Please read and advise

I_am_mad

Hi everyone,

I have recently rehomed a cat and I love her dearly. However, I have been wondering if I have done the right thing. I have been offered a full time job and I don't know if I can look after her any longer. She is extremely adorable and mischevious but I don't know if I have enough time to devote to her.

My main worry is what happens if we decide to go on a weekend away, I have no neighbours of friends who live close by that I could rely on to look after and feed her and its not fair or right to leave her on her own. I thought long and hard about getting her but now I just don't think I did the right thing as I didn't realise it would be such a responsibility. What does everyone else do when they go away for a weekend?

I know a lot of you now will be thinking I am an irresponsible pet owner but I am not as I have come to terms with this and instead of burying my head in the sand am going to do something about it. The shelter made us aware that not all rehomings go to plan and they will have her back but I guess I just wanted some advice on what everyone else would do in my situation?

It makes me sad to think and write this message but I just want to do what is best for her as she deserves it.

Thank you

Hobo17

When you say a weekend away... do you mean from Friday night to Sunday night? I would be inclined to either get an automated cat feeder or find a cat sitter to pop in and feed her once a day (you say you don't know anyone who can do it so you might have to pay a company). I am sure most cats would prefer to be at home in familiar surroundings than in a cattery. As for working full time - plenty of people work all day and have cats. She will be fine at home alone.

rising_from_the_ashes

I'm a bit confused as I don't see how getting a new job makes any difference to whether you go away at the weekend or not - what were your plans for this before being offered the job?

I work full time and have 2 cats although previously just had the 1 - he was fine to be left all day - cats sleep A LOT and will adjust to sleeping during the day when you're out and being up and about when you're home to spend time with them.

IMHO, if you love the cat - which it sounds as if you do - you'll be able to make it work. She sounds like she's fitting in to your home and is well cared for and is much better off with you than in a shelter.

Do you have neighbours with pets? If so, try to approach them and see if they'd be willing to pop in and feed/check on her when you're away - the offer of this being "repaid" may be just what they need to!

I_am_mad

The me having a full time job doesnt really have anything to do with it I just worry if she is left alone all day as we dont have a cat flap she would have to stay in doors. I do love her so much and I know she is so much better than me than at the rehoming centre. We want to go away for a Friday - Sunday break but as I have no one to watch her or check on her I dont know what I should do for the best. What does everyone else do? I have been looking at automatic feeders but don't know which one to go for or if they are any good?

I could get a friend to pop around once during the 3 days away and check on her but I dont think I could get anyone else as its a lot to ask for. My neighbours are always out too and I have never had much to do with them.

Taking her back is the last thing that I want to do and I am aware that she will cost alot for vets fees and food etc and I am totally prepared for this and I only want what is best for her.

I am rambling and I am sorry I am just a bit upset at the moment as I don't know what to do.

shar46y

Can't you get a catsitter? We use one for our cat when we go away - they come in once or twice a day (depends on the level of service you want) and feed, change litter if needed, and of course strokes and cuddles.

IIRC catsitters are a bit more pricey than a cattery, but cats much prefer to be on their home turf so we thought it was worth it to keep our girl happy

I_am_mad

I dont know if I would trust a cat sitter coming into my house. I have looked into automatic feeders but what happens if they run out of battery or go wrong. I would constantly be worried about my cat whilst I was away. I just really want the best for her but its breaking my heart just thinking about it

hethmar

There are catteries where you can leave her in care. Have a look in your local paper or yellow pages or ask the rescue you got her from.

lapetiteanglaise

Cats are pretty self-reliant and do sleep a lot of the time, as Rising from the Ashes said. My parents used to use an automatic feeder for the odd weekend away and their cat was always fine. Could you also leave a big bowl of dried food down too, if you're worried? Maybe lots of water bowls and litter trays too.
If a friend could pop in once, say on the Saturday, just to put your mind at rest and give out lots of cuddles and attention, I'm sure the cat will be fine. Leave out lots of different toys too (but maybe not ones that have wands / elastic attached - just in case of accidents).

