Would you leave your cats alone in the house if you went on vacation?

United States
October 11, 2008 3:01am CST
Would you leave your cats alone in your house if you went on vacation? What would you do with your cats if you decided not to leave them home alone? Once I went on vacation and was so scared to leave my cat by himself, that I took him along. Looking back, I realize he probably could have taken care of himself for a few days, assuming I left plenty of food, water and litter. But, at the time, he was only a year old and still a kitten and my only cat, so I doted on him. What would you have done in a similar situation?
16 people like this
65 responses
@patzel88 (3310)
• Philippines
11 Oct 08
in my opinion it is not good to leave the cat alone at home for you will always think of the cat if what is happening to him/her this time and what he/she eats.
3 people like this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
11 Oct 08
Hello beauty queen. If it were the same case that I would have, I think that I would leave it at home as there is already so much food and everything that is needed for the cat. It is not very convenient to travel with a cat along with you, I guess. But I wonder how you managed to take it with you.
2 people like this
• United States
11 Oct 08
Just a basic cat carrier. He was tiny at the time. And, no trouble at all. He's usually very docile (and scared) while traveling, so I don't move often!
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Oct 08
Well, we would leave our pets if we do go on vacation...but we always recruit one of my sisters to come over everyday and take care of them and make sure everything is okay :) So they are never alone for long. But usually there is always someone here who isn't going on the trip anyways, so we haven't come across your exact situation. :)
• United States
12 Oct 08
That's always a good idea!
2 people like this
• United States
11 Oct 08
I've left my cats alone for up to a few days, with plenty of litter boxes, food, and water. I worry about them, tho, but feel that they would be more upset by being put in a kennel or taken with me. If I were gone for longer, I'd have someone come in once a day to check on them, pet them and give fresh food/water, scoop litter, etc. I think that is the best for them, since most cats don't like leaving home very much!
@celticeagle (157572)
• Boise, Idaho
11 Oct 08
I have left our four cats in the apartment BUT, I had a trusted neighbor who came over daily to check on them and give them effection. They are all four of them big babies and have to have attention. They were fine. I would never have left them totally alone though!
2 people like this
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
11 Oct 08
I definitely would have done the same thing. I grew up in Italy where most people live in apartments and it is not uncommon to see people out and about with their cats (that's how it was quite a few years ago, anyway). Our family travelled to Switzerland and France each year for vacation and we always took our Siamese with us, we used to sneak him into hotel rooms! Nowadays if I am unable to take my two cats with me I book them into our local cattery where I know they will be comfortable until I return. To me they are like my children and I treat them accordingly.
2 people like this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
11 Oct 08
I rarely do vacations though last year I went to Branson to see my Dad...I was gone overnight but Hubby was home with Morgana. I don't think I'd ever leave her home alone and I'd either take her with me or not go. I don't like the whole kennels thing b/c to me I'd think they'd get homesick and you can never be sure they are receiving good care. [b]~~IN SEARCH OF PEACE WITHIN~~ **AGAINST THE STORMS, I WILL STAND STRONG** [/b]
1 person likes this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
11 Oct 08
I think Morgana would probably die of grief if I left her anywhere, including at home, for more than a few hours alone. [b]~~IN SEARCH OF PEACE WITHIN~~ **AGAINST THE STORMS, I WILL STAND STRONG**[/b]
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Oct 08
It's so true! Noone knows your cat as well as you do. Same for me. My cats have so many funny quirks, noone else would understand. Guess that's why they're my cats.
• United States
11 Oct 08
Oh, that poor baby! She would miss her mommy. My Big Man is the same way. He's a mama's boy. He doesn't even like for me to go outside without him. Unfortunately, he's not an outdoor cat!
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
12 Oct 08
I am looking after a cat visiting the moment and I care about him. If I went on vacation I would ask my mum to look after him along with my two dogs. She cared for my dogs once a day during my last vacation I employed a dog sitter for one hour a day as well. It costs lots of money but at least my dogs were happy and well cared for. I think that if a person leaves there cats alone for more than 24 hours it wouldn't be a good idea. A loving cat owner would worry about their cat so much so you took your young cat with you.
1 person likes this
• United States
12 Oct 08
no need.there's always someone here with them. they'd probably eat everything in a day knowing them,then all have trauma when they noticed "mommy" is missing.they're very dependant cats,i couldn't see that as working.
1 person likes this
• United States
12 Oct 08
I almost always had multiple cats, so when we went on vacation we got an automatic waterer and put out plenty of food (a cat won't overeat like a dog will) and of course an extra supply of water just in case something went wrong with the waterer. Then off we'd go, no worries because we knew they'd be happier at home. Of course we left an extra litter box too for their kitty comfort. We never stayed gone that long. When we did take them with us, like when we moved - what a production! Have you ever heard of kitty dramamine? I had one that had to be knocked out with that before he could travel, poor thing. Then there was the yaowling and the hopping around. Cats just aren't good travelers in my experience.
