Cat sitter whilst I'm away - live in, or pop in?

[CheeriosOrFrosties]

DCat is about 18 months old. He is an anxious little thing, not particularly keen on new people (quite possibly because he very rarely meets any!) and any contact needs to be very much on his terms.

He has been to the cattery a couple of times, but hates it in the car and twice has peed in his carrier on the way back from the cattery (it's about a 30 min drive and there isn't one closer).

So I thought that for when I go away this time, I would try to arrange it for him to stay at home, and either get someone to stay in the house, or for someone to pop in twice a day to feed him.

He has never been left overnight before, and I don't know what the better option is. Two people have been recommended to me, but I don't personally know either of them, so I've also got to bear in mind someone staying in/coming into the house who I don't know!

WWYD? Have someone live in, or just come in twice a day to feed him?

(In case I sound anxious, I am - I have OCD and anxiety and overthink everything, but I'm trying to go away for a few days with my kids over the summer and expand my life a bit. I have had cats in the past and have never had anyone to stay in the house before, I've always just had people pop in, but somehow I'm doubting myself massively over what the best thing to do is here)

I just get a family member to pop in, in the morning to let out the ones that want to go out then pop back again at tea time to let them back in.

I feed dry so I just fill the bowls right up and family member just tops them up if needed and checks they have adequate water. One is currently recovering from an RTA and is secluded in a room on his own, and I go away in a few days, shes going to stay and spend an hour with him at tea times so he gets some attention.

We use a local cat sitter now after our cats were traumatised staying in a cattery!
She came and spent time with us the week before to meet the cats - who hid from her. She sends us daily pics and updates, plus it’s useful to have someone coming in each day for security purposes.

Does he go outside?

We used to have overnight sitters for our boy who was also anxious and needy. He loved them and they loved him - and it was actually reassuring to know the house was looked after. Cat in a Flat and Trusted House-sitters were the sites we used.

Is it just the one night or two nights? He will be fine on his own for either

honestly he might be better left on his own if he’s anxious. Less chance of him making a dash for it outside if someone comes to visit

get a cheap indoor camera so you can watch him come and go and have a family member on standby if there’s any issues

i leave mine loads of wet food when I’m away for a night but they never eat it. Maybe a water fountain and a couple of cat litter trays

i learnt, prob too late, that my previous cat was so less stressed when left to her own devices inside the house when I was away a night or two. Obviously not much longer than that

Hi @CheeriosOrFrosties
Cats are territorial so if they are anxious as well, the drive then cattery may be too much.

As a cat sitter, I am biased but I say find a sitter (ask at your vets if they have an apprentice or employee who would be willing to stay over of drop in and feed then plan accordingly). This should at least allay your fears?

A drop in is basically a welfare check and "housekeeping". It is trying to find the middle ground because, despite people thinking cats dont want company, they do. It has to be at their schedule/on their terms.

Hope all works out but home (however you do that) sounds best for your kitty x

because, despite people thinking cats dont want company, they do

THIS! get a second cat when you get back from holiday

We have someone pop in twice a day, she sends pictures and videos of the cats and changes food/water and litter. The cats prefer this as they are nervous around new people. However I have two cats so they are company for each other. If your cat is shy with strangers, he may prefer someone to just come round a couple of times a day. If you’re away for a while then a sitter might be better.

Thanks all. I'm going to be away for 4 nights, so not very long, but too long to leave him with nobody coming in to feed him.

Yes, he can go outside and has a microchip cat flap.

He did have a brother, but he sadly died just after he turned 1. I'd love to get another cat/kitten but I think DCat would hate it. Maybe I'm wrong, but the last thing I would want is to force him to leave home because he's pissed off with a new cat.

I guess I could get someone to stay, but if he seems unsettled by this, that person could switch to just coming round a couple of times a day to feed him?

I'd get someone to pop in. If he's nervous he might hide when they come round which is difficult then if they're staying. I've used and would recommend Cat In A Flat to find a sitter. You can book one visit a day or two and in your case I'd say book two.