My cat is on her own all day while we're at work (we don't have a cat flap either) and she is fine. In fact, she's a rescue cat too and doesn't actually want to go out too much, as she prefers the comfort of her own home. Apparently it's a common thing with rescue cats (although I'm sure lots of people will disagree with me on that!!).

As long as you're not going away every weekend, I'm sure the cat will be fine. You obviously care about her lots, so it would be such a shame to give her back to the rescue centre. However, it's your call...........
Hope that's helped and good luck with your decision!

rising_from_the_ashes

I_am_mad wrote: »

I am rambling and I am sorry I am just a bit upset at the moment as I don't know what to do.

This to me just makes me even more convinced you belong together!


Re going away, I have left mine from lunchtime Sat to lunchtime Sun:

They get dried & wet food - I give them their wet just as I'm leaving and make sure there are several bowls of dried left out (I know there's no way they'd get through it all, but.... just in case) and of course, plenty of water.

They are absolutely fine - however, any longer than that and one of my neighbours pops in just to check on them etc.

When I lived away and needed to come home (Fri - Sun) I used to drop my old boy off at a fantastic cattery - as Hethmar suggests try looking in local papers or ask at your vets if they can recommend any.


Re going out during the day - don't even worry about that!:) I don't have a cat flap - my wee girl isn't "allowed" to stay out when I'm not here (dodgy knee and I have to stop - or rather try to as much as possible - her jumping from heights so she can't be left out for long periods) and it never bothers her. My boy has the option of in or out and most days he comes in when I yell for her as I'm leaving for work.

If he does decide to stay out, I've got an old dog kennel in the back garden with 1/2 the entrance covered, a bit of carpet on the floor and an old duvet in so he's got somewhere safe, warm and dry in case the weather turns.

By the time I leave in the morning, both of them are usually curled up in bed after a couple of hours "roaming" and can often still be found there when I get home - honestly, they sleep for up to 18 hours a day: http://www.thecatsite.com/Behavior/43/Cat-Sleep-More-Than-Just-a-Catnap.html

shar46y

Just to reassure you and echo what everyone else has said on here: Cats really do sleep a lot!

I used to feel a bit guilty about being out at work during the day and leaving her. Then I went on maternity leave (and am now a SAHM) and got to observe what she does all day - sleep! Cats are crepescular which is to say, most active at dawn and dusk. And then, having slept all day, she has another sleep in the evening on my lap while we are watching TV. And then, she sleeps at the foot of our bed all night!:D

Re catsitters, if you go with a reputable company they should have police checked all their sitters. The company we use is very good - you get a specific, named person so not a different random visitor every day. You also get a copy of their police certificate. And you (and the cat) get to meet him/her before making the decision. Or you could go by personal recommendation if you ask around the local area eg. at the vet?

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I'm at home most of the time. My lot wake up for breakfast, mooch around for half an hour and then go back to sleep. They wake up around 11, mooch around on the offchance of getting more food, pootle round the garden for ten minutes, then wander back in through the open door and go back to sleep. At about 2 o'clock, they try to get a share of my lunch, then wander off into the garden for 5 minutes and then go back to sleep until about 6. A quick glance outside and then they are waiting for dinner at 7, after which they pop out into the garden and then go back to bed until a mad dash around followed by them going back to sleep for the night.

So, with a back door open from around 6am until 9pm, they spend around 25 minutes outside and the rest, other than about half an hour of mad dashing and the same of whinging for food, is spent sleeping. They actively seek me out for just a few moments every day. So they don't need constant fussing.

I went away for a night, left a lot of crunchies down and made sure there was nothing they could get themselves into trouble with. The most traumatic thing would have been the tumble drier switching on timer the following morning. They were fine. Had I needed to go away for longer, I would have paid someone to come in and chuck a few more crunchies in a bowl.

My boyfriend comes and goes. He gets up and feeds them when he's here and they all adore him. If he's not here, they adapt to me feeding them instead, then as soon as he is back, they throw themselves on his mercy and wake him up instead of me by jumping on his chest as he sleeps. They don't sulk, mope around or anything, they just accept that someone isn't there, then they are.


Cats are fine with people working, don't worry about people going away, and are very resilient. They're cats, not dogs or three year old children.


She will be fine.