To cancel our holiday because of the cats?

[crisikrinkles]

I know this is going to sound crazy but here goes
Me and my partner have two cats who are 4.
One boy and one girl,the girl is very nervous.
We are going to mexico next weekend for 14 nights.
They are going to my Dads.
We live a hour from my Dad and he’s in his 80s so can’t travel daily to check on them.
They stay every holiday but I worry constantly.
My dad has a spare room which he has a cat tree and blankets and toys for them and they have the upstairs of the house.
He has a dog and he has downstairs.
Theres a downstairs door which has a chain on to stop dog getting up and then a door at the top which is locked with a chain too.
He goes out one day a week for two hours for shopping .
Im terrified he will forget to lock the door and then the dog will then somehow get through the other door to the cats.
(so there’s two seperate locked doors between them )
or they will run out of the front door when my dad opens it (even tho there’s another locked door between that door )
Would aibu to cancel holiday ?
Partner would got crazy I think
I dont know what to do
They have stayed

I’m a cat sitter, I have 2 house cats of my own, I know all their sneakiest of tricks. Seriously, don’t cancel your holiday because of your anxiety. Either find a cat sitter you can trust so they can stay in their own environment or trust your dad.

You are being unreasonable. You also worry your dad won’t lock the door. You can get the pet sitter to send pictures every time they are in your home and there’s no reason they’d be stupid enough to let the cats out. Your issue here is your own anxiety, there isn’t a real issue regarding the safety of cat sitters.

Also what is your reason for no cattery?

I don’t like the idea of a cattery because I worry they think we have abandoned them..we spend all our time with them and the girl is a total lap cat

Pet sitter or cattery. De-risk and de-stress the whole situation

If they are going to think that they will think that your dads also 🤷‍♀️

In need to get a grip I think
Try and think how nice the room is at my dads
how much he loves them and they are safe
I think my anxiety is bad at the minute

Was that meant to be a poem?

Yes, you would be mad to cancel your holiday.

I’ve spoke with my dad about how I’m feeling and he suggested I text him the day he is going out and he will reply telling me the doors are all locked ..and I can enjoy myself

That’s right - this is your anxiety talking. Don’t listen to it. Consider a medication review with your GP, and use any other tools you find helpful for managing your anxiety in general. Don’t listen to PPs suggesting you’re too anxious to go on holiday or that you’ll stress the cats out more by taking them out of the house etc either. You’ll be fine and the cats will be happy and loved! You’ve got this.

@FelineFeaststhankyou that’s helped me! I just love them so much and worry about them ..partner thinks I’m crazy ha ha

Look at Trusted Housesitters.

You have found a reason to talk yourself out of every alternative. Everything you say is riddled with ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’. It’s just pure anxiety talk.
They’re cats. Everything will be fine. This is your anxiety - not reality.
Please go and enjoy your holiday!

Your dad sounds lovely and supportive. I think your cats are going to be fine with him!
you might want to consider a medication review if your anxiety is worse than usual though

You sound like you need a holiday 😉

It’s great your dad isn’t dismissive of your anxieties. He sounds like a great guy!

Enjoy you holiday. Might be worth a medication review when you get back it your still feeling off.

x

I completely understand how you feel and often feel the same about my cats. It's probably too soon to think about a cat sitter as it would be a good idea to get them introduced and meeting a few times before the holiday. My pair also sound very similar to yours, nervous girl and boy cat who would scoff her food!! Could you maybe put a few signs up in your dad's house, maybe one at his front door saying in bold writing "remember to close the cats door!!" Hopefully he wouldn't be offended but it's just a way of prompting him to remember the door.

It sounds like the set up at your dads is pretty good but before your next holiday I’d be looking round some catteries so that next time you won’t have this worry . What sort of dog is it anyway ?

Remind yourself that if you dropped dead at home, those two would eat your body without a second thought. And they'd enjoy it!

Stick em in a cattery and enjoy your holiday.

I'd have thought a cat sitter would be pretty on the ball with all this stuff.

your dad is 80. You are not overly anxious. Just about the right amount of anxious. Definitely try find a local cat sitter they can be as little as 8 quid a day.

I’ve already done this ha ha
i have one saying close door on the door and another on front door saying “dad double check doors closed “
They are still there from the last trip

He is a lurcher
Really friendly but sometimes doesn’t like certain animals.

Whaaaaat? Plenty of 80 year olds manage cats.
Don’t validate OPs anxiety talk - that’s not fair.

In my experience managing dogs and cats together can be difficult and I’m not 80

Your partner is right - this is crazy. There are plenty of other options, but you cannot get past dwelling on the unlikely "what-ifs" - you can't not go away for the duration of their lifetimes!