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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Is it cruel to leave cat unattended for 14 days?

86 replies

VinoEsmeralda · 28/08/2014 14:04

Neighbors gone on holiday and left their 8 month cat alone. Not seen anybody to come and feed it.

I think this is cruel ( same people think it is acceptable to let kids jump on trampoline with rabbit on it)!

AIBU?

OP posts:

GaryTheTankEngine · 28/08/2014 14:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Miggsie · 28/08/2014 14:06

yes - it needs food and water!

PenisesAreNotPink · 28/08/2014 14:06

It will die

There is no way you can leave enough good and fresh water for 14 days

I'd be breaking the door down if it was trapped in or abducting it if it had a flap

limitedperiodonly · 28/08/2014 14:06

Of course it's cruel. I don't understand what you expect people to say.

morethanpotatoprints · 28/08/2014 14:08

I don't know OP.
Some friends of mine did this, but the cat wasn't domesticated, if there is such a thing.
He spent most of his time ratting and only had a flap to the laundry room, didn't really go into the house at all.
It may be mean if the cat is used to company and treated as part of the family.

BarbarianMum · 28/08/2014 14:09

I think it does depend on whether its being fed or not. And whether it's regularly checked to see it's OK. Don't think you could say that it's unreasonable solely on the count of loneliness though.

WiggleGinger · 28/08/2014 14:10

Can you be sure its not being looked after?
Our neighbours kept feeding our cat whilst we were away thinking that we had just left her to her own devices when actually my neighbours in the other side were looking after her!
Ask around.

Original poster

VinoEsmeralda · 28/08/2014 14:10

It has a cat flap and assume one of those automatic feeders. We have water and food out for her but she is very cagey around people since they have gone.

Always have food&water out for her since neighbor said she doesnt need water as never drinks it...

OP posts:

OwlCapone · 28/08/2014 14:11

Assuming no one is feeding it then yes, of course it is cruel.

However, unless you've been watching the front door 24/7, you can't be sure no one's been in to feed it.

I used to leave mine whilst away for a fortnight but a neighbour came in to feed it. I now use a cattery but this actually seems far meaner to me.

Bslami · 28/08/2014 14:12

Please call the CPL. Do you think they thought you would look after it anyway, without them having to ask ?

Also do you mean they place the rabbit on the surface of the trampoline then let the kids jump up & down on it? That doesn't sound cruel, it sounds like torture.

OwlCapone · 28/08/2014 14:12

My cat never drinks the water I leave out for him. I assume he is getting a drink elsewhere.

Siarie · 28/08/2014 14:12

Yes that is too long, although you need to be sure that they haven't made arrangements for someone to come and check on the cat. I can't imagine you are sat watching day and night.

However, let's assume you know for sure that the cat isn't being fed then yes I think that's too long even with automatic feeders and water bottles. I leave my two cats for four days max and they have automatic feeders for wet/dry food plus a drink dispenser that allows them access to fresh water. Lots and lots of litter boxes that are disposable (which after four days are totally full) and also a web cam so I can keep an eye on them.

I wouldn't leave them any longer than that as cats have needs too! even outdoor cats.

Flexibilityisquay · 28/08/2014 14:14

Are you really 100% sure there is no one coming in to feed it? Have you been watching their house 24 hours a day since they left, or have they told you they plan to do this? I'd be surprised if anyone thought they could leave a cat that long. I have an automatic feeder, and it will only do 6 days maximum, not that I would leave the cat that long.

YouTheCat · 28/08/2014 14:17

Put a piece of thread taped between the door and the surround. If it is broken someone has been in.

Tbh I'd be calling the RSPCA. People who don't look after their pets annoy me.

MrsWinnibago · 28/08/2014 14:19

I left my Siamese alone for two weeks. Only he wasn't alone. He had two separate visitors on a daily basis. My Mum very early in the morning and my friend late at night.

both sat with him, petted him, cleaned his tray and changed his food and water.

