Going on holiday - leaving cat at home

[Maggiethecat]

We have a space at a cattery but wasn’t very happy with them the last time.

my neighbour might be able to pop in every day (10days) which was fine time before but am concerned especially about the heat.

also, because cat grazes I’m not sure about leaving her food out with flies around.

at home I cover her bowl which she’s able to get to by flicking the cover off but I’ll replace cover if I’m passing by the bowl. Today for example when I went to cover it there was a fly in it (not loads of flies about but they do wander in if doors are open)

has anyone left theirs at home with someone popping in and how has it been?

is there anything like a good dispenser that works? (am about to google if they exist but opinions on them would help!)

Ours much much prefer it. The only time they went to a cattery they were miserable and so clingy when we got back. We leave food but they only have dry.

We always do this and the cat prefers it. Lovely neighbour comes over in the morning feeds cat and lets it out. Comes back in the evening, lures cat inside again with food and locks him in for the night.

I leave my cat at home because he's much happier. My friend pops round once a day to check his litter tray and top up water bowls etc. And replenish the timer bowl. I have a Cat Mate 5 meal timer bowl and it works great. Think you can get different sizes so if you want to do little and often you can get a 5 meal one or 3 meal one if not

We always leave ours at home with family going in twice a day - they prefer it ten times over.

They get their cat flap, their territory and safe spaces, family members they know popping round to feed them and chill with them for attention - it's minimal disruption for them.

We've got kitty cameras so can check in now and then and we normally get daily photo updates from family. Longest we've done is 15 days and there's never been a problem, we do it a few times a year for a week or more and then occasionally a weekend.

Dont they need cuddles too?

Your neighbour MIGHT be able to pop in every day? That wouldn't be sufficient to convince me to leave my cat home alone. Also, if she's on wet food, you're right that isn't very hygienic in warm weather. Could you switch her to dry while you're away? She will get lonely too, unless she's a very independent cat. Will anyone be able to go in and spend a bit of time with her? I realise neither neighbour nor cattery is ideal - but ideal is very difficult to find.

We leave our cat at home and pay a cat sitter to come in and feed her once a day and set a timer feeder for later on. She also plays with her if she's around, cleans the bowls and brings in any post for us.

We have a couple of Cat Mate dial timer feeders and a digital one that dispenses dry food - it was from Amazon and under £40. Worth seeing if you can switch at least one feed to dry food if your cat leaves wet food. Ours is a gannet and will eat anything she can lay her paws on so she never leaves anything!

We usually have our neighbour pop round twice a day but our cats have been more reluctant to go outside lately so had to get a litter tray, so we'd need something more. So this year we're getting a house sitter! Free holiday for them, free house/ cat sitting for you.
Just after we'd signed the house sitter up, our cats suddenly decided that they would go outside to do their business after all. But she's still coming as I think our cats still like having someone around

You cannot leave wet food out uncovered, even with an automatic cat feeder. Flies will lay their eggs in it

Forgot to say - I'm sure our cat is happier alone at home than she would be trapped in a tiny room in a cattery. We're surrounded by woodland and she has the run of it.

@MargotMoon - just had a look - how does it work? Does the lid open at programmed times and only when the cat is near and can you program for how long you want lid to stay up for?

Automatic feeders for wet food are covered - the lids pop open when it's time. The Cat Mate ones take those plastic reusable ice packs in the bottom to keep the food fresh.

I’m currently cat sitting - go round twice a day to remove old dry food and put out fresh, replenish water and empty litter trays. They are indoor cats and quite shy so no fussing required (or appreciated). They are fine, even in this hot weather.

You can only program the lid to open (at least that's how mine works. Don't know if where are fancier digital models).

You can't program it to close again

The problem is the cat's grazing!

We use a Cat Mate but ours finishes within 15 mins (she likes eating a bit, going round, then coming back to finish it off).

We also don't have flies. Not sure how you have so many but we don't leave doors etc open.

Should have said I might be able to get neighbour on board - he popped in every day last time (different time of year)so would only do this if he could do it every day.

she only has dry food - very fussy and is a grazer although her feeding pattern might change to longer feeds if forced too

I pay someone to come twice a day, though I usually go away in May/early June before flies are really a problem. Catteries are stressful for all but the most chilled cats.

Does she eat dry food?

Cross-posted with you. Yes there are dry food dispensers, and IME flies are much less interested in dry food anyway!

We don’t have many flies but one or two do come in when patio doors are open.

Oh dry food is absolutely fine.

I have an automatic cat feeder that rotates around and has 3 slots which I use if I'm away overnight. It has an ice pack that fits underneath so keeps the food cool. It's by catmate.

Any longer than overnight, your neighbour should pop in daily so that your cat has fresh water.

We have a food station which is activated by the cat's microchip, which we bought when just 1 of our cats was on medication. It has 2 compartments and can be used for wet (with an icepack under the secrio) or dry food

We pay someone to come in once a day. Our cat grazes too but it’s not a problem with dry food.
I use a gravity dispenser if we’re just away for 2 days.

I prefer the cattery tbh even if my cat doesn't.

I know he's safe and looked after in the cattery, if he gets into a scrape at home someone has to sort it out.

Your neighbour needs to be really onside when it comes to a ten day trip. Would they be willing to take her to the vets for instance?

@Maggiethecat

Have a good think about any friends with 6th form/Uni aged kids that might happily stay to have some space in return for cat feeding/fussing. (Or adults who have gone home to their parents for a bit)

over the years I've been the trusted child/teen to look after the neighbours cat (2 visits a day) for pocket money, 15+yo yo house/pet sit, 20yo to house cat/dog/child sit, had various kids/teen/neighbours do the same for me & now I'm doing the same for friends. I live alone, so it's no big deal to stay at theirs while they're away & pet sit. Kids too, but obviously more work!! 😂. I'm currently staying at a friends and doing the school run for her 17yo (no public transport) and sorting shopping/meals. The 17 year old is lively but hates being in the house overnight by herself & we get on well, so it's no trouble. I can go to mine in the day to do bits if I want.

Anyway, that's what I'd do, but if you don't know anyone, the neighbour popping in will be fine (depending on how needy your cat is!!).

if I was your neighbour I'd be happy to pop in at various times to give your cat small amounts of wet food & clean up dirty bowls etc, leave a decent size bowl of dry food & a large bowl of water (we had a big dogs bowl)

You say your Neighbor can pop in every 10 days...! That's crazy, perhaps it's a typo.... your cat needs fresh water, and food.... flies are highly likely to lay eggs on food left out and it won't last in the heat anyway....! No animals should be left alone for long periods of time... I understand catteries are not great.... But there is a fabulous website for pet sitters it's called www.trustedhousesitters.com here you can find someone lovely to stay at your home when away, and look after your pets, often they don't charge anything or it's a small amount... you just put an ad on and you can contact people, or they contact you.... I'm honestly a bit surprised that so many people are suggesting leaving your pet alone.... I think it's actually illegal and certainly quite irresponsible, what if something was to happen to them whilst you're away... ok if the neighbours are popping in twice a day to actually check on them... feed and check their water.... but much better to get a pet sitter...