How long is too long?

Buddingblonde

I have 3 cats that I am wanting to leave home alone for 3 days/2 nights as I have to visit family for a few days.
I have no neighbours or friends or family who can look in on them so I will leave clean litter trays, plenty of food and water and hope for the best.
What does everyone think?
They cant be boarded as the eldest is 8 and has never been boarded and I dont think they would cope too well as all of them are skittish although all get on alone together ok.

rising_from_the_ashes

When I first read, I thought you'd said you had people popping in and I was going to say that would be OK.

However, with no-one popping in, a bit long IMHO.

I've left mine from lunchtime Sat to teatime on Sun with no-one going in and that's as long as I'd leave them without someone doing a quick check on them.

Although they should be fine with plenty food (assume they will eat dry?) and water, what if they got into "mischief" and needed help.


Sorry, but I honestly feel that's too long without someone popping in - even if they've never been boarded before (and even if they don't eat when there like mine), they'd be safer as someone would be checking on them regularly.

Is there no-one you could ask?

Have any of your neighbours got pets? (Maybe if you ask, the next time they pop away you could repay the favour).

What about work colleagues etc?

tizerbelle

3 days and 2 nights is too long to leave them.

If there really isn't anyone that can pop in to feed and check on them then you must put them in a cattery. Old / skittish makes no difference - they will be housed together in a unit of their own - it's not like they get chucked in a big barn with strange cats.

Buddingblonde

There is no one - family who are local refuse to do it and neighbours and work colleagues all politely refuse (even when offered money for their time, travel and a bit extra as a thank you).

I have left them alone for 1 night themselves from early morning one day to late night the following - they ignored me coming back and carried on sleeping in their beds.

Buddingblonde

tizerbelle wrote: »

3 days and 2 nights is too long to leave them.

If there really isn't anyone that can pop in to feed and check on them then you must put them in a cattery. Old / skittish makes no difference - they will be housed together in a unit of their own - it's not like they get chucked in a big barn with strange cats.

None of the catteries locally have enough room to house them all together and I dont know how well they would cope being housed apart.

tankgirl1

What about a petsitter? They'll pop in once of twice a day to check all is OK, and it shouldn't cost you more than £25 ish for 2.5 days.

http://www.dogsit.com/needasitter.html

Buddingblonde

Nothing local - but thanks.
I also popped into the vets to see if they could recommend someone but they couldnt and there was no cards up in the window.

Mama_Cat

I have to agree that 3 days/2 nights is too long.


The most I have left mine is 24 hours or 2 meal times (breakfast and dinner). I would worry if I left them for longer without anyone checking on them – and I'd miss them! I'm sorry to be blunt, but people would get into trouble if they left a young child on their own for that length of time. Sometimes that's how we have to think of our animals, who are still dependent on us and our responsibility.


Would you be able to take your cats with you to your family and leave them in one room with their food and litter? It would be a bit like a cattery really, but at least you would be there for them, although you would have to make certain they could not escape.


If you go for the cattery option, you may also need to think about getting vaccinations if they are not up to date.

tizerbelle

Personally, if there was no one who would look after them; no cattery with a 3-cat unit (rather odd - where the heck do you live?) and no pet-sitters / visitors available then the family visit would be cancelled completely or reduced to leave one morning, stay overnight and back by tea time the following day at the absolute maximum.

geri1965_2

I think they'll be OK. I left my cats for 4 nights/5 days once and although I arranged for someone to come in and feed them every day, he forgot and when I got home, he hadn't been in once! Luckily I had left two massive bowls of food and water. I was so cross, but they were absolutely fine. They did have a cat flap though so they could go in and out whenever they wanted.

tankgirl1

OP - where abouts are you? I know of a few people who do petsitting just on the odd occasion but don't make a business out of it.