Is it worse for a cat to be lonely or in a shelter?

Question

I have to be out of town for a month and I haven't been able to find a cat sitter for my kitty, even though I asked around a lot and I offered to pay people. One person has offered to come by before and after her work to take care of his basic needs. I know she won't spend much time playing with him because she's busy and has a baby. A neighbor has also offered as a back up person, but she won't be able to spend more than the minimum time with him because of her allergies. He's an outgoing cat who likes a lot of attention. Is it better to leave him in his familiar home although he may be bored and lonely, or put him in the animal shelter with all the other cats? I'm worried he might feel abandoned. He's only three and has already changed owners twice.

He instantly liked the woman who offered to help. Maybe it was her mommy voice. The trouble is that the time she can spend with him will be so limited.

The shelter would be temporary. It's like a cat hotel if the owners pay. There is no better quality kennel around here.

Answer 1

I'm sure someone else has pointed this out, but a shelter and a kennel are completely different.
Shelters are where you bring a stray or unwanted animal and you sign it over, giving up complete ownership and the shelter can euthanize your animal any time.
Kennels are where you pay to board an animal, which is what I think you are suggesting.
I have worked in both.
Believe it or not, the SPCA I worked at was nicer then the expensive kennel that was in an upscale part of town near Philadelphia. But it sounds like you have visited the kennel and it is nice.
Absolutely, 100%, keeping it at home with a reliable sitter is the better option. But the person must be reliable and willing to clean the litterbox.
In a kennel/shelter environment, your cat is more likely to catch something (upper respiratory infections spread so easily among cats.) And it is more expensive and stressful. The cat wont have windows to look out of or any of the things he is used to.

But a month is a long time. Maybe you should think about whether you really should have a cat at all. They can manage on their own, but if you do this a lot it is not fair. When I worked at the kennel, some of the animals where there for three weeks at a time, home for a week, back for two weeks, etc. The owners were never with them so they never got trained, so the owners boarded them all the time. Not very smart or good for the pets.

Answer 2

Both of the options you have mentioned would be torture for the cat psychologically.

You seem like a compassionate person from the way you wrote the additional information. You seem to want to give your pet the environment and conditions she deserves while you are away, and be as humane as possible with the resources you have available. Therefore I want to help you, however your situation calls for extreme measures that you may not want to undergo as a sacrifice for the well being of the one you love.

Just remember, your cat will reflect ten fold the love you give them, and likewise will reflect ten fold the carelessness and discard you give them. You get to decide at any time how strong you want your relationship to be with your pet.

From your additional information, you seem to know very well that a cat with an outgoing personality cannot survive on food, water and boredom. It has emotional and intellectual needs as well, just like human beings.

So here's the bottom line: Assuming the animal isn't dead in a month ...

If you send them to a shelter they will change, becoming more guarded, defensive and aggressive.

If you leave them alone at home they will lose their outgoing personailty, becoming robotic, careless, uninterested, bland, introverted.

Find a better way! Be the compassionate person I know you are, the person that loves their cat, the way they curl up on your lap when your watching TV by the fire.

The cat would be best off going to a place where there are other friendly cats (not a kennel or shelter, but like one of your friends' homes who also has a cat), where they will be provided with all their needs. This also means there are no strangers around your home, which gives you better security, and it doesn't burden the people you say have so little time to do what your suggesting. It's also much cheaper for both you and the other person, and the cat won't feel abandoned.

If you don't know anyone else who owns a cat that lives near you, find someone. Go door to door and meet your neighbours, which so few people these days do. Offer to pay 5 or 10% less than what you would give a good kennel, and when you give the cat you also need to take their toys, litterbox, food bowl, and their food (enough for the full term).

Lastly, talk to your pet. You may think it can't understand the words you are saying, but I can assure you it most definately understands your tone of voice and body language. It will know just from that that you intend to leave it, and that you can assure it that it will be safe and you will be back soon.

That's my rant. It's up to you to do what you think is right, good and proper, even if that means discarding my advice. I'm just glad you read it, that's all.

Good luck.

