We have a pet-sitter come in (used to have a neighbor come in wih our previous cats, but started using a pet-sitter with these two). She works in our vet's office, and we know others who have used her.

I wouldn't be comfortable leaving our cats alone for a week without anyone checking on them.

Since I have a lot of cats and fosters, I had a friend stop by once a day to clean potties and feed, for 3 weeks I was gone. Great friend

Another friend of mine has 3 cats and a self cleaning cat toilet (cat genie) When her and her husband go away, they have a pet sitter stop by every 3 days

It is certainly better to have the cats at home and have someone check on them, than them going to a boarding facility. I know a few of mine would be terrified and would probably not eat for days...

I would never feel comfortable leaving any animal alone for a week. I have a wonderful friend who does many odd jobs for me and she loves animals. I have her come twice a day to feed the dogs and refresh their water, and ask her to enter the house once daily to check on the cats. I could leave plenty of food and water but I couldn't live with myself if one of my cats got sick and wasn't checked for a week. Also, bored cats could play in the water (my cats do) and it could be spilled and evaporated long before you return. Kenneling my four dogs was a horrible experience for them, and cost a lot more than twice a day vists from a pet sitter.

Contact your vet, they probably have a good recommendation for a pet sitter. I am a professional pet sitter, I am licensed and bonded, and I go in and do exactly what is on the list of cat needs without going anywhere else in the house. Then I spend as much time playing with kitty as they want/need.

Years ago I had the neighbor kid watch our three cats a few times until I learned he invited all the other kids around to come in with him. They terrorized my new kitten, poking her with a broomstick UNDER MY BED to try to get her out, she has been skittish ever since. I never asked him to do it again. I then hired a professional pet sitter and was so impressed I began working for her. I love my job, professional sitters do it because they love pets.

You are right about not kenneling a cat, they need the comfort of home, but a week is too long to leave her alone. Like I said, contact your vet, I bet they will be able to recommend someone.

Even the healthiest cat can become ill or injured within a matter of hours. Just yesterday one of my cats became badly constipated and refused to eat or drink. If I hadn't been here to address the problem, she could potentially have become fatally ill from a simple constipation.

You have to weigh the possibility of thousands of potentially painful or even lethal circumstances that can arise with your cat during the course of a week against the uneasiness of hiring a petsitter you don't personally know. You can't protect your cat against every unfortunate circumstance that may arise, but you can check references of a petsitter until you find one you're comfortable using. Then the petsitter will be there to make sure your cat is safe and healthy each day during your abscence. You really can't put a value on that.

Laurie

DH and I used to travel alot and we left our first generation of cats home alone Mon-Fri many weeks. We could not have afforded a pet sitter and didn't have nearby friends or neighbors who could do it. They got a long fine. However as they got older they developed more health problems - including crystals in the urinary tract. That can be fatal in a weeks time. Fortunately our travel schedules changed and since then we've never left our cats home alone for more than a weekend. One of our second generation cats deteriorated very quickly with kidney failure - if left alone for a week that would also have been fatal. And it happened while we were on vacation - fortunately it was at our lake cabin and he was with us so we could take him to the vet.

our neighbour recently went away for about 4 days and asked us to let his cat in and out and feed him while he was gone so if you have a neighbour who loves animals they could easily do it for you. The week before we went across and fed the cat while the owner was still there sort of like an introduction for the cat. During the 4 days it all went fine, the cat was very relaxed and content while the owner was away.

As others have said, I wouldnt feel comfortable leaving any animal for long without someone checking in on them so if you dont have a neighbour who could do it then go with a pet sitter service

I did that once, for three days. Cat got really mad at me. Pooped and peed on my bed just to show how mad. Get someone to come and check on kitty and interact a bit. The ones I have now I can leave for a few days. I turn on a radio or tv and leave a light on. I leave lights on timers that go on and off so it looks like someone is home anyways.

Maybe a trusted neighbor can check on them, offer to pay them and give them emergency phone numbers. Someone who can stay at your place, or a pet sitter if it will be a whole week. A few days would be ok but a week might be too long.

We used to leave ours alone but that's when they ate dry food only and then my sister would come by in the middle of the time frame we were going to be away just to check on them. Now we only have one left and she is back on wet food so I had a neighbor come by once a day to feed her for a few days. The neighbor didn't want money so I gave her a gift card to a restaurant.