Do you think he will be freaked out that I go from being there every night to him being by himself for 4 nights?

(Feel like I'm massively projecting all my anxiety onto this poor cat!)

Your cat will miss you less than you might imagine.
We used to use a cattery but now use a cat sitter. I also have an automatic feeder, a basic one with two dishes.
Cat sitter comes in in the morning, feeds breakfast and changes water. She sets up the automatic feeder for 5pm with wet food and 10pm with dreamies.
He has a cat flap.
He's a cat, he really doesn't care. If he had the choice of cat prison or a sitter I think I know which he would choose.
My cat sitter will stay for 30 minutes to play if required but she says he's not interested and just eats and hops out again. She sends me a picture each day if I want.

Thanks all. It’s really helped to put things into perspective a bit more and realise that it’s me with the problem and the cat will likely be just fine.

(Maybe it will encourage him out of waking me up at 3am to feed him…)

We have MIL come in morning and night - she’s cat person, retired, and we are very lucky! We don’t have a cat flap, and she will let the cat out and then potter about until he comes back (he doesn’t go far).

I also follow a cat sitter on our community facebook page who seems lovely, so if we were in a position to need to pay someone I would try her. I know she does a “meet and greet” free before the actual paid period.

I was really anxious at leaving our boy for the first time - he’s just past two - but he was absolutely fine, and probably thrilled not to be shut in the kitchen overnight! Our previous girl cat used to be pretty pissed off if we went away, but always a total sweetie for MIL. (Lets forget the time MIL left the keys on the kitchen table, and shut the front door on the latch. Back door obviously locked. We have a vestibule so she couldn’t even feed through the letterbox. That was a drama!)

We used to have neighbour come in every day, he'd say he never even saw the cats but could see they were using the litter tray. Now we have a large automatic dry feeder and a couple of water fountains and will happily leave the cats for a long weekend. If longer the neighbour pops in a few times.

I think if your cat is nervous he'll probably hide anyway but sitter can let you know litter tray has been used and food eaten.

Don't worry too much if food isn't eaten, mine reduce their intake massively when we're away then tuck into the over flowing bowl the second we come through the door.

For four days get someone to come in a couple times a day, or even once a day.

@OnTheBoardwalk do you have any recommendations for an indoor camera?

@CheeriosOrFrosties I just got a cheap nest one from Amazon. If you've got or ever think you’re going to get a Ring doorbell I'd suggest an indoor ring one. I pay the subscription (£50) for recording but you don’t have to

i got one for my old cat so whilst I was at work I could see she was moving about ok. It also points at my hall to cover my front door

just be warned though, he will make you suffer no matter what you do when you get back 🤣

We have two cats - one of them is quite anxious and neither of them loves strangers.

When we went away at Easter, my brother and his partner stayed in our house for most of the week to look after the cats. I thought this would be best for them as they'd have someone there the whole time - and also people they already knew and who had stayed with us quite recently. At the end of the week, they had to go so our neighbour popped in instead.

The cats actually were not at all happy about having different people staying instead of us, and spent the first few days hiding under a bed refusing to come out! I felt quite bad when DB was making a special effort to be there for them! I think they probably preferred the pop-in arrangement at the end of the week!

So on that basis, I'd just get someone to pop in.

I have a Tapo C210. It’s really good and picture is clear. Currently £20 on Amazon.

Do you have to pay a fee with this one?

Thanks, I'll have a search on Amazon.

Yes I'm sure he will ignore me even more than usual when I get back!

Thank you, that's really helpful to read! Your poor DB!!

Cats like to stay in their own territory so staying home is preferable to cattery.

They don’t like people they don’t know in general.

i got someone to pop in, although she liked them so much she did cuddles as well and now they like her 😀.

mine get pretty anxious when I have guests, the only one they’ve really got used to is my daughter as she comes so often.

No. There is an option to pay for premium features if you choose but I don’t bother with them.