Leaving 6month old cat for 4 days

[Rollergirl1]

We have a just turned 6 month old male kitten. He was castrated last week and has had his pre-op check-up and the vets are happy with his recovery. He has been going outside in the back garden supervised for the past month and as far as I can tell he doesn't venture any further then ours or next doors garden (always appears after a few seconds when you call him.) Yesterday and today he has mastered getting in and out using the cat-flap. The plan is that he will be free to come and go as he pleases during the day but that we will keep him in at night as we are on a fairly busy road.

We are going away for Easter and I have arranged for my teenage neighbour to come and feed him morning and night. She is also happy to sit with him for a few hours during the day so that he gets a bit of human company. This works well for her as she is currently revising for exams and can use our place as somewhere quiet to sit and study. The cat knows the neighbour as she comes to clean/babysit regularly so he is comfortable in her company. Now that he can use the cat-flap he can get in and out himself and the neighbour will shut him in for the night.

Do you think he will he be okay? I figure that he will be more comfortable in his own home rather than a cattery which I would imagine to be quite stressful. But I'm just worried about something happening to him. Please reassure me.

[mollymole]

As long as he already knows the neighbour and has a bit of company I think he will be fine. Leave her the number of your vet in case of an emergency. When we are away for 3 or 4 days our friends come around and feed our cats etc and they seem very happy. I would also make sure that even though they are locked in the house at night the internal doors are propped open so that he can get to his food bowls/litter tray and not become trapped any where.

[SecretSquirrels]

It sounds fine, as long as you are not going to worry about him while you are away I think I would do the same for an odd night.
We are going away for 9 days so my 8 month old is going to a cattery for the first time. DS and I went to inspect it and it seems very pleasant, but he will be so bored and I'm sure he will miss his home .

[Fluffycloudland77]

Is the cat sitter going to keep him in overnight? I only ask as RTA's tend to happen at night.

Personally I wouldnt. He's young and not streetwise and he's only just started going out. But thats just me and theres no saying it wont be fine.

I use a FAB approved cattery for our cat when we go away.

[golemmings]

We've just taken our 6mo kitten with us on an overnight visit to my dad. She's a bit skittery anyway - won't think about going out - and she spent the first 6 hours hidden in a duvet and the next few hours sitting on the stairs looking freaked. next morning she stayed hidden under the sofa but she was at least confident enough to eat and use the litter tray by then.

All in all, it was a bad plan and we'd've been much better leaving her at home with our other cat assuming I'd remembered to ask someone in advance to empty her litter tray regularly.