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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Going on hol but no one to look after my cats!

28 replies

rebellove · 06/07/2015 21:16

Booked a late holiday for August but my neighbour says she can't feed my two cats for me. I've tried to book them in a cattery but they're all full plus having two becomes expensive. I don't have a cat flap but I do on my shed (they normally don't use it - preferring to come in and out of the house). I wondered whether to buy one of those automatic feeders/water dispensers and put them in the shed. They have bedding in there.
Any advice greatly appreciated! Thanks

OP posts:
patienceisvirtuous · 06/07/2015 21:20

What the hell?

Those cats are your responsibility. You should have been sure you could arrange adequate care for them before you booked!!

You can't just put them 'in the shed'. How long are you going away for??

My cat tips her auto-feeder (trying to break into it) then it can't open at all. Plus they only have a few compartments and are intended for a night or two max!!

You need to suck it up and pay for a bloody sitter or cattery.

You don't sound like a responsible owner at all!! Angry

Sparklingbrook · 06/07/2015 21:21

How long are you going to be away?

LIZS · 06/07/2015 21:22

Book a pet sitting service?

cuntycowfacemonkey · 06/07/2015 21:22

They'll be fine outside and you could pay a local teenager a few quid to come and top up their food and water.

cuntycowfacemonkey · 06/07/2015 21:23

A shed with a cat flap and bedding is perfectly fine at this time of year. But I do agree that for a week away you need to get someone in to feed them.

Sparklingbrook · 06/07/2015 21:24

I don't think cats that are used to coming and going in the house will be fine outside TBH.

cozietoesie · 06/07/2015 21:25

Try a cat sitter - there are loiads around and a good one should really do them proud.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 06/07/2015 21:26

Someone needs to check on them even if you could autofeed for that length of time.

Wolfiefan · 06/07/2015 21:26

Overnight I would use a feeder and lots of litter trays. Longer than that then forget it.

AwfulBeryl · 06/07/2015 21:27

I would rather ask a friend or family before leaving them in the shed, which don't sound very appealing tbh, my cat would have the right hump if we did that.

If there really isn't anyone you can ask then I would look in to a pet sitting service as a pp suggested.

Sparklingbrook · 06/07/2015 21:28

It might be worth trying a few more catteries. Send some emails.

Hassled · 06/07/2015 21:28

Google pet-sitters - there are plenty around. I have a fantastic woman who comes in twice a day to feed, will take the bins in and out, pick up post etc. It's not especially cheap but I factor in the cost to the holiday.

Moresmores · 06/07/2015 21:28

We have an auto feeder which we use for over night stays. Ours has 2 compartments but I think you can get 4. However that would only do you 48hrs... Can you not ask a friend or a responsible teen who might like to earn a bit of pocket money?

cuntycowfacemonkey · 06/07/2015 21:29

TBH I think my cats would prefer a cosy bed in a shed in a familiar garden where they can come and go as they please to being cooped up in a cattery. Cats are fairly hardy no harm will come to them from sleeping in a shed in the summer.

slippermaiden · 06/07/2015 21:29

You can get people who come and feed the cat for a set price per day, they will water your plants of you like too.

Sandsnake · 06/07/2015 21:30

Try going to your local vets - there are always adverts for cat feeders (human!) in ours.

patienceisvirtuous · 06/07/2015 21:31

My sitter is £10 per day for two visits (which includes feed, water, litters).

Moresmores · 06/07/2015 21:31

Sorry just seen you don't have a cat flap. Even if the neighbours could feed how were the cats going to get in/out of the house?

oddfodd · 06/07/2015 21:33

Ask on your local Facebook site (or your vets) for cat sitter recommendations.

I will only leave mine with the auto feeder for 2 nights (ie if I'm leaving Friday evening and back lunchtime Sunday). No longer than that.

Sparklingbrook · 06/07/2015 21:35

My cat wouldn't like the OP's arrangement and is far happier at the cattery. I am too as i know where she is and she is safe, I would worry that in our absence she would roam.

But her routine does revolve entirely around the people in the house and the house.

All cats are different though. Maybe OP's cats would be ok.

Original poster
rebellove · 06/07/2015 21:50

Thanks for your replies!
I'll look into a local cat sitter..

OP posts:
Original poster
rebellove · 07/07/2015 14:51

Btw 'patience' considering I took the cats in because they'd been abandoned outside and were starving to death, I don't think I'm such a bad person like your post seems to imply!!

OP posts:
patienceisvirtuous · 07/07/2015 18:29

I didn't imply you were a bad person, but I did directly say that I thought you were irresponsible.

Nice that you took them on, but when you do that you need to do it fully, and that includes sorting out adequate care for them when you're on holiday.

Your proposed solution might be okay for one night, but even then - not really. Any more than that then it's a terrible and irresponsible idea.

Glad to see you accepted advice re the cat sitter.

addictedtosugar · 07/07/2015 18:35

We leave our cat for 2 nights with an autofeeder, water inside and out, run of the house and a cat flap. He never leaves the garden.

Longer than that, and its the cattery.

I agree with trying more catteries, or pet sitting services as next point of call.

BagelwithButter · 07/07/2015 19:31

Www.trustedhousesitters.com

Www.homesitters.co.uk

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