• United States
12 Oct 08
It would not be safe for my cat or my house. When he is left alone for a short time it makes him a bit crazy. I left for a few hours last night after being gone for part of the day and by the time I got back he was nuts speeding threw the house to show he was angry that I was not home to serve him at every whim.
@katsmeow1213 (28719)
• United States
11 Oct 08
We went away for about 3-4 days leaving the 5 cats home alone. The tub faucet would drip, so they could get in there for water, and I buy 20 lb bags of food that one of my cats eats straight from anyways, so it's always there and open for them. We did have my FIL check on them a day or 2 after we'd left anyways, just to be safe. The only thing the cats weren't happy about was that they were locked inside the house all that time. They prefer to be outdoors 90% of the time and only come in when it's too cold or when they're hungry.
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Oct 08
Wow! Your cats sound pretty independent.
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Oct 08
cats are naturally independant
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
12 Oct 08
i wouldn't leave any animal in my house while i was on vacation. i'd board them or have a friend look after them anything but leaving them in the house. i don't have a cat but i have a dog & there's no way i'd leave her in the house.
1 person likes this
@nanajanet (4436)
• United States
12 Oct 08
We have done it up to one week. I leave the toilet bowl open, just in case they do run out of other water. Of course, I don't use chemicals in it. I put out many bowls of water and have one that stores much fresh water and slowly replaces it as they drink from the bowl. I put out much dry food and leave an unopened bag on the floor, too, as they can tear it open (cats will do that) if they ran out. I leave many litter boxes. I buy some carboard ones that you can throw away. I cover all the furniture with old blankets, close off all of the rooms except the ones I want them in and they have been fine. If longer than one week, I have someone check on them every couple of days.
• Canada
9 Jan 09
I would never leave my cats behind. There are like kids to me. If it is not possible that you carry your cats, then you can always leave them at a foster home.There they will be happy and taken care of.
@greysfreak (1384)
• United States
11 Oct 08
We have left our cats alone while gone a few days or a week before, we definitely worried about them, but always made sure there was more than enough food and water out. It always worked out fine. They are so amazing and self-reliant. It's definitely not the best option to leave them alone but since we have had cats, we also had 2 or 3 dogs as well, and 2 of them had to go to the kennel and our little one(now our oldest) is so nervous so she had to go with us whenever we all went away. I definitely think our cats are would freak out if we took them to a kennel or even took them with us. The only exception was, when I was away at college and my mom had moved up there, my dad visited us for Christmas and he brought both cats, and he said our one cat was meowing most the way up there, like 6 hours So yea, that's what we always did--but it's definitely important to take into account how they act and also their health of course--if you had a sick cat that wouldn't be a good idea to leave them. But otherwise I think most cats are very independent. Ours still are, they range from almost 3 years to almost 10 years.
• United States
12 Oct 08
It's good to see you back on Mylot. I miss talking to you. As for the cats, we have four right now. Two are just kittens, one year old and three months old. My daughter adopted them from the yard mama cat. The other two are almost ten years old. So there's a nice age range. Funny thing, the one year old adopted the kitten when he came into the house and cares for him as if she is his mom. I think she's actually his aunt, cause her mom is his mom's mother. Maybe I got that mixed up. Anyway! Thanks for your comments.
@msedge (4011)
• United States
9 Jan 09
We don't have cat but we have a pet dog.Last Thanksgiving we took a one week vacation in the other state.We can't take her so we just left her in my hubby's cousins care which she had known and play sometimes.We know she was in good hands so we are confident that she was fine.We missed her so much and when came back she was really happy to see us and we could feel that she missed us too.
@apples99 (6556)
• United States
11 Oct 08
No I would feel awful I would most definitely take my cat with me, I have in the past, whenever I traveled I even took my cat to vegas a few times I just would be too worried to leave him all alone, at the very least I would consider putting him in one of those pet boarding places, but that would only be a last resort, I love my cat and I would want to be sure he was ok before taking a trip because even though cats are pretty self sufficient theres still a small chance that something could happen if there left alone, like maybe a robbery or a fire who knows you can never be too careful, besides that me and my cat are really bonded and I think he would be lonely if I left him all alone.
• United States
12 Oct 08
I'd miss my babies so much!
@AbbeyB (670)
• Spain
11 Jan 09
I think for a couple of days it is fine as long as they are left food and water any longer than that and it is a big nono.
• Brisbane, Australia
17 Sep 15
Great Post.