Your question was not addressed to me, but I'll step in here in case you
would like a couple of responses.

I am seldom gone at night.  However, I do take a two-weeks vacation every
summer.  When I only had one cat, I took my cat with me.  For the last 3
years, I have had two cats (Holly and Duffy), and they are now good
companions.  So, now I leave them at home -- but *only* with a very reliable
pet sitter who comes in twice a day.  I checked references very carefully
(and later learned that she also checked me out because she is just as
careful about who she works for as I am about who I will employ to take care
of my furbabies).  She comes twice a day, replaces food and water, scoops
litter, brings in mail and papers, and checks for anything that might be
"out of place."  Just as important, she spends at least half an hour each
time playing with Holly and Duffy, grooming them, etc.  In many ways, she
"becomes me" -- she will sit at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee, read
the papers, watch the birds at the bird feeders or turn on the TV, etc.
That way, routine is pretty familiar to my twosome.  I also leave a radio
tuned (low volume) to classical music, and I plug in a couple of Feliway
diffusers just to reduce any chance of tension.  I leave a list of emergency
phone numbers, set the cat carriers in the utility room where they are
easily accessible and make arrangements with my vet to take care of my cats
if anything were to go wrong while I am gone.  I am very comfortable with
all this because my pet sitter is *wonderful* with the cats.  Even so, I
call her every few days just to check on everything.  She comes over a
couple of days before I am going to leave on vacation to be "re-introduced"
to my cats, and she leaves a daily log showing how much was eaten, how the
cats reacted to my absence, etc.  Of course, it is *vital* to get someone
*very* reliable, both for the safety of your cats and also for your home.
Incidentally, I have what is known as a "maid's lock."  That is, my own key
will fit every lock in the house.  However, there is a second dead-bolt on
the front door.  I have a different key that will fit that lock but *no
other* locks in the house.  If I have to leave a key with someone -- the pet
sitter, someone coming to clean, etc. -- I leave the other lock unlocked,
and that person can use their lock to get in via the maid's lock.  However,
their key will not fit the second lock on the door, which I always keep
locked when I am home.  I do that even though I only give the second key to
people I truly trust -- but that gives me still another level of security.
That means, for example, that someone who might notice the pet sitter using
a key could not gain entry with that key when I am home (only during that
two-week period of the year).

I hope this helps.

MaryL

Photos of Duffy and Holly:      >'o'<
Duffy:  http://tinyurl.com/cslwf
Holly:  http://tinyurl.com/9t68o
Duffy and Holly together:  http://tinyurl.com/8b47e

Hi Pete, for long vacations I have someone come in to care for them, a
neighbor usually, once a day to do the food, water, scoop, and mail.  My
cats have usually been shy of strangers so having someone entertain them is
not necessary but it is nice if the person hangs around a short while to
reasure them. We have always had at least two cats so they are not entirely
alone.  I have done things like leave the inside garage door open to give
them more exploring space, I have hid food goodies, and left a radio on low.
I also place food and water at two completely different places in the house
as it has happened that ants may find one but not the other.  I also sent up
two litterboxes.

I don't know if I would treat a single cat differently.  Probably depends on
the cat.  Beware, cats can become upset with your absence since that means
change and you know how cats are about change.  They can decide to pee on or
shred something.  If it is a high maintenance animal perhaps boarding is the
trick.  A layed back retired cat would probably be ok alone.  All this
assumes you plan to keep the animal indoors.  If it is an outdoor cat, there
is always the possibility that it could pack up its bowl and leave if your
gone too long.

For a vacation longer than two weeks you might see if someone can take the
cat in, but that is frightening as there are many a story of cats slipping
out of caregiver homes.  Actually it happened to my neighbor- out of his own
house when the pet sitter opened the door.

Good luck.  You'll probably be fine whatever you decide.