Answer 3

I read all the other answers and I have to agree- if he's had three changes of living situation, moving him to a shelter will stress him way too much. He'll be exposed to things he doesn't need.
However, you are quite right to worry about his socialization needs. The temporary caregivers cannot provide this.
I wouldn't go with a kid- they's be too tempted to use the house to hang out. But I really liked the idea of asking a vet tech to help- you could probably pay one to come in three times a week and play.
Maybe you can also put a radio or tv on a timer so he has some voices to comfort him as well (and deter burglars also).
And do call. My cat, when she is lonely, will knock the phone off the hook to listen to the lady say "we're sorry- we cannot complete your call as dialed, please hang up and dial again..." I always wondered why the phone wasn't being answered when the kids were home. Then I caught her and realized she was lonely for me. Now when everyone calls to leave a message they also call her and talk to her. And she is only left for a few hours.
Your voice will be very reassuring.
Expect some negative behaviours when you get back. Returning will take adjustment too.

Answer 4

i would leave the cat at home i think providing U KNOW he will get the care he needs. i'm sure the new mom is very busy but i think she would atleast give him a pat...and ya know if she's not bring baby with her to care for the cat it would be a break for her and she might just play a bit i know i would have time away from new baby is nice..lol...ask her... as far as boarding at an animal shelter i'm not sure i would want to do that either because how much time will get spent on him playing ect.. will he cooped in a cage night and day? or is it a free roaming room?
are u paying these ppl(not the shelter)? if not ask them both to check on the cat that way he can see them both...
thats tough cause my dogs stay with 'gramma' when we go some where for the weekend if we can't take them. but we did have 2 cats only one now and we left them alone together at home.

Answer 5

He will be happier at home. If someone is prepared to call in morning and night for feeding and litter cleaning then there is no problem. Yes cats love company, but they also have times when they can quite happily be by themselves. I've had cats all my life and honestly the most loving of cats can give or take your company. At least you'll know that he won't be subjected to diseases and illnessess that go through shelters even though the cats are all supposed to be vaccinated etc. Leave him some toys and plenty of dry biscuits and water - but please make sure your friend will be calling in daily and feeding him his tinned food as well - and he'll be as happy as a pig in mud with the home all to himself - to sleep where and when he likes . Hope with helps.

Answer 6

Check your local phonebook or vets office. There are plenty of Vet Tech's that try to make some extra money by pet sitting. And there are plenty of pet sitters out there, you just have to look. Call all the vets in your area, someone should be able to recommend a pet sitter. He'd be more stressed by being put in a shelter than being alone at home most of the day. At home he'll feel secure even if your not around. If you put him in a shelter he'll feel abandoned.

Answer 7

Please don't use a shelter. For one thing, animal shelters are not the same as boarding. If you much take the cat somewhere, use a boarding place, not a shelter. Shelters don't watch people's animals while they are gone. If you use a boarder, please be sure that your cat is current on his vaccines and that he is negitive for feline aids/leukimia. Also, cats are more independent animals than, lets say, dogs. They can handle being alone. Maybe, if you can, think about getting another cat to be there for you current cat. That may help the abandonment he may feel.
Hope this helps and you figure out the best for you cat!

Answer 8

Wow that is a tough one. A whole month is a long time. I had to be away from my cat for about that long, she stayed with my roommate, but when I saw her she had lost allot of weight, i.e. she missed me. Anyway, I would venture a guess and say shelter (I am thinking you mean kennel). Both will be stressful, but your cat is more likely to get attention at the shelter. Be prepared to get the cold shoulder for a little while when you get back.

Answer 9

Put him in a good cattery if he goes outside, but if he is a house cat it's ok to have someone come to feed him, change water, litter box etc as long as they are reliable just make sure he has toys to play with and somewhere to sleep, cats are not pack animals and can deal with being by themsleves for a while, however if he is inside by himself if is probably a good idea to have a light left on in an area such as the laundry where the food , water and litter box are in one room so he can see where they are when it gets dark you wouldn't want any accidents!

Answer 10

I personally think he would be much happier in your(his) home. If you have someone that will come twice a day to take care of his basics, feed and take care of litter, water, I would keep him there. Also you do have a backup(make sure that they have each others phone # just in case there would be a problem and the regular couldn't make it for some reason. My vet has always told me that a cat is much better in it's own environment. Good luck, I know you'll miss your cat very much. If you can, call him and talk to him on your answering machine.When I watch my sisters cat, I always call her on the cell phone, and she talks to her cat.