Cat Advice needed: Leave cats home along for a few days

[LynneSin]

I have a neighbor who normally cat sits for me when I'm out of town for a few days; however, it turns out she'll be out of town too. I really don't have a neighbor who could take care of the cats so I'm curious - just how long can I leave my two cats 'Home Alone'

If I do this, they'll last get fed on a thursday morning and then I won't return until sunday. I have both food & water mega holders, plus a few other water dishes out just to be safe.

Will my two cats manage for a few days without me?

BTW, if you haven't voted already - please vote for Abbott for pet of the month!!

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[MissMillie]

1. I'd be more worried about the litterbox...

how many days can it go w/o being scooped before the cats will start to reject it?

It sounds to me like the food issue is ok.

They WILL miss you, to be sure.

[LynneSin]

7. I've gone three days but

I can also put a spare one in the bathroom too

[MissMillie]

16. cool!

I think they'll be fine then. I hope you have a nice trip!

[malta blue]

2. I have left my cats

alone for that long in a pinch (leave town in a rush for a funeral, etc.)

They were always fine, angry at me, but fine.

Is it cold where you are? I would leave some fleecy blankets out for them to curl up in just in case your heat stops working, things like that.

Good luck!

[LynneSin]

9. Hell, I keep my windows cracked during the wintertime

My apartment has heat included which for some reason means it's a sauna in my apartment.

In case there was some emergency, my upstairs neighbor does know I have cats incase the firemen had to get in there because of fire or something. I'm not sure what would happen to the cats HOWEVER but cats have lived outdoors for a period of time before I adopted them

[malta blue]

13. Then your cats should be just fine...they may be a little

pissed off at you...but they will get over it:)

[MrCoffee]

3. i've left cats for weeks at a time...

a big pile of food, plenty of water, and a new litterbox.

i don't really think they've noticed my absence all that much.

[ceile]

6. They're great like that aren't they?

Little bastids!
We feed them and water them......

[MrCoffee]

8. seriously...you give and you give, and what do you get in return?

dead things piled up on your doorstep.

i know it's a sign of love and all, but really, YOU eat the damn bird.

[ceile]

4. They should be fine with plenty of food and water.

I used to leave my cats for days (no more than 3, or they got "nutty")to visit family. I wish I could do it now, but one cat has diabetes, so I either have to find a sitter or I don't go any where.

[WhollyHeretic]

5. I used to have 3 cats. I left them home for that long a number of times

They were fine. I would put out another litterbox when I went. There was always food and water still left when I got home. Cats won't gorge themselves. They didn't seem distressed at all :shrug:

[haf216]

10. I leave my two alone for long weekends.

I just make sure they have plenty of food and water. I also leave the toilet seats up just in case they knock their water over. Cats can live longer with out food than water. (And mine could really afford to miss a few meals LOL.) I think they will be fine, just a little mad maybe.



edit for spelling.

[jannyk]

18. I do that too

- the toilet seat thing. Both my cats (and dog) are quite adept at bathroom cocktails, even when they have plenty of fresh water available

[haf216]

20. Yes, even tough I have a cat "fountains"

they still drink out of the toilet every once in a while. They are funny little things, but you got to love them.

[LynneSin]

21. I worry about that too but refuse to give them the toilet bowl

Instead I just put out about 4-5 water dishes including an oversize one. Plus, one of their main food dishes is a foodbowl inside a cake pan (my stepfather made it for me). That's where i've always kept their dry food but bugs tend to get in it when the food sat out for the day. So even that dish has water in it. (the bugs can't swim)

[canadianbeaver]

11. I agree with post #1 - litter box

If you can put out a couple extra boxes for them, they will appreciate that. We have gone many times for 3days and had no one to come over to check. They will be a bit pissy when they see you next and you may end up with a little smelly surprise in something you own, but depending on their temperment..you should be fine... I have been lucky to have a couple of cats that can handle a smelly litter for a day or so..

Jasper and Shade - sure love my dudes!!

[LynneSin]

12. I'm not the best litter box cleaner

I try to get it at least every other day, I have gone three days without issue.

[canadianbeaver]

19. I am one lucky girl.....my hubby does the litter box...I do the food...

good deal for me!! Yeah he is a good guy and cleans them every day.....he says we wouldn't like to be going in the same toilet for over a day, so why should they...I get what he means, so when he is away out of town I have to keep up the daily duties...its ok tho...I have a nice mask I use if I have to...

[lildreamer316]

14. Another thing to do:

(Possibly..)is to leave the tv on,or maybe the radio.
It seems to remind them of human company, and keeps them from going "nutty"; as someone put it elsewhere on the thread. It works well for my babies when I have left them before. However, YMMV. Each cat is different......
This is also a basic and cheap theft deterrant for your apartment/house.

[SoyCat]

15. Cats can do strange things when they are left alone so--

Even if they don't usually chew, I'd unplug everything in any room where they have any access.

Leave multiple litter boxes; you'll be glad when you return!

