Leaving a cat alone on holiday

[Moominfan]

Going away Friday afternoon, will be back Sunday evening. Neighbour can nip in a put more food down for her. Would you leave your cat alone this long? I just know she's not going to be happy about it.

I wouldn’t because my pair are naughty torties and would wreck the place then escape when the neighbour popped in and bugger off.
Does your cat know the neighbour? Is home better than a cattery?

How often will the neighbour come in? When we go away we have a cat sitter that comes in twice a day

Is it an indoor or outdoor cat?

Neighbours met her once when the cat walked into her house. Then ran and hid when she came across her dog. She's mainly indoors. She's only interested in going out at night when it's dark. I've timed her last pouch around 10ish so she comes in. Don't let her roam all night as I'd worry.

I would keep cat in while you're away and ask neighbour if they can pop in once or twice a day.

A couple of days she'll be fine, a neighbour popping in will be much less stressful than a cattery.

Tried this with my two when I went abroad for two days. Came back to a broken catflap and no cats . Its not a long time to be away but never underestimate the determination if she wants to go outside! I have a heavy box to block the catflap now - lesson learned!

If we're going away for a couple of nights, we leave enough food and water (we have a pond too that they prefer to drink out of) and leave the cats to it. We shut all the internal doors except the kitchen, so they have the run of the hall, stairs and landings and can get in and out to the garden. Their beds are in the kitchen, too. Any longer than two nights and the neighbours come in for us. One of the cats spends time in next door's house anyway.

Put an old jumper or something that smells of you for her to sleep on if she wants. Something made of wool is best.

So just the weekend? Yes, it's fine, most cats are much happier in their own home than a cattery. Ideally a catsitter (or friend/neighbour) to visit every 24 hours. I would probably want a visit Saturday morning and Sunday morning in this case.

Catflap locked is safest, litter tray available of course.

We have left our 3 for up 3 weeks! But with a trusted pet sitter going in twice daily. 2 out of 3 are outdoor cats but we keep them all in. We also have webcams to be able to check on them remotely.
Ours would hate a cattery, 2 were rescues and a cattery environment is too traumatic for them.

I leave mine - plenty of food and water and then leave the doors open to all rooms. I always get the impression she is slightly annoyed on our return ...

Definitely, your DC will be fine.
I'd leave mine for weekends but can't any more as she has injections and pills everyday and nobody but me can get a pill down her.

I used to do this with my cat when I flew for a living. My df popped in daily to feed him and play with him. I had a shed that had a basket in there for him, the door had a bit cut out where he could get in and out. He loved it.
Cats are independent, so much easier to leave for longer periods.

We leave our 2 for weekends on their own no problem. We have a timer cat food meal thing and I always leave multiple water bowls and a big pile of biscuits. Mine have a cat flap so go in and out as they please. We do shut bedroom doors (checking they are not in there!) If we go away more than 3 days I get a neighbour to come in and feed them. Mine have never been to a cattery. I always think they are happier at home.

We do for a weekend but any longer and he goes to the cattery. My friend will pop in on the Saturday afternoon to check him and let him have a run usually, but we have a timed feeder we use if we are away or out for a long day. He loves it as he generally gets extra food and as he's always hungry greedy that works fine for him!

Yes, I do think they miss us as they are aggressively affectionate afterwards but it is still the best option. Getting them into a box, driving to the cattery and leaving them in a strange environment just stressed them out.