Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

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

Original poster

Leaving cat for a week

12 replies

desperateswisswife · 27/07/2018 10:51

This has probably been asked before, but cannot find anything. We have a 1 year old rescue, never had a cat before - so not sure what to do. We recently had to go away for 3 weeks and put cat in a cattery (seemed v nice, plenty of indoor/outdoor space etc) cat seemed unscathed by the experience, but clearly happy to be home. Unfortunately we need to go away again - Fri evening for a week returning late Sun. I can get someone to come in morning and evening to feed and let her in/out. This has previously worked well for the weekend, but is a week too long? She comes back regular as clockwork in and out all day - never goes missing. Is it too risky? Really concerned as cattery may not have room for her.... TIA

OP posts:
viccat · 27/07/2018 10:53

Letting her go out while you're away is risky; cats are likely to wander off when there is no one at home to come back to. Keep her indoors with a litter tray and have someone come in once or twice a day to feed, water, clean the tray and give her some fuss.

Original poster
desperateswisswife · 27/07/2018 11:00

Thanks. Is keeping her inside for a week (she loves being outside) in her own home less traumatic for her than putting her back in cattery?

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 27/07/2018 13:34

I'd put them in the cattery. I used to have a cat sitter but I'm far more relaxed knowing there is someone on hand if needed.

OneThreadOnly0101 · 27/07/2018 13:48

I have someone come in to see mine twice a day and haven't had any problems yet. I've done it multiple times over the last few years, with 4 weeks being the longest. As long as you trust the person coming in to make sure they're home/check for injuries etc then it's generally fine. I do worry about them, but I'd worry wherever they were. I don't have any decent catteries where I am so they'd spend all day in a vets cage... Sad

My boy is having a lot of fights at the moment so I may consider locking them in on my next trip. They'll hate it though...

Original poster
desperateswisswife · 27/07/2018 15:49

Toddler - am leaning that way, but don’t want cat to wonder where the hell she lives as she’s only just out of the cattery.
OneThread - does your feisty sounding cat not go mad being kept in? or does he have access to a flap? (we can’t have one - thought had oit that in the OP).

A year ago we didn’t even have a cat (found her abandoned) I wasn’t remotely interested in cats - but I’ve morphed into mad cat lady and want to do the right thing by her Smile

OP posts:
batshitbetty · 30/07/2018 08:29

We get a cat sitter rather than put them in a cattery. Ours were rescues and were in the cattery looking for a home for months so I am reluctant to send them back to a cattery in case they think we've abandoned them too (I know, crazy cat mum here!!)

The way I see it is they don't like being kept in, but they'd be kept in at a cattery and in a much smaller space surrounded by other cats (which stresses boy cat out) - so being at home in their own space and having the run of the house is the lesser of two evils

Original poster
desperateswisswife · 30/07/2018 13:32

Have found a nice teenager to come in twice a day. Am sure she’ll survive the experience. Agree about cattery being stressy for them - I think another week might tip her over the edge!

OP posts:
serbska · 31/07/2018 22:27

I prefer a live in cat sitter.

I was paying cat sitters £20-£30 a night but have discovered TrustedHousesitters and you pay £90 (or £70 with a discount code) for 12 months membership and it’s like AirBnB for houses and cat sitters where you post your house and cat and dates,and people apply to sit for free.

Have had 2 great experiences with it and actually much better than the paid cat sitters with cat update photos and leaving the house nice.

If you want a code I’ll PM you mine.

I live in London (normal house in zone 3, nothing special) and got lots of applications for my dates. I have one of the sitters signed up for several future dates as well.

Clairetree1 · 31/07/2018 22:29

I prefer to leave my cats locked in the house, with a friend checking up on them every day.

We used to use a cattery, it worked fine for our first cat, the second one got very upset though.

Also, leaving them at home means they actually have far more space

Clairetree1 · 31/07/2018 22:31

wedge all doors open!

you don't want the cat accidentally trapped in one room with no access to food and water and litter tray!

Beamur · 31/07/2018 22:35

My neighbours and I swap feeding cats as favours when we go away. Works well for us, although every time one of their cats see me they assume food is in order! My next door neighbours cat also assumes I will let him in (I have a key) and summons me when his usual slaves are absent.

buttyblahblah · 31/07/2018 22:36

Batshitbetty I'm glad you worry about that too. Mine were in a rescue centre for ages so I worry about putting them in a cattery in case they think I don't love them any more!

What has happened to me?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread