Would it be OK to leave my boys overnight?

[kittensliveupstairs]

Me and DD need to go to London in a fortnight's time. We would be leaving home at 6.30am on Sunday and returning around 3.30 the following afternoon.
Would the boys be OK if we left them with food, water and litter? I don't know how I would be able to get them to a cattery, the car is dead so it would involve a couple of buses.
I don't know (or trust) my neighbours well enough to ask them to feed and water them.

[DooinMeCleanin]

Could you get one of those dishes with a timer on so they still get two meals while you are away?

If you leave enough food for two meals, they'll eat it all in one go and then shit all over your house. Or it might just be my cat that does that

[noddyholder]

Yes they will be fine. We are leaving ours for a night. I leave a huge bowl of biscuits and water and then give them a huge breakfast and when they have finished that re fill the bowls If they eat it all in a few hours they can eat the biscuits!Mine do howl when I get back though

[kittensliveupstairs]

I will have a look for a timerdish. My plan was to give them a tin of kitten food and then leave a big dish of dried (they aren't keen) and a bowl of water.
That way at least they will have eaten one decent meal and when they are hungry enough, they have no choice but eat the dried gear.

[flaminglip]

oh cats!!!

fgs.

[kittensliveupstairs]

Yes, cats. Don't they deserve a bit of consideration? Did it surprise you that in a section called the littertray, I would be asking questions of a feline nature?

[alegre]

They'll be absolutely fine. We occasionally leave our 2 for a night.
Just ensure there's plenty of water, feed them wet food before you go, leave plenty of dried food and feed wet food when you get back. Must say I'm more paranoid about my cats not having enough water and bought this last year:

www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500002901&langId=-1&searchTerms=PET+WATER+STATION

One review mentions filters but I've never used it with filters and don't think it needs them. I now keep it out constantly and the cats seem to like it.

[stinkyfluffycat]

If it's hot then leave an extra bowl of water out - I was looking after my friend's cats while she was away a couple of weeks ago when it was really hot, fed them at lunchtime one day, set their timer bowl for dinner and breakfast and came back at lunch the next day and between 2 cats they had drunk the entire (huge!) bowl of water I'd left for them. I'm sure they were fine (didn't drink once I'd filled the bowl) but it made me feel guilty!

[stinkyfluffycat]

Or call your vet - there are lots of cards up in mine advertising pet - sitters and the vet might be able to recommend someone trustworthy. Usuaally about £5 per visit and then you know they'll get a cuddle..

[alegre]

Forgot to say (if anyone is interested) that the Argos water station isn't electric - some pet water stations are. I initially bought one from a big, national pet shop but had to take it back 'cos the fact that it had to be plugged in caused a few issues (for me, not the cats ). This one, you just fill up and put down, no plugs or anything else required.

[DontCallMeBaby]

I would. Ours only eat dry food, and graze throughout the day though, so I'd just make sure their bowls were really full. Water bowls full, plus the washing-up bowl as well in case they knock the bowls over. Although they find all sorts of places to drink from anyway, dripping taps and stagnant puddles mostly.

[kittensliveupstairs]

They'll be getting a practice run on Saturday. A friend phoned last night and we have made arrangements for him to come over with his three sons and for me and DD to go back with them for a BBQ and overnight stay.
Max time the boys will be alone is 14 hours.
Currently, they are running around like loons and sliding on the laminate floor.

[Tortoiseonthehalfshell]

I've left mine alone for longer than that lots of times over the years. They're now 12 and 15, so clearly fine!