Wants to leave young cat to fend for itself whilst on holiday

[Catsaver]

I have been dating someone for a few weeks, and we have been getting along very well… I thought.

This evening, she told me she was going on holiday, and mentioned a young cat in passing… she hadn’t actually mentioned she had a pet at all!
I asked: “Who will be taking care of the cat?”
I was told that the cat would take care of herself!
What about water? “Cat never drinks at home”
And food: “Cat is a good hunter”
Can I collect your cat to be rehomed? “No, cat will be lost and confused to be taken to a strange place”

What would you do?

It made me very sad and upset to think of a cat coming “home” one day to find the family have upped sticks and left one day and all the doors and windows are closed!

It's not that I don't like it. I've had a dog with separation anxiety. It was awful. It's more that you're acting like they all have. And they really really haven't. One of my cats sometimes is in the same position when I leave him in the when I left him in the morning.

My dog, old now, doesn't even get up to great you sometimes as he's too comfy. They are not stressed, in the slightest.

Yes because it's incorrect

Anyone who leaves a animal for long periods is
imo not responsible

Not really a cat person, and my knowledge of them is limited to my DGM's farm cats which lived outside anyway. But the pig man came everyday regardless to look after the porkers.

Definite disapproval of treating a dog in this way. Ours is rarely left for more than an hour to two.

Long periods?

You said everytime you leave.

It depends on the cat and the situation doesn’t it? My cats are ex feral. They had never had a home before 2yrs old. I know that they would be able to look after themselves if needed.

Having said that, I would still never go away without leaving them food and water and access to somewhere warm and dry.

If this cat has never been feral or shown any hunting skills then it’s very mean. And leaving no water is cruel.

According to the Cats protection league website, maximum time is 12 hours

How long for, couple of nights is fine if you have a cat flap - leave a decent sized bowl of water and dried food.

Any longer and got a cat sitter or used the cattery

@Mycatmyworld

That's ridiculous, many work longer shifts!

Mine would prefer to be at home, being fed and let in and out while we're on holiday than be stressed, locked up in a cattery for a week. I don't need the cats protection league to tell me that.

It’s strange. I’ve heard people say that about cats in general and their own in particular, but I’ve never had a cat which didn’t scoff all its food in one sitting. I’ve had five over the years and they’ve all otherwise had quite different personalities.

You have 2 options really. Be upfront or sneaky.

Tell her she is breaking the law and that you disapprove and if she goes through with it, report her.

Or say nothing and take the cat to the rspca while shes on holiday and report the incident.

In either case, you really have a moral responsibility to intervene. One option is more open and honest but will be more confrontational.

Either way, I couldn't e friends, let alone date them anymore.

My cat is meant to be a working cat but she's utterly shit at it. She'll kill absolutely nothing and we actually need her too.

I would get the cat then report her to rspca. Disgusting behaviour towards a cat or any pet. I would done anyone who did that.

Oh no! My current cat is such a good mouser that I lend him out to friends.

Me too, our cats are 18 this year and when we go away (be it for a few days up to 2 weeks) we've always left them at home with family or friends coming every day or every other to give fresh food and water.

They have access to the whole house and a cat flap, I'm sure they'd prefer that than going to a cattery!

The whole point of this thread is that the cat in question won't be fed or let in and out, it will be abandoned

This

But regardless of if cats are OK being left, they certainly aren't without a supply of water and food! So I agree OP, leaving a cat to totally fend for itself is horrible. I couldn't date someone who thought that was ok

We leave our cat at home when we go away. He isn't really a people cat and hates being inside. So we leave his cat flap open so he can come and go as he pleases, leave a massive bowl of water and every now and then my mum will pop in to top up his food bowl (he's a grazer so he rarely empties it and I'm aware he has several dining joints on our street so barely ever eats his food at home!).

It would be absolutely pointless for me to pay money for someone to come every day or for him to go somewhere else. He doesn't come back for days sometimes in the summer! (Live near fields) and he'd be miserable somewhere strange where he was stuck in doors all week.

So yeah basically he tends to fend for himself mostly when we go away!

My ex-husband insisted on feeding the cats a strict morning / evening routine which resulted in 3 food obsessed cats with near weight issues.

Next husband let me do it my way - free feeding, and I've got the slimmest maine coon you've ever seen.

I do think personality plays a part too though

I agree with all your comment except taking the cat - the OP would not be able to surrender the cat as it's not theirs. I'd call the RSPCA/SSPCA as soon as she leaves for her holiday and say the cat has been abandoned as the person is on holiday for X days with no-one coming in. That would count as neglect.

Unlike dogs, they regulate their eating so won’t scoff any food left in one sitting.

Tell that to my three 🙈😂

I think personality and kittenhood experience plays a huge part.

My last cat was a rescue and obsessed with food. She had been abandoned as a kitten and not found until she was about a year old. We had to be very routine about her meals as she would eat every last scrap.
I look after my friend’s cats who are equally obsessed. One was a feral and the other came from a house where there were dozens of cats.

My current cat was a rescue but had been with her mother with a Cat’s protection foster family until she came to us. She had never been in a position of food shortage She is a lone cat. She grazes and I’ve only ever seen her bowl empty once or twice. She never fusses for food.

Can you please tell my 2 boys this please?

They bring me half eaten rats/mice frequently. In the past they have brought live ones 🤮