cat left home alone for a few days

gettingready

Fridaycat wrote: »

So this debate is not about whether to leave in a cattery or have someone come round, as either are up to the individual and their circumstances, but rather it is about people leaving their cats for several days on end without either of those two things.

True....

My neighbour knows my cats very well as she is here every single day, sometimes more than once per day. She has her own cat and dog, knows how to look after them, my lot knows her and are happy with her around. She knows how/what/when/how much to feed them, knows their personalities so would notice if anything was different about any of them - I have absolute trust in her looking after my lot if I ever go away again (fat chance right now but...)

I would not leave the cats alone or with someone popping in every other day or so... my cats are very ermmm social... they like human company and attention.

Fridaycat

gettingready wrote: »

True....

My neighbour knows my cats very well as she is here every single day, sometimes more than once per day. She has her own cat and dog, knows how to look after them, my lot knows her and are happy with her around. She knows how/what/when/how much to feed them, knows their personalities so would notice if anything was different about any of them - I have absolute trust in her looking after my lot if I ever go away again (fat chance right now but...)

I would not leave the cats alone or with someone popping in every other day or so... my cats are very ermmm social... they like human company and attention.

You are very lucky, gettingready, to have someone like this that you can trust

purple.sarah

Buttonmoons wrote: »

Well stray cats manage just fine without being supervised every single day

I go away regularly for long weekends, I leave on a Thurs and back on a Monday, although, it's slightly different as the Ex does come past everyday, to feed them and do their litter trays, and normally gives them cuddles/chats to them, whilst he eats the food out my fridge and cupboards

I have 2 cats though and I would happily tell him to just pop by every other day, but Im paranoid they'd go and poop somewhere else, as currently, they do 1 poo each per day and about 4/5 wees collectively, so the tray would be rank after 2 days! Ew!

Sorry but that's silly. I have been involved in animal rescue and seen how stray cats suffer.

Buttonmoons

What I meant, in a badly worded way is that cats dont need constant supervision, they are independent and pretty self sufficiant (catch own food if outside etc)

I honestly dont think there is an issue with leaving cats for a few days, as long as they have ample food & water. What if's will always crop up, my cat got seriously sick when I was at home, but it took me a few days before I realised how bad it was and took him to the vets. That was a one off though, as he is just a giant freak who eats clothes.

I can't think of anything worse than not being able to go away for 2 days, or stay overnight at someones house at short notice, hence why I would never get a dog! But cats, they are happy snoozing, scoffing and some more snoozing.

First thing my cats do when I get home, is lead me to the wet food cupboard, even though ex has been in everyday giving them 2 sachets. Tis all they care about, food, and managing to sneak into my room to snooze on my bed.

I dont treat my cats as babies though, they are independent animals.

CheeseCat

Wow I really can't believe how heartless some people in this thread are, a cat sounds like an inconvenience rather than a pet to some!!

I would never ever leave mine longer than 24 hours and even then I would feel terrible and want to get back to them ASAP, or I would ask someone to drop in on them if possible.

I am driving 2hrs round trip Christmas day morning to make sure they are looked after and well fed until I return home proper on Boxing day. I don't even think I am unusual or 'nice' for doing that, you adopt a pet, you look after them its as simple as that!

People leave their cats for 3/4 days and use the excuse that they are mostly solitary? So saddening IMO my cats miss me when I am not there as they are always eagerly awaiting my return!

Buttonmoons

No but there is a difference between realising that your animal is a "pet" and not a "baby"

I love my cats, but they arent that fussed about me, I am the feeding lady. I deffo wouldnt feel terrible about being gone for 24hrs and want to rush back to them (bear in mind I have someone going into feed them/litter box) I have a daughter, if Im rushing back to anyone its her.....not the cats.

Buttonmoons

Oh and I do agree its bad of the OPS sister to think that her cat being left alone for 3 days without being fed/litter box is terrible!

Croatoan

Buttonmoons wrote: »

No but there is a difference between realising that your animal is a "pet" and not a "baby"

I love my cats, but they arent that fussed about me, I am the feeding lady. I deffo wouldnt feel terrible about being gone for 24hrs and want to rush back to them (bear in mind I have someone going into feed them/litter box) I have a daughter, if Im rushing back to anyone its her.....not the cats.

Agreed. If people want to view cats as helpless little babies who are unable to survive for a while untended without breaking a leg, coming down with an illness or pining away then that is up to them. My view is that the vast majority of cats are very capable animals, perfectly able to look after themselves and do without our company if enough litter, food and water is left for them.

Fridaycat

Buttonmoons wrote: »

No but there is a difference between realising that your animal is a "pet" and not a "baby"

I love my cats, but they arent that fussed about me, I am the feeding lady. I deffo wouldnt feel terrible about being gone for 24hrs and want to rush back to them (bear in mind I have someone going into feed them/litter box) I have a daughter, if Im rushing back to anyone its her.....not the cats.

I think you're on the same page as a lot of us here... I agree that it is OK to leave them for around 24 hours on their own, with sufficient food/water/toileting facilities. Any more than that, and they need someone to come in and look after them (or book them into a cattery). You are also saying exactly the same Leaving intelligent living creatures such as cats for 3 or 4 days with no-one to check on them is not acceptable in my opinion.

blue_monkey_2

I see my cat for about 5 minutes a day - food time. That is it. Other than that I have no idea where she is but I often see her wandering down from the meadow. I have been away overnight and left double food out - any more than that and our neighbour pops in. I've had 5-6 cats over the last 15 years and I've never had a cat that wants to be in the house being fussed and sitting by the radiator - but that could be because we have rescued them and they are independant or maybe it is because we live in the country and there is always more exciting things going on, so much so that we have decided when this one goes we will not get another cat. We do not even see her - I cannot even remember the last time the kids saw her as she comes in for feeding late at night.

We have 2 dogs now and my sister stays when we go away so she feeds the cat, but some people just have cats but they never see them. In fact, I picked the cats bowl up this morning with food left in it (and the dog had some of that) so I think they do know how much they are supposed to eat. They are not likes dogs at all. In the summer my neighbours cat will go off wandering for a week at a time, there is just too much to see and do I suppose. He must get food somewhere - he probably catches it himself - or is being fed elsewhere. I guess we'll never know.

But some cats are not like dogs, mine does not even have a litter tray or water bowl, we have a pond and she had a cat flap and she goes outside - if I put water down it never gets touched. If she was to ever fall ill we have a cage to keep her in, but to go away on holiday and leave her stuff in a cattery for a few weeks, I think she might actually die of the shock of being caged to be honest.

Our last cat had diabetes so needed a lot of care and was often in the more downhill she went - I thought the other would pine for her but she could not give a stuff and was out wandering as usual the day after. Obviously when she was ill she could not be left but she has gone now, but the last cat I have left, she is not interested in human company at all unless it suits her and she has a free 10 minutes from doing whatever it is she does all day.