Looking for some advice regarding cat sitting

1234catlady

My stepdad's brother sadly died a few days ago so him and my mum have to drive down to England from Scotland tomorrow to sort out his stuff and for the funeral and all that jazz. My mum has 2 kittens who have just turned 5 months old. I told her I would watch them but the problem is, I have two 9 year old cats as well and I am wondering what to do as my cats and the kittens have never met before.

I am debating between taking my cats over to my mum's for the week or going over every few hours to check on the kittens. I have a car so could drive over but feel uncomfortable leaving either my cats alone in my flat at night and the kittens being alone at night at my mum's. I've never left my cats alone at night before and one of my cats needs medication at night so I like to keep an eye on him. My cats are nervous of driving in the car and getting put into their carriers so I don't want to stress them out but I am unsure whether to move into my mum's with them for a week. I'm not allowed any more pets in my house or I would have brought the kittens up.

Since its short notice, we have no money for a pet sitter plus my mum doesn't trust anyone else with her pets and neither do I. There's also no one else who can watch them as my grandparents aren't keeping well and my mum doesn't have any neighbours at the mo.

Just looking for some advice really as I have to make a choice quickly

Owain_Moneysaver

Cats are usually happier in their own places and simply require a human slave to pop in occasionally to provide food, clean the litter tray.

Is there a neighbour who would share kitten minding duty?

Leaving a radio on low in one room can be company for cats, but otherwise they'll probably sleep if they get bored.

pinkteapot

If you definitely don't want to leave either set of cats alone overnight, you'll have to take yours to your mums. If it's not going to be for long, I would keep them separate at your mum's house. Shut kittens in a room, or your cats in a room. Or, if possible, one set upstairs, one set down.

Cat introductions need to be done gradually - usual advice is to introduce new cats to one room only and slowly increase interaction between new and old cats, with supervision. If this is just for a week or so, I would just have them in separate rooms.

That being said... Being taken to a new home (especially one with other cats in) will be stressful for your cats. Cats are fine alone overnight - it's no different to them being alone during the day. You could alternate - sleep alternate nights at yours and your mum's so each set of cats has you every other night? This may not be possible if your cat needs medication at specific times though.

Professional pet sitters will often only pop into a house once or twice a day to feed and check up on cats. They wouldn't come every few hours.

ljonski

Firstly the kittens are not kittens as they are 5months old. Why would you drive there every few hours? They have themselves for company. Twice a day visiting should be fine! Hth

1234catlady

No there are no neighbours who could watch them as their old neighbours moved out a few weeks ago and no one else has moved in. Mum kind of stays in the middle of nowhere and not on an occupied street.

The reason I am a bit wary of leaving them at night is because the kittens haven't been left alone at night before plus they aren't left alone for much longer than a few hours at most as my stepdad has Parkinson's and is quite bad with it so he isn't out much and then my mum cares for him so they aren't used to being left alone.

pinkteapot

They'll be fine left alone for longer - they really will.

Does your mum let them go outside at all, or are they indoor? I would keep them in for the week, as cats whose owners go away can be a little more prone to straying (not much risk, but not worth chancing it at what is already a stressful time for your mum). But cats adapt, and it's only for a week. If she'd put them in a cattery they probably wouldn't have had someone go in to see them every few hours.

1234catlady

They are indoor cats

krlyr

I would also just pop in several times a day. Do you have a spare tablet or similar you could prop up somewhere - either Facetime or Skype call in to check in on the cats remotely.

No, it's not what they're used to, but they'll be fine for a few days.

TBagpuss

would the bar on additional animals in your home be an issue of the cats are simply visiting, rather than staying?

That said, I would probably arrange to pop by a couple of times a day and spend a little time with the cats - they will have each other for company and will be OK overnight

catkins

The kittens will be absolutely fine if you go to them a couple of times a day to feed them and play with them. I take it your mum will not be gone that long so it's not like it's going to be for weeks.


I can understand your fears and worries but, honestly, cats are more ok with being left for a while than dogs are. As someone else said, a cat sitter would normally only come to the house a couple of times a day whereas a dog sitter would usually stay in the house.