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Cat Forum / General Topics / July 2004Cats alone... how long?
I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course (automatic pet feeder, plenty of water, lots of litterboxes out, etc). What's the longest you've left your cat(s) alone, and what extra things did you put out to make it easier on both of you?  Signature"All men make mistakes, but married men find out about them sooner." -- Red Skelton > I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone > when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course > (automatic pet feeder, plenty of water, lots of litterboxes out, etc). I left two cats alone for 8 days. I left two large bowls of food, three large bowls of water (in case they somehow spilled one of them). And I left the toilet seats up... Two litter boxes. When I got home, it was as if I had never left. --Tim May > > I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone > > when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course > > (automatic pet feeder, plenty of water, lots of litterboxes out, etc). > > I left two cats alone for 8 days. Tim, surely you have some neighbours who could pop in and give your cats some attention at least every couple of days, then you can return the favor as and when they need it. 8 days is really too dangerous to leave them alone. What if there was a gas leak, or flood, or break in, or one of them accidently got hurt badly/something fall on them, or they run out of food or I dunno, just simply flat runs out of Oxygen. As soon as I moved in here, I befriended all neighbours with cats and dogs, and ever since I not only have help in looking after them when we go away, but also have new friends as well. It's amazing how easily cat/dog people bond. > I left two large bowls of food, three large bowls of water (in case > they somehow spilled one of them). And I left the toilet seats up... Well, I never leave mine more then office hours alone, but still, I always leave the tap dripping in the bath tab, so they always have fresh water to drink. They(cats) discovered this system actually not me :) > Two litter boxes. You were lucky your cats were not too fassed. My Shadow will not go in the litter tray if there is more then 2 poos in there. She will instead show her UNappreciation by going on to my bed! > When I got home, it was as if I had never left. I really think you were quite lucky this time. As wonderfull as your cats are, and as much effort you make, there are things that could happen beyond our control. Please reconsider some basic supervision next time. > --Tim May > > > I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) > alone [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > some attention at least every couple of days, then you can return the favor > as and when they need it. You think I would allow some neighbor or nosy friend to root through my house, finding diaries, guns, videos, whatever? I see how nosy people are as they check my bookshelves even when I am in the same room with them. Anyone who has watched the covert videos of nannies, maids, etc. has seen them rooting through drawers, wandering curiously around, etc. My house has a lot of valuable things in it, and only some fraction are locked in the gun vault. So, no, I don't let strangers or even family members have free run of my house when I am not around...I would hate to check the time-delay camera and then have to kill them. > 8 days is really too dangerous to leave them > alone. What if there was a gas leak, or flood, or break in, or one of them > accidently got hurt badly/something fall on them, or they run out of food or > I dunno, just simply flat runs out of Oxygen. "What would happen if a _meteor_ hit? They would die. It happens. But the odds of all such things are nearly zero. (And having a neighbor visit every day or two doesn't fix most of the things you described--break-in, things falling on them, accident, gas leak, etc.) As for running out of food and water, I already described the two large bowls of each, plust the toilet seats up. Ain't gonna be no cat skeletons even if they ran out of food. Get with the math, man! > As soon as I moved in here, I > befriended all neighbours with cats and dogs, and ever since I not only have > help in looking after them when we go away, but also have new friends as > well. It's amazing how easily cat/dog people bond. Your choice. I don't want neighbors rooting through my stuff. I don't want them calling the cops when they find drugs or assault rifles. (Killing a neighbor for snooping would be bad enough, but having to fight the cops when I get home would be infinitely more dangerous. People are snoops. Watch the video tapes.) > I really think you were quite lucky this time. As wonderfull as your cats > are, and as much effort you make, there are things that could happen beyond > our control. Please reconsider some basic supervision next time. Stop acting as a catlover cop. I answered the person's question...I don't need lectures from fuckheads like you. --Tim May "Tim May" <timcmay@removethis.got.net> wrote in message news:140420040119395721% > You think I would allow some neighbor or nosy friend to root through my > house, finding diaries, guns, videos, whatever? I see how nosy people > are as they check my bookshelves even when I am in the same room with > them. Not everybody is your enemy. I personally couldn;t go through life not trusting anyone. But that's