He was better at home than in a cattery. You don't know for sure...

Pannacotta · 28/08/2014 14:19

Far too long if the cat not being fed/given water.
You could put a note through the door and ask the person feeding the cat to call/text you, as you are concerned for the cat's welfare, or try the thread trick.

MrsWinnibago · 28/08/2014 14:19

youthecat if someone did that to my front door I'd think they were bonkers.

MexicanSpringtime · 28/08/2014 14:22

When my cats were given exclusively tinned food, they never drank water either. If you give them dry food, they drink quite a lot of water

NaughtySpottyBengalCat · 28/08/2014 14:24

I presume you have seen the cat in the window etc so know it is there and not in kennels. How many days has it been left so far? Someone may be popping in but you haven't seen them. They could leave a tap dripping/running for water, though leaving enough food and litter trays for 2 weeks would be more problematic. Can you post a note through the door asking the cat sitter to contact you to put your mind at rest the cat is being looked after? If no answer in 48 hours (depending on how long you suspect the cat has been left already) then contact authorities

scopeisawesome123 · 28/08/2014 14:25

That's terrible If you are worried I would call the RSPCA. Also if they have a rabbit has this been left too?
Are you really sure no one is coming to feed them? Can the cat get out of the house at all?

Smartiepants79 · 28/08/2014 14:27

Unless you are 100% sure no one is going in (and I'm not sure how you can be) then I would just carry on doing what you are doing.
Some cats don't drink water that's put down for them. They drink from puddles etc.
Have you tried putting food on the doorstep, inside the cats territory?
My cat wouldn't notice if we weren't there for weeks, as long as she was fed, she doesn't get lonely.

MammaTJ · 28/08/2014 14:32

I once went on holiday and returned to find I had been reported to the RSPCA.

I had a friend going in to feed my cats twice a day, but they were such babies, they went in search of company. Of course they found some fool to feed them.

The RSPCA stuck tape on door, friends contacted them and said they were looking after my cats.

On our return, one of my cats still kept going to where he had been fed.

The same woman then rang a small local cat rescue place who came and took him away. I rang round all of them and eventually found him.

The woman said 'I thought he looked well cared for for a stray' then tried to charge me for tests etc she had had done. I refused to give her the money as she should not have taken my cat on some stupid womans say so.

Do as others have said and stick tape round. Don't be feeding the cat at your place. That is just stealing a cat in my eyes. If the tape remains unbroken, the ring the RSPCA.

BuggersMuddle · 28/08/2014 14:52

Does depend if he's getting fed. I would expect he'd be going for the food you're leaving out if he was going hungry unless he's really cagey. Could you move the food so that he doesn't need to approach new humans / unknown territory in order to take it?

Ideally someone would come in daily, but sometimes that's not possible. We don't have anyone who can come by locally so BuggersMoggy is usually left on a feeder for 2-3 days, then family cat sit for the same (and give him lots of attention) before restocking the feeder which I can then monitor on KittyCam from my mobile .

As MrsWinnibago's post illustrates, you don't know what pattern people might have in place, so you could miss someone, particularly if they're not there daily or are coming in at an unusual time.

Having said that, the rabbit thing would bother me. I would certainly continue to put food out, but I'd be surprised if he didn't approach it if he was 'abandoned' for a fortnight. Unless of course he's at another neighbour's for dinner Six Dinners Sid

Is he otherwise in good health (not skinny, flea-ridden, matted coat etc.)?

cassgate · 28/08/2014 15:09

We recently went away for 2 weeks. The cat was being fed twice a day by my fil but I doubt my neighbours would have known. Fil is an early riser and only lives in the next street so some mornings was in the house by 6am. He would stay for about an hour feed, clean the litter tray, have a cuppa etc. He would return later in the evening sometime between 6 and 9 pm and do the same. As someone suggested put a note through the door if you are worried asking for the cat sitter to contact you.

Lweji · 28/08/2014 15:12

Are you sure nobody has been in?

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