No offense taken, but I wouldn't leave my cat at home alone with someone who
is only stopping in once a day for a few minutes to check on food and the
litter box, especially not like the original poster who was planning on not
letting the cat stay in the house but instead leaving it in a garage with
the door partially opened so it could get in and out of it easily.  You
don't have to make a pit stop for a bathroom break for that cat if you don't
want to but I would rather have my cat with me if I felt the only other
option was to leave it in pretty much total isolation in a garage/outside
for a month.  They have a house to go to when on vacation and if they can't
keep their cat in a house then they should probably not bother with having
one in the first place.  I mean no offense to the OP as I'm sure the cat is
loved and it's good that he is seeking advice.  My cat clings to me when I
go away for a few days and come back.  Case in point, my family lives 3
hours away and both of my brothers and my father are extremely allergic and
sneeze and get red eyes and have trouble breathing around cats and they also
have a dog who does not take well to animals imposing on his territory, he's
a Chihuahua, if that paints any picture.  So, my kitty stayed at home for 5
days while I was home for Christmas and my apartment manager to stopped in
and fed her and brought his grand daughter and played with her for a while
every day I was gone.  She has NOT left my side at all since I got back.
She normally sleeps beside me in bed now that she's older, but now that I'm
back she has spent the last FIVE DAYS  sleeping all curled up on my chest
with her head under my neck and her front paws hugging me around my neck
like she did when she was a kitten.  Even though someone she knows played
with her every day she still missed me and as I type this she is on my lap
even.  I think if you have any sense about you you can keep a hold of your
pet if you travel with it.  Perhaps Pete could get one of those feliway
things that give out calming pheromones for the new house or something.  At
any rate, taking it with you is a lot less stressful on the cat than being
left outside of the home its used to for four whole weeks with barely any
interaction.  When I left my cat for three weeks when I went to Europe last
summer I had a friend stay at the apartment for the whole 3 weeks and my cat
was still all over me when I got back.  She missed me and I think Pete's cat
will miss its family too.  So, in my book the only options are taking it
with you or leaving it inside the house with a person to spend the night or
come spend the evenings there.  I'd rather have a cat scared of being in a
car for a few hours than one that's lonely for 3 weeks any day, especially
after seeing my kitty revert back to kitten habits after I've been gone a
few days.  Catgirl, I understand your concern and I'm not saying that
everyone should jump in their cars with their cats all the time, but if you
have a cat you should not leave it alone for a month.  It will be happier
inside its own home yes, but not when it's alone there for a month and the
OP is not comfortable leaving it inside for that month anyway and is leaving
it outside/garage for that entire time.   Pete, take the cat with you and be
careful of keeping it with you when outside the new home.  If you have a car
with a convenient place to put it, you could even get a litterbox or make a
"makeshift" one that you could put in the car and use plastic sifting liners
to clean it easily and the cat could go in the car and you could make your
restroom stop after your cat goes and clean it out throw the sifting bag
away so it doesn't smell up the car.  Then the cat wouldn't have to get out
of the car at all and you could harness it in the car before you get out for
your break so it doesn't follow you. I think it will get comfortable in the
new house after being there a few days, especially with its familiar toys
and other favorite things, like food, and a feliway pheromone thing to calm
it.    Definitely, before you leave the cat will be fine there since you'll
have been there a month.  Or, if you feel you must leave it at home, let it
stay inside.  If it's never done any damage before, it won't now. The poor
thing will be more confused as to why it's in a lonely dark garage with
nothing to do than it would be trying to figure out a new place. And I know
cat's are more solitary creatures than dogs, but they do get lonely too and
I think that is just as stressful as going on a trip when the loneliness is
lasting a month.  Another, less appealing to me, option would be to see if
your vet offers boarding.  It may be expensive, but my vet has a huge condo
where the cats can either be alone or with other cats and are let out to be
with the nurses in the office during the day so they get plenty of cuddling.
One the weekends someone comes in to play with the cats and check the litter
and food.  I've only left my cat for one night there when I moved apartments
in my building but they offer a great level of care for boarded pets and my
cat has been in for shots and flea medicines that she likes the nurses and
lets them pet her.  Again, it's not that great since it's not the cat's home
and the owner isn't there, but I'd prefer that to a garage/outside
situation.  If you like and trust your vet, I'd check into whether or not
they offer boarding and what exactly goes on with the boarded cats.  Sorry
that's so long, but my heart would really go out to your poor kitty
practically alone in a garage for a month.  I'm sure you're competent enough
to  be careful during the actual trip and remember...the cat will probably
sleep most of it anyway if you take  her.  Just my two cents...again.

Beth

Well, I understand your uncertainty then about leaving it alone in the
house.  Does your friend who is checking on it know how to handle it?  I
really think your best option is to take it with you, especially if there is
a garage or fence at the other house so you can let it be outside the house
too.  I would just worry something would happen to it if it were left to its
own devices outside/in the garage where another animal or something could
get in.  Or, leave it with your vet if your vet does boarding.  In any
situation, the cat is going to be in a new and unusual situation so you just
need to decide which is best for its safety and well being.  I know they get
lonely and even a wild cat like yours will miss you, especially since it
seems your the only ones it likes to come to on its own for some affection.
I'd hate to have you come back in a month and write about how now it won't
come near your family either without being aggressive.
Beth

Beth