me. I probably lead a different lifestyle to yours. > So, no, I don't let strangers or even family members have free run of > my house when I am not around...I would hate to check the time-delay > camera and then have to kill them. Kill??????? Geez...Not gonna comment much on that, just gonna say that we hate guns in Britain. >And having a neighbor > visit every day or two doesn't fix most of the things you > described--break-in, things falling on them, accident, gas leak, etc.) No it doesn;t fix them true, but they can be noticed on time, and if cat is in danger, taken to the vets straight away, instead of 8 days later when it could be too late. > As for running out of food and water, I already described the two large > bowls of each, plust the toilet seats up. Well must say I';ve never seen cats drink from toilet like dogs do, I didn;t think they can reach it. Plus I can;t see how drinking from the toilet is higynic. >Ain't gonna be no cat skeletons even if they ran out of food. Get with the math, man! I have. Hence my comments. Oh and it's a woman. > Stop acting as a catlover cop. I answered the person's question...I > don't need lectures from fuckheads like you. Tim, chill. You explained your points already. I explained mine. Using this kind of language will not change either of our opinions.We are all here animal lovers, and sometimes you will get people dissagreeing with you and giving you advice. Take it or leave it. And if I and others stop acting like "catlover cops", how will people who don't know learn? You obviously have issue with authorities and with a reason, but I am not the one, I just simply love animals and am trying to help when I can. Your answer was honest, which is why I didn;t have a go at you at all, but both you and I could hardly reccomend to all people that is OK to leave cats alone for 8 days regularely. See the point? Gee > --Tim May >Well must say I';ve never seen cats drink from toilet like dogs do, I didn;t >think they can reach it. Plus I can;t see how drinking from the toilet is >higynic. Funnily enough I have a cat who does this, or she did until I cottoned on and started making sure the lid is down after every flush. That's the last place I want her drinking from! > >Well must say I';ve never seen cats drink from toilet like dogs do, I didn;t > >think they can reach it. Plus I can;t see how drinking from the toilet is [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > on and started making sure the lid is down after every flush. That's > the last place I want her drinking from! Both of my cats drink from the toilet. They have fresh water in the water bowl at all times, but they seem to prefer the "Throne Method". I have two washrooms and a human family of five (four of which are male). This makes it extremely difficult to keep the toilet lid down at all times. I certainly don't appreciate the fact that my fuzzbrains drink from the toilet bowl (it really IS nasty business), but it's really funny to watch them slip, skid and try to keep themselves from falling in when you holler at them for it. You see, they KNOW they're not supposed to...that just makes it more attractive in the feline mind. Regards and Many Giggles, Mich : > > I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) : alone [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] : Tim, surely you have some neighbours who could pop in and give your cats : some attention at least every couple of days, How naive.... I can't imagine allowing my neighbors access to my house without a chaperone. Actually, my jirds would be far harder to prepare for...they wouldn't be able to get to the sink (especially with three cats running around). > "Gee" <Gee@canttellya.com> wrote in message > : Tim, surely you have some neighbours who could pop in and give your > cats [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > for...they wouldn't be able to get to the sink (especially with three > cats running around). Hmm....my mom and dad used to let neighbors watch the cats and birds and rodents and feed the plants and take in the mail, etc. while we were gone on vacation. It was alright.......but then again, they had known these people for 20 years and for 10 of those years, each of them kept a spare key at the other one's house (just in case someone got locked out). Sometimes they would even pay one of the neighborhood kids $10 for a week of doing that (but their parents would come along too). However, when my fiancee and i went on vacation, we got a family member (his dad or stepmom) to stop over here once a day and feed our cat. ---Julia Indeed, any pet left alone should be looked in on at leastopnce a day in case something happens it gets sick, gets stuck somewhere, etc. LT In article <epxRkhlUwRo0-pn2-xj5cG5ebpDIS@sdn-ap-004scfairP0450.dialsprint.net>, > Indeed, any pet left alone should be looked in > on at leastopnce a day in case something happens > it gets sick, gets stuck somewhere, etc. I've left my cats alone for 7 days. If God chooses to take them, he takes them. I trust God more than I trust my neighbors to root around inside my house. --Tim May > In article > <epxRkhlUwRo0-pn2-xj5cG5ebpDIS@sdn-ap-004scfairP0450.dialsprint.net>, [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > I trust God more than I trust my neighbors to root around inside my > house. I left my cats alone once, and had a friend look in on them. One of my cats DIED in the meantime. My friend couldn't find my cat and didn't bother to