A week alone is far too long. I'd be comfortable leaving a cat for only two days--no more. When I travel, I have someone come in every day for my two cats to feed them, check on them, and scoop litter. I use either a college girl, the daughter of a friend who is very responsible, or a pet sitter for whom I got references, etc. before she came in for the first time. The pet sitter is expensive--20./day. I pay the college girl half that and she thinks it is generous.

Many pet sitters now are actually insured and/or bonded. There's actually a "pet sitter accreditation program" where they can learn information about medications and training and stuff (and I think it's great that there's training for people who will watch our "kids").

We have 3 cats, one of which used to need medication daily. I had 3 or 4 different pet sitters come in to meet the cats and see how the cats reacted to them; of course, the one who needs meds is the leadt friendly of the 3. She seemed to really like one of the sitters so that's who we had come in twice a day to feed them and play with them and give her meds. A lone kitty can get very lonely (and bored which means trouble) when left alone for just a day, not to mention a whole week.

Every cat is different, so you have to look at how your baby would react to being alone that long. Our cats hate it when we're both gone all day (I'm usually home most of the day) so I can't imagine what they'd do if we left them alone longer. As it is, even with a pet sitter they don't eat or even drink very much. Any kind of change to their routine can really stress them out.

Whatever you decide to do, enjoy your vacation!

Here is a link that might be useful: Pet Sitters International

I am concerned about a neighbour's cat who appears to be left alone for weeks on end. The lady leaves several times a year for long periods, one or even 2 weeks is not unusual. I have noticed this for many years and find it hard to believe her cat, (I know she has one because I have seen her sitting on the porch holding it) is there alone all that time. I don't want to meddle so I say nothing. Also what if I'm wrong and she sneaks it out when I am not noticing. Although, I doubt that. I have seen her leaving many time and there is never any cage taken out. When I adopted my cat the SPCA suggested (to everyone) that 6 hours should be the limit to leave a cat alone. I know there are times when it's necessary to leave them but always with someone to look in at least once a day, to make sure they are fed, clean, and not sick. I feel very bad thinking about that animal all alone, he must get very lonely. She has a friend who lives across the street from her, You'd think she could ask her to help. Maybe she'll read this comment and change her routine.

That's wishful thinking, that your neighbor is reading this! But wouldn't that be nice?

I have no doubt enough food and water could be left, but the loneliness would be horrible. Sometimes we have to leave our cat overnight, and I leave music on and shutters open so she can at least look out. Any longer than that, we have someone come in. We boarded her once and she would not eat.

Would you be willing to check on the cat on a daily basis when the neighbor is gone? If so, chat up the neighbor ("How's your kitty?"). When the moment is right, casually mention that you like animals and would be willing to check on the kitty while she is gone. You can do it!

I could certainly try that, but since her friend across the street from her does not seem to go into her house, I am doubtful she would want me to do so. It is however the best anser, the best solution one would think could solve the problem.

thank you for that.

I think a week is way too long. When we go on vacation, we have a pet sitter check on the cats every day. I called the local Humane Society and asked for a recommendation. It's not expensive either, she only charges $10 per day and could be scheduled to come every 2 days or so, but we prefer daily for peace of mind. She also texts every day after she checks on them.

A week is too long to be left alone. I don't have family or friends nearby so I asked at our vet's office for a pet sitter recommendation. They gave me the name of one of their longtime clients who did pet sitting.

I spoke with the pet sitter over the phone and got references. I phoned the references and they were SO happy with the pet sitting services they'd been getting from this woman for years.

I invited the sitter to our home to meet with our cats and tour our house. Hubby and I both immediately liked her. Gave her a house key and our travel dates and we've been delighted with her ever since. We've been using her services for well over 10 years. She keeps our house key and when I need her help we communicate via email. On her last day of sitting she leaves her invoice on our table and I mail her a check.

We've arranged that she comes over once per day, brings in our newspaper and mail, leaves tire tracks and footprints in the snow so our place doesn't look abandoned. She keeps the cat food bowls filled, water bowls filled and scoops our multiple cat litter pans.

I like the idea of having a responsible adult in our house every 24 hours. During one of our Christmas trips she phoned me to say our furnace wasn't working and our house was cold. I arranged for our furnace man to meet our pet sitter at our house and we had a working furnace within a half hour. Had we left our house alone with no one checking on it we could have returned to frozen pipes and really cold housecats!

Our sitter charges $15 per visit. We have four housecats she tends to. I give her a bonus at Christmas.

Never would I leave a house with animals in it for a week.

Kessala