Only leave toys that are indisputably safe. (No strings, bells, wiggly eyes, feathers, etc.) You don't want to come home to a cat that has choked or hurt a claw)

Remove all plants and breakable knick-knacks--baby safe it.

Leave a battery radio on that is set to a calm station.

It sound like you already have the food and water situation in order.

If you have blinds, make sure that the cats can't hang themselves in the draw cords. They should be two separate cords that are not connected in any way.

If I think of anything else, I'll add it. I think normal, healthy cats can safely stay alone for short periods of time if proper precautions are taken.

Good luck!

[jannyk]

17. I've left mine alone for up to 4 days

and they've been fine. They have ample access to dry food and water and I put out one extra litter box - so it's not too stinky when I get back.

My 80lb dog, of course, is a whole different ballgame and either has to come with or go to the doggy hotel.

[Kali]

22. Hell, I leave my bird alone for several days at a time.

Cats can go a week or more, depending on water quality. Wow to you folks that change litterboxes so often. Mamakitty gets hers changed on the order of every two weeks or longer if the weather isn't too humid! (of course it IS a big plastic bushel bucket with at least 5 to 10 lbs of litter in it)

[haele]

23. Thursday through Sunday is fine -

Make sure there's at least three clean litter-boxes out and that you put out the fresh kibble just before you leave; you don't want to leave kibble out too long as it might go rancid after a few days. There's various timed feeder bowls you might be able to get for that purpose. The one I'm thinking of has up to four compartments that are opened one at a time on a twenty-four hour timer.
Make sure there's plenty of fresh water available.
Make sure there's no breakables, loose threads, old food, etc, that's left out that could be a danger to kitties. Close the doors of rooms you don't want them getting into while you're gone. Unplug electric items that could be turned on and cause fires and if there is the least chance of the cats being able to turn the stove on, take off the knobs. Don't laugh; there's more than one house fire that has been caused by a bored cat inadvertently turning the stove on while they're investigating an interesting smell.
Keep the toilet seat down. Kitties don't like swimming.

Two or more cats will keep each other amused and comforted whether or not you have anyone over cat-sitting. If you're still worried, have someone drop in just to "check" on Friday or Saturday whether or not you have them to play with the cats, re-fill a kibble bowl or pick up any litter box mess.

Most of all, have fun. A few days gone won't hurt your babies any. If you have an answering machine with speaker playback, go ahead and call them once a day - it can make you feel better, and one of your cats might figure out how to work the machine and play messages back to hear your voice - one of mine did with my old tape-based answering machine.

Haele

[xultar]

24. I have 6 litter boxes and 2 cats. I've done it for 10 days.

I have the large gravity feeders and waterers. I hid bowls of catnip and their torys around. They were fine.

Leave a couple of windows cracked and shades up just enough so they can sit on the sill and see out without figuring out how to slit the screen and jump out.

[shanti]

26. i did 10 days too with the same setup

but had someone come check on them about halfway thru. they were fine.

[cwydro]

25. Yeah, I've done it

With lots of food and water and an extra litter box. Never for more than 3 days. And mine have each other. I would not leave ANY animal completely alone for that time. A cat maybe could handle it; leaving a bird alone is cruel IMO.

edit: to add time span

[LaurenG]

27. They won't like you anymore for a while but they'll be fine

I leave the toilet seat up just in case the 6 bowls of water I leave don't last. I also leave the dry food out of the cupboard, in case they need to get their own food. (I worry that I could be delayed, I get a bit paranoid when I leave them. I also leave a house key with my boss in case I get in a wreck, lol)

They'll be fine but I know how you feel. :hug:

[trof]

28. Ace has been 'home alone' for a week.

Maybe he was exceptional.
We left him beaucoupe food and water and 2 BIG litter boxes.
And he was an indoor-outdoor cat.
He was fine when we returned and DAMN was he glad to see us.
He didn't leave my side for almost 15 minutes.
;-)
No sweat.

[begin_within]

29. I don't feel comforatble leaving my cats alone for more than 8 hours at a time.

I always hire a cat sitter, even for overnight one night. If you go your nearest veterinarian, they usually have cards or flyers advertising cat sitters in your area. It costs me $18 per visit (and I usually have them visit twice per day) but the peace of mind I get from it is worth every single penny. Plus they will do other things like bring in the mail and newspaper, water plants, turn the lights on and off, etc. But it's really for the cats' sake, for them to have a fresh bowl of water every day, make sure their food bowl is stocked, litter box cleaned, and that they get some love and attention while you aren't there to give it.

[bbernardini]

30. This is why we have automatic feeders and litterboxes, and a fountain water dish.

Yes, our cats are spoiled, but it's really about making life easier for me and my wife. Before we got the automatic feeders, they started waking us up an hour before feeding time (6:30 AM). Now, they let us sleep. The automatic litterboxes are also great. Since the water fountain filters the water, keeping it fresh, we just have somebody check in on them every few days to empty the litterboxes and make sure the water level is okay.