We have always hired cat sitters, too, as I just don't trust a kid or a neighbor to take the responsibility seriously. The cat sitters I hire are always vet techs--I find them through local vets' offices--so I'm fairly confident they'll notice when a cat is sick. And I like the idea of someone's coming over to check on the house, too.
The main issue for me is that the sitter spend time in the house, reading or watching TV or studying and playing with the cats, as they're all indoor kitties and are addicted to human company. Although there are 4 of them, they don't seem to "entertain" or comfort each other enough.
And here's the horror story: the ONE time I hired a neighbor boy to watch them for 10 days, I returned to find them all upset, and one of them quite ill. He contracted hepatic lipidosis, most likely brought on by stress, and ultimately died of liver failure. His brother got the illness, too, but recovered after months of treatment.
3 weeks is a very long time to be away: is there any way you could find someone who would keep the cat at their home while you're away, someone who doesn't already have cats and dogs?

Very easy solution. We have a single working woman move into our house whenever my DH and I are both travelling at the same time--which is often. She allows our two golden retrievers to sleep on the bed with her (king sized bed in guestroom!)and she can come and go as she pleases. The dogs have a dog door to a huge outdoor fenced run, so our sitter needs only to feed the dogs and sleep over at night--she goes to work during the day, and our dogs sleep most of the daytime anyway. We pay her well, and remember her generously at Christmas. Plus, she takes in mail and keeps the house 'occupied'. She loves the extra cash. We would never take our dogs to 'dog prison' (boarding somewhere)because they are pack animals!

HI.


I don't think it's a good idea to leave your cat home alone. Cats get lonely and need humans to love and be there for them. Hiring a prof sitter is a great idea plus your house will be looked after too.

Ellen,

Laughed at an email I got this morning from my sister. She'll be moving next month and during that process will be boarding the cats at the "Scratching Post Inn" >>> http://www.scratchingpostinn.com/
It certainly sounds like a lovely place; heck, I wouldn't mind staying there ! Perhaps the community where you live has nice accommadations for your kitty.

I started leaving my cat "LucyFur" home alone with someone checking on her daily when she was about 3 months old. I couldn't help it - I traveled for work. She never came out from under the bed when anyone was there. When I started traveling for longer periods of time, I decided to take her over to my mom's house. In the beginning she stayed under the bed in the guestroom but as her curiousity got the better of her she slowly came out and now, after about a year of that, has the run of the house. She has even started acting more like a cat since observing my mom's cat (ahe never knew what a cat really was supposed to do - I got her at 4 weeks from the pound) and likes to play with him (although the feeling is not really mutual - he leaves her alone) and I feel bad when I take her home...I think I may have to get her her own cat!

Another vote for professional petsitter I know versus neighbors or neighbors kid. When I had two elderly cats my vets tech used to petsit, give the cats their meds and even give one of them subcue. fluids. When I got my present cats I found another pet sitter (owner of local pet food store). I once tried having a neighbor's son look after them (he was looking for a part time job) and there was a signifcant difference in their behavior when I got home.

We've always left our cat at home while we've been gone. However, my parents can come by to check on him every day. They are "cat people", and know Tiger well, so they would know if there is a problem.

Yes, I much rather leave our Tom with a pet sitter. She comes in every other day to feed him wet food, check water and litter. She gives him pets too ! It is good to have someone bring in the mail and check for unwanted paper deliveries! Judy

Our cat goes to stay with Grandma. She lives in the country so he gets to be both inside AND outside. Has other cats and a dog to play with. He loves going but has always gone with us when go to visit regularly.

As a college student and young adult I house-sat for friends. It was very fun to 'play' house and cook my own meals yet not have the responsibilities of paying the bills (I was never a 'partier'). I think this is also good for a cat to have someone in the house. Do you know anyone this might fit? A college student home for the summer missing some of their freedom?

There is no way I could have left my 8mo kitten on his own for a weekend, let alone 3 weeks, my house would not have been standing when I came home - but mine is unusual. As a kitten they seem to need people around more, having someone come once a day wouldn't have worked either, though we could probably get away with it for a while now. I don't see a problem having her go someplace else, as a kitten they are very adaptable (as long as they are up on shots and in good health and the place they are going is safe).

is there anyone you trust with keys to your house. Let them come over and feed and play with it for a little while everyday while your gone

Ooh wow everybody, thank you so much for your replies! Its nice to know you understand! We'd planned to have a neighbor come over daily to feed and play with her, and then also have our son's girlfriend stop over too, just to give her some extra attention and TLC.

But after reading your posts, we're going to have my 20 y/o college-student neice stay here while we're away. She LOVES our 'baby' and will also keep an eye on everything else.

This is our 8th western road-trip adventure but never thought twice about leaving our house alone (thats why we pay the big insurance bucks!)but we never had a kitty before!
I can't even BELIEVE how attached we have become and how much we'll miss her. I know we'll all feel much better with my neice here.

Thanks again!

umm, that would be NIECE.....

L O N G day.......

I'm so glad that you got it worked out... Sounds like a PERFECT solution. Have a great trip!

Don't you mean purrfect?

or simply feline!

I was told I should be repoted to the animal cruelty people for this but they don't know my cat. Ms. Kitty is 12 y/o, she runs our house. (Don't all cats run the house?) She comes and goes when SHE wants, thinks she is a dog, a queen and in charge. She has a 'cat house' outside. Would be insulted if we put a litter box in the house, that's what the garden is for! She has "her" garden for just that purpose. OK get the picture. We have a self feeder and self waterer and someone comes and checks on her outside enviroment a couple of times while we're gone. Boarded her once, she was not pleased, when she came home she pooped in every bed in the house. We got the message. She acts P.O. ed when we return, probably cause the dogs, who are boarded, also return.

That is a tough one....we just got our 2nd persian kitten recently (he is now 4 months old) and I would never leave him in the house that long because he is so wild I know he would get into something.

Our older persian would not be a problem at all. Is your kitten still a little wild? Would your neighbor possibly let kitty stay with them?

ArkansasNurse, you just made me think of our (now deceased) cats, Sally and Flurry. Years ago, before kids, we went to England for two weeks, leaving Sally and Flurry at home in the care of a neighbor. He got caught up with work and didn't pay much attention to them. By the end of the two weeks, they were fed up and started creating mischief. They jumped up on the kitchen counter tops and unrolled the paper towels. When we walked into the kitchen, the room was knee deep in towels!! what a sight. They were cats with real personality.

When we travel we always leave the 2 cats at home and send the dog to the next door neighbors. The kids love to use our house while playing witht he cats. We pay them about 20.00 a day for combination pet sitting and it works great.
If you don;t have a reliable neighbor then you may want to ask at your vets as there is usually at least one tech that pet sits. Our groomer has two people that pet sit. <ost of them enjoy the fact they get to vacation at your home