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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

how long would you leave your cats alone for

61 replies

wtfisgoingonhere · 12/11/2015 19:00

We have 2 cats; 2 years old (if that's relevant?) who are exclusively INDOOR cats.

(I realise some people have differing opinions on cats being indoor cats, but am not asking about that, just mentioned it as it's relevant to my aibu)

I will admit they are quite spoilt and showered with attention and I do kind of treat them like 'children' at times! (We don't have children)

I love them to bits but have a dilemma coming up - my sister's wedding, which means me staying away overnight for a couple of nights

Previously when we've been on holiday my mum has visited (daily) to feed them, top up water etc and give them a bit of a fuss...

Obviously my mum is going to be at the wedding too .
We don't know our neighbours that well as recently moved house, and don't really have any close friends I could ask to pop in

How long would you leave cats for in this circumstance, assuming the litter trays been changed and food/drink topped up?

This is a new dilemma for me and I genuinely don't know what to do or what is ok to do and I'm getting worked up about it

Suggestions welcome

OP posts:

honeyroar · 12/11/2015 19:48

My cabin crew friend would leave hers for two nights while she was away. She had a timer feeder for each cat. I'd do that too. Especially with two cats, as they have company.. I'd rather do that than a chattery personally.

Palomb · 12/11/2015 19:50

I've left mine for a couple of days without a cat sitter and up to two weeks with someone popping in a couple of times a day. I don't think they even notice if we ar there or not.

myotherusernameisbetter · 12/11/2015 19:52

We have a flap so cat can be indoors or out, but we happily leave her for 2 or 3 nights with a full food dish and an extra large water bowl. Any longer and we get a neighbour to pop in.

She's fine, she is happier doing that than going to a cattery, she likes her own house :)

TheBunnyOfDoom · 12/11/2015 19:53

Overnight, but no longer. We have a friend who comes to feed ours and clean the litter trays if we're away for longer. I would use a timed feeder but one of ours has a medical condition and needs to be checked regularly, so a human coming in to check twice a day puts my mind at rest that he'll be okay.

I would also prefer to keep them in their own environment as much as possible. Ours are up-to-date with jabs and flea/worming but I would only use a cattery as a last resort (plus they cost a fortune, we just give our friend a bottle of JD for his trouble).

FishOn · 12/11/2015 19:58

Friday afternoon to Sunday morning is the most for us, and we do that fairly often in the summer. Two cats. Any longer than that and someone comes in, or it's the cattery for any longer trips.

They only like dry food so plenty of that, water each plus a spare, and 2 litter trays.

nortonhouse · 12/11/2015 20:02

You need a good, reliable cat sitter. Are you in London? PM if you are interested and I will send you details of ours - she has looked after our cats for the last four+ years whenever we are away. Feeds, cleans litter box, plays with them. We have three very spoilt indoor cats and they all adore her; one of them now literally climbs up onto her head when she arrives!

LadylikeCough · 12/11/2015 20:05

We have indoor cats and always use catsitters now, from a professional petcare agency (as opposed to giving some random person the keys!). I actually hate the idea of leaving a friend/colleague to deal with the litterbox and inevitable pile of puke; after all the thanks, apologies and bottles of wine involved, you really might as well pay someone instead. Petsitters have seen it all.

lilyb84 · 12/11/2015 20:40

I sympathise OP, we also have 2 indoor cats and that's why we never go anywhere! We've never even left them overnight, although on occasion will leave early and not return until after midnight... but that's the longest we've ever left them without someone popping in. DH doesn't trust our neighbours so we have to arrange for a friend to feed them - twice a day - if we are ever away overnight. Longest we've ever left them was 7 nights for our honeymoon and we had a friend stay in our flat!

While we haven't gone down that route personally I think a cat sitter sounds like a good idea, it's not nice letting someone in your flat, I know (we also rent and also don't let anyone in if we're not here) but if you find someone reliable you'll open up lots more options for yourselves and won't have to rely on your mum.

Me624 · 12/11/2015 21:10

We have left our cat for 3 nights once but that felt too long - 1 or 2 is ok though in my opinion. He eats dry food so we bought one of those hoppers so it just lets more down as he eats it. He goes outside so we didn't need to worry about a tray.

OTheHugeManatee · 12/11/2015 21:23

Get a cat sitter - for 2 cats it's often cheaper than a cattery and they should stop and play with your cats for a bit as well as feeding them/skipping out the litter tray. They'll often water plants and turn lights on and off/draw curtains and stuff like that for security if you ask them.

