How old should a kitten be before going away on holiday?

[PaperDoves]

We have a four month old kitten. My husband is going on a work trip in late May and suggested that we all go together and make a holiday of it.

I wouldn't like to kennel a puppy until they were at least a year old, but we would get a cat sitter for the kitten instead of putting him in a cattery. He'd be seven months by then, but it would be his first time with no one (even the dogs) at home. Is that too young? We'd probably be gone for four or five days.

Sorry, I forgot to include a photo. Here he is doing his best meerkat impression.

Wow, what a character!

I left my kitten that old for a week at home with someone coming in twice a day, but she was with other cats (they did have the option to go out and leave her in alone though)

I think it would be OK. We left DCat for a similar length of time at 8 months old. We had a lovely sitter who came twice a day for half an hour. DCat seemed fine during and after.

@AllThingsServeTheBeam On further thought, I'm not sure how he'd survive being fed only twice a day, so maybe this isn't a good plan. 🤔

@LulooLemon he really is a character, if he's awake he's up to something!

This is great to hear, thank you! Was he also an only cat?

We left ours with cat sitter at a similar age for the first time. He was absolutely fine. I had sitter coming in twice a day, morning and afternoon for 30 min. I had cameras set up so we could see what he was up to. It was much harder on us than on him.

@Mozartinmyfanjo cameras, that's a brilliant idea!

This is great to hear, thank you! Was he also an only cat?

Yes, only cat. No other pets. We then did a longer break (9 nights) when he was 11 months old. Same setup. He was very pleased to see us when we got home and he probably was a bit lonely, but he was absolutely fine and doesn't seem to have been seriously upset by it.

a house sitter lives in the house looks and after the animals. Some charge, some don’t. Of the sits I do I receive free accommodation, sometimes travel expenses and some food in return for looking after lovely pets.

@dontknowwhatisbest thanks, that's really reassuring. I'm still not really sure if I want to go, but it sounds like he won't be traumatised if we do, which is good to know!

We did similar at a similar age with a cat sitter popping in twice a day. Was fine.

You sound like a lovely house sitter. Unfortunately we've had a really bad experience with house sitters in the past, so not eager to try that again. :(

Personally I'd put them in a cattery, for more than a couple of days. As I feel
More relaxed knowing they are safe.

Is it a UK trip, OP? If so, could you take him with you?