call me. She told me later she just assumed my cat had gotten out. I was so stunned at her stupidity I didn't know what to say. I later realized that this girl was pretty careless and I shouldn't have asked her to watch my cat. She still went there and filled the food and water bowl -- she just let a few days go by without seeing the cat and without doing anything. It was horrifying. I found the cat when I went home. It was not a good moment in my life. I never found out what killed the cat. She was curled up just like she had gone to sleep. I guess she hadn't been dead very long. > --Tim May Signaturenimue "If I had created reality television I would have had a much greater influence, but then I would have had to KILL MYSELF." Joss Whedon "nimue" cup_o_cakesNOSPAM@yahoo.com >"...My friend couldn't find my cat and didn't bother to >call me. She told me later she just assumed my cat had gotten out. I was >so stunned at her stupidity I didn't know what to say...." I automatically take the position that there is no one in the world (except for my husband) who loves my cats as much as I do. Therefore, I would never leave my pets to depend on a person who may or may not be responsible/reliable, whether that person be a friend, relative, neighbor or "professional pet sitter". Too many horror stories about people who allowed someone to watch over their pets only to discover that person to be a complete a**. > "nimue" cup_o_cakesNOSPAM@yahoo.com > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Too many horror stories about people who allowed someone to watch > over their pets only to discover that person to be a complete a**. Well, I needed to leave. It's a fact of life. There are business trips, etc. I have left cats alone before for a few days. Nothing has ever happened. I don't know why my cat died. I don't know even if my friend had been more responsible if anything could have been done. Signaturenimue "If I had created reality television I would have had a much greater influence, but then I would have had to KILL MYSELF." Joss Whedon circa Wed, 14 Apr 2004 00:48:24 +0000 (UTC), in rec.pets.cats, Ablang (HilaryDuff133@ablang-duff.com) said, > I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone > when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course > (automatic pet feeder, plenty of water, lots of litterboxes out, etc). > > What's the longest you've left your cat(s) alone, and what extra > things did you put out to make it easier on both of you? I don't. I get a catsitter. Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. Two nights i.e. a weekend. More than that, then the petsitter comes. circa 13 Apr 2004 22:47:21 -0700, in rec.pets.cats, Tracy (twrl2001 @yahoo.com) said, > Two nights i.e. a weekend. More than that, then the petsitter comes. Since September 11 I've been extra paranoid about not leaving my cats unattended if I'm traveling. I was out of town on 9/11, and ended up getting home later than I'd been planning to, and certainly not the way I'd intended to. If I hadn't had a catsitter caring for my cats, this could have been a Very Bad Thing. I live in NYC, my catsitter doesn't stop coming to care for the cats until the owner returns and calls to confirm such, and I like it that way. :-) Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. > I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone > when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course > (automatic pet feeder, plenty of water, lots of litterboxes out, etc). > > What's the longest you've left your cat(s) alone, and what extra > things did you put out to make it easier on both of you? I'm going to answer a question you didn't ask instead of the one you asked -- that is, how long *should* a cat be left alone (or - how long is it *safe* to leave a cat alone)? In my opinion, cats should not be left alone for more than one night. I realize that many cats have been left alone for much longer without any problems. However, think of what *could* happen during your absence ... all the accidents and illnesses that could occur without any prior warning. I consider what Tim May described to be irresponsible. If you are going to be gone more than one night, please make arrangements for someone to check on your cats. This could be a professional pet sitter or a reliable friend, but it is important to have someone available to take your cats to a vet if an emergency occurs and to provide care and attention in your absence. MaryL > I'm going to answer a question you didn't ask instead of the one you > asked -- that is, how long *should* a cat be left alone (or - how long is it [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > MaryL I have to agree. I've always had someone come in at least once a day to check on the cats and take care of other things at the same time (bringing in mail, watering plants, whatever), and the most important thing, even before feeding and watering, was to find the cats and make sure they were OK. Until recently I was paying my niece and nephews to do that for me, but they've been fired for dereliction of duty the last time I was away... but that's another story. Sandy SignatureDo the math. >> I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone >> when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course >> (automatic pet feeder, plenty of water, lots of litterboxes out, etc). >> >> What's the longest you've left your cat(s) alone, and what extra >> things did you put out to make