Number of cat sitter visits needed.

[prideofaberdeen]

Please be gentle with me! We are going away for the first time since getting our boy. He's a lazy sod, but he does go out once a day. He usually poos outside but is fine using a tray.
I'm sorting out a paid cat sitter, and I can only afford one visit a day. I'm in contact with neighbours too to see if they can help out, but I'm not expecting much from them (pop in and make sure there's food). So the likelihood is, he'll be inside for a week (no flap as yet). Am I a terrible cat owner???

How long have you got before you go? Would you not have time to get a cat flap fitted? Giving our cat the ability to go outside as and when, has revolutionised things for me! I don't worry half so much about leaving him for periods of time now.

No, you are not a terrible cat owner. He’s probably safer indoors if you are away as you know where he is. If you have a cat sitter once a day you could consider a simple timed cat feeder to open at e.g. supper time if they come in at breakfast time. Does he play with toys? Like catnip? Have a selection and get the cat sitter to switch them out on a daily basis and freshen up the cat nip to keep him entertained.

Thanks. No I don't have time to get a flap fitted, unfortunately. He really is very lazy, spends a lot of his time asleep on a box! I'll get a timed cat feeder at the weekend. He's not a very greedy cat, so he can be trusted with a couple of pouches in one go!

I tend to keep the catflap locked when I'm away, and only have the catsitter in once a day - I have two cats. One goes out once a day and doesn't go far - I don't think she misses going outside. The other one is new to outside and loves it - she will miss it but is also more likely to wander further and I'm not confident that she'll return if I'm not around to call her back. Having a closed catflap also means the catsitter is definitely going to see the cats and check them over - if its open they could be "out" whenever the catsitter comes round. The cat might lose part of his freedom while you're away, but he's safe, and in his familiar home and has much more space than he would at a cattery - so you're really not a terrible cat owner!

Our charity does catsits for adopters and it is in our conditions that cats must be kept indoors throughout a catsit (other than in exceptional circumstances such as cat proofed gardens). This is much safer for the cat - less chance of wandering away with no one at home to return to, and obviously less chance of injuries etc. that no one would then see for a while.

Most cats are fine with one visit a day, too.

he maybe a little grumpy, but he will be safe.

welcome to the guilt of being a cat slave who dares to go on holiday.

@viccat ....I've adopted an older outdoor cat last year (he lived under an old car...the last micro chipped owner said she didn't want him ☹️)....my sitters feed him in an outhouse. If locked him in, I would have serious concerns about him actually dying of stress.
OP - your cat sounds quite ok indoors, be nice though if the sitters could play & interact with cat a bit each day.