Jun 7, 2015
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  7. erik

    Herman&Eddie Well-Known Member

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    Oh, lol, I thought it was pretty funny at first, too. My son found her online. She has been in business for years. We checked out her references and she even came to visit the cats the first time before she began her cat sitting job with us.
    She visits the house once a day, while we are away. I was a bit leery at first, but she has been a blessing! We have used her several times over the past four years. So, yep, we love our cat sitter! It is well worth the money to have this piece of mind.
     
    Herman&Eddie, Jun 8, 2015
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  8. erik

    erik Well-Known Member

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    That's good to know...
    I wish I had the same self control when it comes to eating a can of Pringles and a bag of doritos ! :p
     
    erik, Jun 9, 2015
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    LilAnn likes this.
  9. erik

    Trellum Well-Known Member

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    I see! I can actually see someone like that being of great use when you have to leave for a long time, I've been wondering what am going to do with Bob once we move to the Netherlands and me and my SO decide to go on a holiday. We might find a cat sitter, but we would need checking her references well. I'm still not fan of leaving someone home alone, but we might give it a try.
     
    Trellum, Jun 9, 2015
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  10. erik

    Anne Well-Known Member

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    That's exactly what I was thinking. That's what I loved about my Twinkle (how I miss him). He would eat what he wanted and be gone. I loved to sit and watch him eat. I was a delight. Then when I read the opening post I immediately thought about a cat sitter. I repeated the words in my head to see how I would say them, then sure enough, Herman & Eddie makes the suggestion. Granted it can be a bit expensive but then there is also the option of 'calling a friend" to check it.
     
    Anne, Jun 9, 2015
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  11. erik

    LilAnn Well-Known Member

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    Between my cat and dogs, taking an overnight trip is a big deal. I wouldn't worry about kitty kiss so much, but the dogs have more destructive power than a tornado if left along too long. I have a friend in the same boat I am. We check in for each other.
     
    LilAnn, Jun 10, 2015
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  12. erik

    Susan Brown Well-Known Member

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    Cats, unlike dogs, will not eat all their food because it is there. They are very independent and can take care of themselves for a few days. As long as they have plenty of dry food and water, they will be just fine on their own. I usually let the tap in the bathroom run a little bit so that they always have fresh water if they want it. I get the neighbor to come in and check on them if I am away just to make sure they are okay.
     
    Susan Brown, Jul 9, 2015
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  13. erik

    MER Well-Known Member

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    If you go to Petsmart or Petco or some other store that has a public advertising area, you may find people that do pet sitting. There's even boarding houses that my wife and I found for our cats. We haven't used it yet, but we will on our next vacation. Cats are pretty well self controlled. They only eat when their hungry. I'd be more concerned about how the litter tray will get cleaned out frequently enough.

    Also leaving a radio on or tv is good too because the background noise would be a comfortable distraction for them.
     
    MER, Sep 22, 2015
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