it easier on both of you? I live in a small apartment and left my cat for 4 1/2 days once when I went on a trip and couldn't find anyone to take him. I had my niece (I don't know my neighbors and wouldn't trust any of them with my key) come over once to clean his box and make sure he had enough food. That was when he was eating unlimited dry, so I left about 3 containers of food for him. I have to say, I worried about him the whole time I was gone and thought about him the whole way home. Now that he is eating only canned, I would never leave him without having someone come by and feed him daily for me. I put all his toys out for him and left the heat at 65. It was March, but I live in Oregon, where it rains a lot and our weather is pretty unpredictable. I also left the light on in the kitchen. You have to know my cat, but when I got home, he was as happy to see me as a puppy would be. He never sulks or acts mad at me like I've heard some cats do. I have also boarded my cat at a vet and that works well, too, but people can't always afford to do that. I don't call it irresponsible to leave a pet if you make arrangements to have someone check on it for you. Irresponsible would be to leave a cat outside or leave it to totally fend for itself inside and ration it's own food and water. They are our pets, they are our children, but they aren't human and they don't need 24 hour human interaction to survive. pepsi | I don't call it irresponsible to leave a pet if you make arrangements | to have someone check on it for you. Irresponsible would be to leave [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] | survive. | pepsi I d' be worried that while I'm away the cats are looking for another home! I plan to leave them alone for two nights in summer though. They can go in and out and will be left with enough dry food and water and clean litter boxes. Actually I wanted to go away for four nights but I know I'd be very restless worrying about the cats. Even with two nights away I'll be worrying, but I think it will work out well. Carola circa Wed, 14 Apr 2004 04:37:16 GMT, in rec.pets.cats, pepsi@myhome.com (pepsi@myhome.com) said, > I don't call it irresponsible to leave a pet if you make arrangements > to have someone check on it for you. That's called a "petsitter". :-) Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. > circa Wed, 14 Apr 2004 04:37:16 GMT, in rec.pets.cats, > pepsi@myhome.com (pepsi@myhome.com) said, [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Laura If we're going away for more than 4 days we have someone come in .. we have a self feeder and we clean their litter. We figure their okay by themselves for 4 days. Tina >> circa Wed, 14 Apr 2004 04:37:16 GMT, in rec.pets.cats, >> pepsi@myhome.com (pepsi@myhome.com) said, [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >Tina 4 days is the most for me, and that's rare. Plenty of 3's though. They've been fine for that time. Swyck > I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone > when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course > (automatic pet feeder, plenty of water, lots of litterboxes out, etc). > > What's the longest you've left your cat(s) alone, and what extra > things did you put out to make it easier on both of you? Two weeks. BUT ... mine are indoor/outdoor cats and they were visited every day by a cousin who lives down the road who called them, checked they were okay, changed their water, gave them fresh food, and even stayed overnight one night after she'd had a row with the boyfriend! > I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone >when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course >(automatic pet feeder, plenty of water, lots of litterboxes out, etc). > > What's the longest you've left your cat(s) alone, and what extra >things did you put out to make it easier on both of you? I would never leave my cats for more than 6 hours. More than overnight trapped inside a house is tantamount to abuse IMO. Flame me if you will but that's my belief. > > I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone > >when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > trapped inside a house is tantamount to abuse IMO. Flame me if you > will but that's my belief. How do you work? I have to leave for at least 10 hours every day and don't even consider it leaving her alone. I guess to each their own. Of course I live in a 1,700 sq foot house so it's hardly "confining" to the cat. AG >> > I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone >> >when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > >How do you work? I have a home office. I doubt I'd have all my cats if it meant leaving them all day every day. One would be fine and would disappear up to her bed for a snooze, the other two would cry all day (they cry when they think they're alone so they must do it when I'm out too). Although, like everythign else, I dare say they'd get used to it. I'd just feel guilty. The main reason I think it's important for me to be around is probably the fact I'm on constant litter patrol - they will not do their business if someone else has been there first so I go around checking the trays every couple of hours. I always seem to have a nappy sack in one hand and a scoop in the other... >I would never leave my cats for more than 6 hours. More than overnight >trapped inside a house is tantamount to abuse IMO. Flame me if you >will but that's my belief. Hey, if that's what you're comfortable