Leaving my kitties for a week...tell me it will be ok.

15 years ago

DH and I are taking our first vacation in years starting next week. We'll be gone a week. I have two Ragdolls, the boy is 1 year old the girl is almost 5 months old. They are going to remain in our house with a woman from our vet's office coming once a day (evening) to take care of them and a neighbor coming once a day mostly to play with them and check on them.

I chose to leave them at home rather than kennel them because I was concerned how they would react to the kennel, other cats (smells, noise). We have a large home and they are inside-only cats.

Is there anything you can think of that I can do to make this easier on them? They are so attached to me I really worried they will get upset when I'm not here. Or am I dreaming, thinking they really care that much about me?

What do you think? Thanks.

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Comments (12)

coconut_nj
15 years ago
They'll be fine. I've done this for years, often staying for 10 days. Naturally you/I feel guilty, but heck, we all deserve a bit of vacation! They may give you a bit of attitude when you first get back, but they'll be fine. I usually wear a tshirt or nightgown/shirt for a couple days and leave that on their bed/fave sleeping spot. Just to keep our scent around prominently. It sounds like you have them covered with people to check/care for them. Go, enjoy. Just remember cats spend alot of their time sleeping and will still do that with you not there.
Elly_NJ
15 years ago
That sounds like a great arrangement, with two visits a day, and one designated for interaction!
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petaloid
15 years ago
You are doing what we will do at Thanksgiving time, and our cat-savvy neighbor will visit twice a day.

(We have two cats who board well at the vet's, but a third who goes ballistic, so they will all stay at home.)
annzgw
15 years ago
If you usually have the TV or radio on when you're home, you may want to leave it on while you're gone.......with the volume set low.
trekaren
15 years ago
My cats do better now that there are two of them. my first cat used to get pretty lonely. But now, we go on vacation, a cat sitter comes to feed, empty the litter and play a bit every day.

And when we return, the girls are kind of looking at us like, "Oh, they're back."
sue36
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks everyone. I am so nervous leaving them, you'd think they were human babies! I've never been away from either of them overnight.

I do think that there being two of them will help. We got the little girl because the boy was becoming almost obsessed with me. No matter how much I played with him he wanted more, attacking me as I walked by, howling if he couldn't find me in the house, etc. He's calmed down quite a bit since we got her in July.
runsnwalken
15 years ago
I think they will be just fine, go and enjoy yourself. Having others check on the is a very good idea,and if they pout when you return its a sign they've missed you.
lilliepad
15 years ago
I was gone for 2 months and left my cat in the house.DD lives across the street and came in daily to make sure she had food and water and a clean littler box.She was fine.Even if for some reason nobody could check on her for several days she had plenty of food and water for a week at least.I would much rather leave her here than in a kennel cooped up in a cage,which she is not familiar with.I think your kitties will do fine.
michelle_phxaz
15 years ago
I have three Ragdolls, they couldn't care less that we come home from vacation. They keep each other company and I have a great petsitter who takes good care of them while we are gone. We have been gone up to three weeks, they do just fine.

Enjoy your vacation, the kitties will be fine!
jannie
15 years ago
I have left my three cats home with a pet sitter visiting once a day for two weeks at a time. Everything went well, they didn't seem to mind at all. They remembered me when I returned. The pet sitter even bought an extra bag of dry food when she ran out.
verycarrie
15 years ago
Your kitties are going to be just fine! They have each other to play with and are going to have two visitors a day! Sounds like an exciting week for the kitties too!

Enjoy your vacation and know your kitties will be just fine!
sue36
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks everyone.

Leaving my kitties for a week...tell me it will be ok.

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