I came across this photo from a visit to the central coast several years ago. Some day I am determined to walk there again. This was such a beautiful walk.
Question - how many of you have cats? And if you have cats do you leave them home alone when you are away for several days. I've always thought that we needed to board our cat but now I'm thinking she can certainly be at home for a few days with plenty of food and water. She sleeps most of the day.
She is so filled with anxiety when we put her in a pet hotel. She literally foams at the mouth when she realizes where she is going. She wouldn't eat for two days and the pet hotel we use to take her to, Pet Smart, told us she wasn't a good fit for their hotel. (she had been there five times in the past) . We made sure it was on her record that she wouldn't eat for two days. However, the last time we took her was Thanksgiving of 2019. She had only been at the hotel about 18 hours before we got a call early in the morning telling us that they had taken her to a vet because she refused to eat. At that point we said we aren't paying any emergency vet bill because it was on her records she wouldn't eat for a few days. (We would usually leave her for four days). We asked them what did the vet say - ..he diagnosed her with anxiety, lolol.
Because we refused the vet bill that is when we were told she wasn't a good fit.
It finally dawned on me this morning that we could just leave her home.
Any advice on that - ..?How long would you leave a cat alone? She's always been an indoor cat.
Siento no ser de mucha ayuda, porque cuando he tenido gatos ha sido cuando vivía en la casa de mis padres. Desde niña he crecido con ellos y siempre ha habido alguién con ellos. Aunque me siguen gustando, desde que me casé, vivo en un piso y no tengo espacio especial para poder tenerlo y que no esté todo el día en nuestras habitaciones. A la hora de dormir, no estaba en ninguna de las habitaciones y en lo que en los dormitorios jamás entraron.
ReplyDeleteMe ha gustado mucho tu fotografía´. Hoy te escribo desde mi otro blog.
Years ago when we only had one young cat, we boarded her, and she was miserable the whole time, wouldn't eat, hissed at the people, etc., and after we took her home she wouldn't eat for 3 days. I took her to the vet who ran all kinds of tests (never again!) only to diagnose "anxiety" from the trauma of boarding - just like your vet told you! Well never again did we take her to board, we just made sure she had a safe and secure source of water and food and she was always just fine.
ReplyDeleteWe have four cats, and we leave them in the house. Since we moved to the suburbs, we now have our neighbor check on them a couple times a day, but they really are find. The only reason I want the neighbor to check is to make sure nothing has happened, like one of them getting stuck behind the washing machine (no chance, really) or some kind of illness.
Wish I lived close, I'd check in on your cat for you. :)
thanks for telling of your experience. It helps to read how others have done this. thanks Linda.
DeleteWe took a long 10 day trip when Ink was a kitten. I had a friend look in on him each day to feed, water, change the litter, and cuddle. When we got home, a lap had been broken, a little blood on the wall. I think we were gone too long even with someone coming in once a day. Poor Ink must have felt we had abandoned him. We never went on another trip like that. Ink was my cat and had imprinted on me. My girlies said when I left the house to run an errand, he was okay if I came back within 30 min. After 30 min. he would cry and wander the house looking for me. Now we have Calli and Quill. When we went on a trip to ME this Summer, I had the Young One stay home to take care of them. They are also on demand feeding, getting wet food 2x per day though I leave out a bit of kibble even though the vet doesn't want me feeding them kibble. I couldn't imagine leaving these babies when going on a long trip. Quill would eat up any food that was left out. (Ink was good at policing himself on how much to eat). I thought about sending them to pet hotel, but both cats are so skittish, I thought it wouldn't be good for them. Rather than just having someone look in on your cats, would you consider a pet sitter? Someone that comes into your home to stay with them? Maybe you have an older niece or nephew? Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteThanks CJ. Very interesting to read and yeah 10 days would be long. Beanie is too picky when it comes to wet food. We have tried several different kinds. The first day she will eat a little and then for several days after that she will only eat kibble. I think probably at the most she would be alone for three days. No, I don't have anybody close to come in and feed her and i just can't bring myself to find a cat sitter to stop by ...i don't want strangers in my house so that wouldn't work either. All my private thoughts are contained within my journals and there are too many to pack up and take with me, lol. Enjoyed reading you.
ReplyDeleteHi, Sandy. Well, we have two cats. We've never been away since we got the younger one (she's five), so I don't know how she'd react, but we have been away with the older one in the past. We left her and the other cat we had alone for two days. I think that's about as long as I'd leave my cats alone at home with enough food and water. Three days would be pushing it but if we had no choice, I might do it. Any longer than that and we'd get a pet sitter who would come in once a day to feed them, freshen up their water and play with them for a bit. But we will never board them. I think that would be too traumatic.
ReplyDeleteI would leave her home but have someone check on her daily and clean her litterbox. I’m a retired veterinarian and that’s what I do with my cats.
ReplyDeletedon't have anybody close to do that. Thanks for the suggestion. What we will do is leave three litter boxes and a lot of food and water for two to three days. I would think she would be okay..hopefully.
DeleteOh dear that's a worry. I've never used a cattery for my cats always worried about them catching something. I have used a couple of cat sitters who were really good as I think cats are much better in their own homes. Well they sleep for hours on end after all. They used to send me photos of the cats so I knew they were OK. Now my daughter and family don't come on holiday with us so she pops in a couple of times a day to feed & chat to them. These two cats are sisters and spend a lot of time together playing & grooming each other so they're good company.They love it when I come home & they can get out into the garden, that's what they really miss.
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