TwllBach · 12/11/2015 21:30

I will fairly regularly leave mine for a night and have occasionally left her for two. Plenty of dry food and a clean litter tray and she's ok. Not brilliant for 2 nights but certainly quite happy with the one.

Dbsparkles · 12/11/2015 21:31

I prefer to only leave her for one night but have left her for two on a couple of occasions with a food timer. She was fine although I think a bit lonely as she was extra affectionate when we got home. The extra litter tray is a good idea.
More recently I've used a cat sitter who comes in morning and evening which I prefer.

Bishboshbash · 12/11/2015 21:34

We had a friend come in when we left them for 2 nights. Any longer than that and we sent them to the cattery( and had to pay £60 for their jabs first as we were the same as you) one of my cats is a needy git though so probably would have scratched a hole in my carpet if he was left alone before too long.

skittycat · 12/11/2015 21:38

Longest I've left mine is from Friday night until early Sunday morning - leaving totally clean litter trays and full water and food bowls (dry food) They still had food and water left when I returned, but I think they had missed human attention in my absence, tho had each other for company. Any longer and I get someone to pop in on them at least once per day.

chillycurtains · 12/11/2015 21:44

It's a good way to get to know your neighbours. It's not asking a lot to ask a neighbour to feed two cats.

LyndaNotLinda · 12/11/2015 21:45

I'd also only leave mine Friday night till Sunday morning - so basically 4 meals but ONLY because I have an automatic cat feeder - so they will be fed morning and evening the day after I left and then be a bit hungry when I get home (they always have loads of dry food).

I have a catsitter who is a complete cat lover and I trust her absolutely. It's taken me a while to find her but once you find your catsitter (and you will), you and your cats will always be happy when you go away :)

Ineedtimeoff · 12/11/2015 21:46

Our cat sitter is fab. she calls herself aunty Doreen and sends the cat a Christmas card every year. She also puts out the bins and waters the plants if you ask! Her business is doing amazingly well, so well in fact that she isn't taking on any more clients!

I'm seriously considering giving up my shitty job and becoming a cat sitter.

Oh and the most I've left my cat is 2 nights. I think that's acceptable. Any longer would be too much.

chillycurtains · 12/11/2015 21:46

Also do you know any teenagers or have any friends that have teenagers quite close by that could pop in once a day to top up food and check on the cats for a bit of cash. Most teenagers would like the opportunity for a bit of extra cash.

hiccupgirl · 12/11/2015 21:47

We have 2 cats that have a cat flap. I happily leave them for 2-3 nights with a big hopper of biscuits and a water fountain. Longer than that and I ask a friend to feed them and check on them once a day. They do miss us and sulk a bit when we come back but it's less stressful for them than going into the cattery.

I would imagine yours would be ok on their own for 2 nights but more would be too many.

MrsBertMacklin · 12/11/2015 21:49

Overnight only if no-one is coming in to feed. I stay at a hotel sometimes after late night meetings and have a timed feeder, otherwise, just for safety rather than alleviating boredom, I arrange a cat feeder.

My vet was able to arrange cat feeding / litter changing services through their staff.

BertCat was absolutely fine. Reaction on my coming home was essentially, 'oh, you! Let's just have a really long sniffing and bunting session to check it is you and not a doppelganger...yes, it's you, sorted.' then back to like I'd never been away.

Purplepixiedust · 12/11/2015 21:55

I used to leave mine overnight, no more than 3 meal times. I would give double helpings as we left plus biscuits and the third meal would be a bit late.

Any longer we used a cat sitter. Ours was fab, once or twice a day visits and as they got older she did their meds. Do a google, there must be someone nearby. We used petpals at our old house and they had francises all over.

Arfarfanarf · 12/11/2015 22:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

wineandcheeseplease · 12/11/2015 22:48

I have indoor cats but would only leave them for 1 night. Any longer and I wouldn't be happy.

Gileswithachainsaw · 12/11/2015 22:55

given you dont really know your neighbours I'd go with a cat sitter. not sure what happens re exposure to illnesses with cat sitters but it could he possible they won't look after non vaccinated cats so you would need to check that.

if you were my neighbour I'd happily pop in and feed them I've done it befire for friends and it's no bother. but you do need to trust who you are asking as it involves keys obviously.

DonttouchthatLarry · 12/11/2015 22:57

Our 15 year old cat gets very distressed in a cattery, so we prefer to leave him at home. I'll happily leave him alone for 1 or 2 nights, with an extra litter tray and plenty of water and dry food, any longer and a neighbour or friend calls in.

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