Leave dcat at home when on holiday?

[LancashireSquirrel]

We have had our gorgeous rescue boy for three months now, and we are going on holiday in May.

I don't want to put him in a cattery as I think it would be much too stressful for him, so we're leaving him at home. I'm paying a local (well recommended) cattery to come in twice a day to feed & change his litter tray and we're going to ask family and neighbours to pop in as well (I'm going to ask if they'll be kind to sit with him in the evenings, FIL likes to watch our Netflix so fingers crossed he'll go for it!).

BUT I would worry too much about him going out & not coming home when we're away so I'm planning on shutting the cat flap. He only goes out in the morning for a wee, and perhaps a 5 minute (not exagerating!) pootle to the bottom of the garden and back during the afternoon and another wee/poo in the evening. He's out of the house no more than 20 minutes a day at the moment, but I understand that may change when the weather gets warmer.

WIBU leaving him inside the house while we're gone?

My cat has recently had all cat flap privileges withdrawn because he was bringing home little friends to play with. He is still allowed out, but has to show an empty mouth before he come in again.

We have family coming in feeding ours, have done for years. They do let them out for a bit twice a day and the cats do come back in, they do know the family well though. They’re both rescue cats and didn’t adapt well in the rescue centre so we didn’t feel comfortable putting them in a cattery.

It all depends on the cat(s). It's easy to say I wouldn't put mine in a cattery or be snarky about leaving them home but knowing how you cat would cope is key.

No. He will be fine. I did the same last year for holiday with a good cat sitter (don't have cat flap as ground floor flat) and cat was fine. She was keen to go out once back but was absolutely fine at least I knew she was warm, safe and fed.

My two are both hunters and the kitten is Cat the Ripper. They're not allowed beyond the kitchen without being checked.

If I go away for longer than two days they go to a cattery. For shorter periods of time my friend's husband looks after them. They do come in reliably for their tea though.

My boys go to a cattery! I’m not sure why it’s seen as the devil on here! They get a “chalet” to themselves with a heated indoor area and more open “run” and the staff are all clearly devoted cat people who have loads to tell us about their antics when we get back and have clearly spent time with and got to know them! The cattery is attached to the owner’s house so we know they are closely supervised. They go for up to 17 days at a time, once or twice a year and fit right back into their normal routines the day we get them home. I have far more peace of mind than leaving them at home, even with people popping in, that doesn’t feel enough to me- both LOVE company and one in particular would get very lonely!

Both boys lived in a cattery environment during their time in rescue and were put in a cattery within 6 months of us bringing them home and no concerns so we have just continued with this.

By May he'll be going outside a lot more than he is now and the evenings will be light and warm. So I'm going to go against the consensus and say you should definitely leave him at home AND he should be allowed outside as he pleases. It's true they sometimes don't come in when strangers arrive to feed them (one of mine rarely comes in for cat sitters), but if he has free access in and out of the house via cat flap he'll turn up eventually when he's hungry. Cats are outdoor animals so I think best to keep their routine as normal as possible while you're away!

We've used a cat sitter twice, for 10 days and a week, and our cats love her. My ginger only goes to us and her for strokes so I know they do actually like her 😅. Mine have full access to the cat flap and I leave a camera pointing at the catflap and food bowls so I can see them come and go and eat in between visits.

I am much more relaxed if mine a re in the cattery. And they love it there.

Will the cat have an opportunity to meet and get to know the cat sitter beforehand? That will help. I've always used a cat sitter with no problem but my cat is elderly and used to it and I think he's happier in his own environment. Obviously this isn't the case for all cats. We leave a camera on too so we can see him coming and going. I would agree it might create problems if family members are also going in, but that's something you can discuss with the cat sitter.

Cat will be happier shut in his own home than shut in a much smaller, unfamiliar pen. Absolutely fine to leave him for a week. We leave the flap on indoor only for the same reason, in case they get out. If they were allowed out with no supervision we'd come back to all sorts of rabbits, mice, squirrels to make sure we didn't starve. Yes, that has happened

Hide valerian toys for him to find, maybe ask the cat sitter to throw some treats on a slow feeder/activity board to keep him entertained while alone.

I would get your cat used to a harness and lead if you want him to go out when you are away then the caregivers can let him out on his lead and take him in after 10-15 mins . There is enough hazards in going out when you are at home nevermind when you are away. I have a trusted cat-sitter (85yo) that lives 4 doors down and he and my old boy Fergus hang out while I'm at work anyway. The other 2 cats don't get out and stay in while being sitted,but Ferg hangs out with the sitter through the day as normal only going from his house and garden to our garden, and comes in for food. Mavis my female is only allowed out on a leash and accepts that as a normal part of being let out. We have had a cat run down on the road so are quite wary of unsupervised outings now! I an tempted with building a catio so all 3 cats can have outdoor space without most of the risks as it's enclosed. Oh my 3rd cat is not keen on going out at all!

We rescued a cat in April and went on holiday in july, my friend came twice a day to feed him and I left his cat flap open so he could wonder in and out. He was absolutely fine 😊

I'm obviously in the minority here but we let our cats roam freely when we go on holiday. Their catflap is set to come and go as they please, and either have a friend house sit or we pay someone to provide fresh food and water once a day. Both my cats hate being shut in, when we moved house they both became so ill with the stress of being shut in they required vetinary treatment so a cattery or a locked catflap isn't an option. They usually hide from the catsitter, but the food gets eaten so we know they are OK. They also tend to sulk a bit for a few days when we get home, we spot them hiding but close by.

This is reminding me of the epic cat flap thread.

I take my indoor cat to stay with my mum when we go away. It's a one hour drive but he seems very relaxed in the car every time and is quite content there. She loves having him. I think it's preferable to putting him in a cattery.

No, you are not unreasonable.
If you was even moving to a new house you would be ' keeping him inside'
If he was sick you would be ' keeping him inside'
Cats have to learn that they have to stay inside sometimes- he'll be fed and watered.
Is there a windowsil where he can watch the birds outside???????

For a week and with the cattery people coming in I wouldn't have a lot of other people in and out it would be more stressful than being left alone. The cat will be fine left inside with food and clean litter.

I use a good cattery, it would be boring to be stuck in a house all week. At the cattery he could bird watch, sneer at the owners gun dogs, watch the horses being groomed, learn how to miaow like a Siamese cat.

Then he’d see the staff and hear them talking which is company for them.

Mine break the cat flap if we put it on “in only” or locked so we have to physically block it with a box. Just a warning that if he’s used to going out he may break out anyway!

When l just had the one cat l bought a machine from Amazon that releases dry food on a regular basis, plus my sons girlfriend used to come and check him everyday. Never had any problems.

We adopted a stray cat last year and I had exactly the same dilemma. Unfortunately, all good catteries nearby had been booked up well in advance, so we had no choice but to leave him at home with a family member coming in to feed him. He has cat flap access and was absolutely fine! We've been away since and every time he's been fine. He seems to quite like the peace and quiet of us not being there!