My college apartment is about 3 hours away from my home town so I travel back a lot and usually take my cat with me. Im traveling to California on thursday for the Easter weekend to visit my mother and I can't travel with her because I don't want her to be uncomfortable on the flight for that long. Is it okay to leave her at my place with automatic feeders or will she go crazy from lonliness? I can't take her to a kennel because there's not any in the area.
2007-04-03 09:36:35 · 28 answers · asked by Pretty Woman 4 in Pets ➔ Cats
In my experience, it is just fine to leave a cat for a few days. They really are not as needy as dogs. Yes, when you are around you should give them the attention they need, but for example, they don't have to be taken outside all the time to go potty.
Once I had to go somewhere for a whole week and could not find anyone to look in on my cat. So, I just put out PLENTY of water and food and when I got back everything was fine. I just took into account about how much he ate every day and put out about 8 or 9 day's worth. Most importantly though, they MUST have enough water. If the food runs out, not a major problem. If the water runs out, bad, bad, bad.
Maybe you could get one of those dishes that you can put an upside down pop bottle in -- that holds a lot of water.
From what I have read, when there is nothing going on to stimulate a cat's interest, they may sleep up to 23 hours a day. I think that is pretty much what mine did. He was asleep when I got back even.
At first they might be lonely, and it is probably not the ideal situation, but I really don't think that a few days is a major problem. Actually, it seems like they would be better off in their own home where they are comfortable than in a kennel with strangers all around.
Prepare well and go have a good time. Don't worry.
2007-04-03 09:45:50 · answer #1 · answered by animal lover 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would say up to 4 days is okay. Get an automatic waterer and one or two automatic feeders, like you said. Just make sure there's enough food. Cats are pretty good about eating a little bit each day if you leave a bunch out. A dog would eat it all in one day and starve the next 3 LOL..
If it's more than 4 days, or regardless, you can pay a neighbor/neighbor kid that you trust 5 or 10 bucks to check in on it, or feed it once or twice while you're gone.
kids always like an easy fiver.
Oh, and totally change the litter the day you leave, so it's spanking clean. That way up to 4 days should be okay.
2007-04-03 09:40:53 · answer #2 · answered by Shelly P. Tofu, E.M.T. 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The most time I left my cat was for 5 days when my husband & I had to take a trip for a family event.
He was fine on his own.
I put out five huge bowls of water and three huge bowls of dry cat food. I also made sure to leave him with a clean litter box.
When we got home, the litter box was full, but he still had food and water. I just put out a lot just to make sure that he wouldn't run out.
One thing about automatic feeders that I don't like is that they can get clogged and stuck. I do not use them.
2007-04-03 09:42:38 · answer #3 · answered by DOGnPONYgirl 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Make sure she has plenty of water and food. An extra litter box is a good idea too. Purchase a few extra toys and hide treats around the apartment. Leave the curtains open or blinds open on a window so she can look outside. She'll be your best friend when you return.
2007-04-03 09:44:00 · answer #4 · answered by Bowllynn 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some cats react better to being left alone than others. If your cat is used to going everywhere with you, she might have some major seperation anxiety. If it's just for the weekend, then you can probably leave atomatic feeders and lots of water for her. When you get back, give her lots of attention!
2007-04-03 11:24:00 · answer #5 · answered by Rabbit 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your cat will be fine alone for a few days. Just leave her plenty of water and dry food to eat. Leave several of her toys out for her to play with also. Leave a radio on softly so she will hear human voices while you are away. I left a cat I used to have alone for a long weekend once and I actually called home and talked to my cat over the answering machine she he would hear me and not think I abandoned him. That cat lived to be 20 years old so he survived me leaving him for a long weekend.
2007-04-03 10:23:32 · answer #6 · answered by Me, Myself & I 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your cat will be fine for a few days. Leave a radio on and get her a catnip mouse. Also, see if you can get a friend to check up on her once or twice (just to spend 20 minutes or so). I leave one weekend a month for the National Guard and my cat gives me a lot of attention when I come home. She'll be fine.
2007-04-03 09:41:48 · answer #7 · answered by War Veteran 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you can leave her alone for the weekend. Consider setting up an extra litter box for her while you're away. If you are concerned with her becoming lonely or sensory deprived, leave the radio on at a low volume.
2007-04-03 09:42:57 · answer #8 · answered by sleepingliv 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it would be ok of she has an automatic feeder, so she'll have food to eat. We leave our cats at home whenever we go on vacations, and they do just fine.
But make sure you change the litter box right before you go our it will stink really bad when you get home. ;-)
2007-04-03 09:41:35 · answer #9 · answered by Kaitlyn. 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She'll be fine, she's a cat.
Auto-feeder is good, leave the toilet seat up for drinking if she needs it.
Extra cat box might be a good idea, too.
We just got back from a few days away, and boy was ours glad that we were home.
2007-04-03 09:38:34 · answer #10 · answered by Geico Caveman 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