Cats hardly ate while we were away, is this normal?

[Mamma22cats]

Hi

We've just returned from 2 nights away. We have two kitties Luna (13 months) and Mango (19 months). We have a cat flap with a curfew between 11pm and 4am. The neighbour was coming in 2-3 times a day to feed them but they've eaten hardly any food the whole time we were away. There were only 5 pouches in the bin and there bowls were full. The younger of the two feels noticeably skinnier. The older seems to have been basically out from 4 am until 1am coming back at 8.30pm possibly for food and the younger was in and out from late afternoon in to the night but less activity during the day. They also have biscuits so I'm unsure how much of that they may have eaten but it was topped up. They've both eaten lots since our return like they were starving. Is it because of stress, scent - neighbour has a dog. Does anyone else experience this and what do you do?

Mine have been eating a lot less due to the heat, it might be that?

Yeah it might be but it was hotter the first half of the week and there wasn't much change in their appetite.

Mine doesn't eat his usual when I'm away. He misses me!

Yes normal reaction for either their human being away or heat, so with the two combined it isn't too shocking.

If they don't increase their appetite now you're back speak to your vet.

What happens when you go away for a week or more. This is the longest I've left the youngest of the two and I'm worried if we go away for longer she'll starve herself.

Mine hardly eat when I’m away, I use a cat hotel instead now so they can be kept a close eye on as they would get poorly if I went away for a week as they wouldn’t eat.

@Mamma22cats Cat tax please.

Good point, it's the rules!

Yes this is what I'm worried about. We have another weekend away coming up so I might see if I can get someone to stay.

@Cnon Oops sorry this is Mango enjoying some cuddles (not quite sure why it's sensitive, maybe because we're on the bed)

And this is Luna on my lap on the hammock, apparently also a sensitive image. Maybe it's because they're both so beautiful.

I go away for a fortnight, and he eats enough to not wither away, but always has a hearty tuck in after cuddles when I get back!

He has people coming in the morning, afternoon, evening, and bedtime, so he knows he won't be on his own for too long.

Beautiful cats!

One eats one doesn’t. The one that doesn’t barely comes in the house, and the cat sitters never see her. As soon as we get home she dives out of the bushes in the front garden. Strange girl - she doesn’t want to see us when we are home!

Are you sure your neighbour fed them as often as they said they did? Or perhaps they underfed and realised when you came back and questioned it.

Mine goes into a cattery roughly once a year for a few nights and she doesn't eat much. I think it's stress due to change of routine and missing their owners.

I can't imagine they would do that, plus there was food in their bowls and they'd messaged on one occasion saying they still had plenty of food so they didn't give extra.

My girl eats less when I’m away too but I think it’s because she sleeps longer. She definitely doesn’t starve herself.

Cats are just really sensitive to change. However they’re unlikely to starve themselves in the long run. A couple of days of not eating much is unlikely to harm them, they’ll just make up for it when you return.

With the older kitty when we went away last year we took her to my sister's home for her to have a cat vacation, I'd popped around for a cuppa a few times with the cat and she seemed really settled there by the time we were due to leave, but as soon as we did she hid and she was so stressed at night no one got any sleep so they took her home after 2 days and then a number of people popped in on her and fed her there. I imagine she'd be the same in Cattery. Whilst she's eaten lots since we returned I'm not so worried about her as I imagine any food that was eaten was by her when she popped home. The younger one is my shadow and greets me on my way back from putting the bins out. I think I'll try a couple of different people to come in the next time we go and if that doesn't help I probably just won't be able to go away for the next 18 years lol.

Yeah I think this for the older one who spent pretty much all her time outside having adventures, she just came home to eat and sleep, she certainly doesn't feel any different to touch. We actually got the second kitty so she'd have a companion when we weren't about but it's not working out the way we thought as now the younger one who's a home bird is all by herself.

Check that your neighbours are fully replacing the wet food with fresh every time. It's no good just seeing that there's plenty, or topping up what there is, as they most likely won't eat it if it's been out for a while. If they are eating less then fine, put less in the bowls and the remainder of the pouch or tin in the fridge for the next meal.

mg cats definitely don’t eat as much when I’m away - they are very much used to food on demand (and they are demanding!) normally but a cat sitter only comes in twice per day when I’m not there plus I would usually separate the bowls to ensure they are all eating whereas the sitter just puts down the bowls so 1 out of the 4 who is the more dominant I’m pretty sure eats the most!

One of my cats does this, even when DH is home and I am away she will protest by starving herself but she’s a very fussy cat and likes her own way. That or it was to hot for them, gorgeous cats!

It could be this, they normally pretty much eat what I put in their dish in one go, however we have a routine and they're fed at roughly the same time each day, unless they're out and then they're fed when they return. I guess if she's feeding them when they're not around, when they come home it could be spoiled so they're not eating it. I'll make sure whoever does it next time knows to give them fresh on each visit.