with, there's nothing wrong with that. One day & overnight is my max before I ask my sister to check on them. I've seen how a cat can become sick and virtualy crash in a matter of hours, let alone issues like house fires or break ins. More than a day alone, I'm not comfortable with. And you have to make sure the petsitter is interested enough in your cats to make sure they're eating, and seem okay. Yoda can't be boarded because he can't have vaccinations, and that's a requirement here for boarding. Sherry | Yoda can't be boarded | because he can't have vaccinations, and that's a requirement here for boarding. | | Sherry As a matter of interest: Why can't he have the vaccines? Carola >| Yoda can't be boarded >| because he can't have vaccinations, and that's a requirement here for [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >Carola A past reaction to the vaccs. He is old, and because of his history, the vet thinks the risk of the vaccines are far greater than the risk of disease. In 2000 he got his annual vaccines, and started vomiting and twitching uncontrollably an hour later, and eventually led to HL. He almost died. Sherry > I would never leave my cats for more than 6 hours. More than overnight > trapped inside a house is tantamount to abuse IMO. Flame me if you > will but that's my belief. I'm not flaming. I'm just asking. You never go out for more than six hours at a time? How do you work that? >> I would never leave my cats for more than 6 hours. More than overnight >> trapped inside a house is tantamount to abuse IMO. Flame me if you >> will but that's my belief. > >I'm not flaming. I'm just asking. You never go out for more than six >hours at a time? How do you work that? I'm rarely anywhere that takes all day/all night, and if I am I try to make sure there's someone else in the house. It is like being tied down to a certain extent but I always think 'what about the cats' before I go anywhere. My choice to have them, I'm not complaining. >> I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone >>when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >trapped inside a house is tantamount to abuse IMO. Flame me if you >will but that's my belief. You must not have a job. pepsi >>> I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone >>>when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >You must not have a job. >pepsi Read the rest of the thread. I work from home. If I didn't I wouldn't have the cats I have. > >>> I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone > >>>when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course > >>>(automatic pet feeder, plenty of water, lots of litterboxes out, etc). > >>> > >>> What's the longest you've left your cat(s) alone, and what extra > >>>things did you put out to make it easier on both of you? I've left mine for weekends and 3-day weekends. I leave out tons of dry food and water and make sure the litterbox is clean and has plenty of sand. The food/water/litter situation is fine when I get home, but I feel kind of guilty because I know she must be lonely when I'm gone. I don't leave her that often, though. -- Kelly Donovan > > I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone > >when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > trapped inside a house is tantamount to abuse IMO. Flame me if you > will but that's my belief. mine has an open window, fresh water and enough food for 5 days, she comes and goes when she wants, sometimes goes out fr a few days, IMO, with a set-up like that 4 or five days is fine. > I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone > when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course > (automatic pet feeder, plenty of water, lots of litterboxes out, etc). > > What's the longest you've left your cat(s) alone, and what extra > things did you put out to make it easier on both of you? A weekend, although if it's a full weekend I usually ask a neighbor to check in. I will leave her for a day and a night without having anyone look in. AG Hilary wrote: > I was wondering... How long has anyone here left their cat(s) alone > when going on a short vacation, with everything taken care of, of course > (automatic pet feeder, plenty of water, lots of litterboxes out, etc). > > What's the longest you've left your cat(s) alone, and what extra > things did you put out to make it easier on both of you? I've been gone as long as ten days. Just got back from a trip where I took the special needs Siamese kitty along, leaving the older, self-determined one behind. I had a well-intentioned friend drop in several times to check on the food and water situation, and to play Spot (the laser pointer). The house cat gobbled all the dry food within a few of days, and my friend put out more, more, more! (She is not real familiar with the cat and did not know the difference between "I'm lonely" and "I'm so starved I can barely say meow.") Cat must have put on three lbs. Needless to say, we have begun a regimen of stairs, making Spot climb the walls, and so forth. The "car pet" had a great time. I took her along because she is so dang skittish for visitors and loud noises. Since all she does at home is look out the windows and watch animals, she enjoyed being in the car. I don't think I would stay gone for two whole weeks without asking someone to check on the critters. Overnight, a weekend, or up to a week, they'll be fine. HTH --Karen M. |
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