- Joined
- Oct 24, 2017
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- 57
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Hello everyone,
I got my cat Caine in 2017 as an adult from a shelter and he is very attached to me. He always likes to be in the same room as me, if not cuddled right next to me. When I ignore him or I'm away for long he meows at me a lot for attention, and then seems very happy when I give it to him. He's very shy around new people and I'm the only person who he's gotten used to since we live alone. He always runs and hides when a stranger comes in, and won't come out until they're gone.
I've taken many short trips in the time I've had him, ranging from one to four days. When it's longer than one night I pay someone to come check on him, give him his daily wet food, etc. I try not to be gone for more than two days because he seems upset when I return, especially when it's longer. I think he's gotten used to these short trips I take to visit family and such, but I think he would react very badly to a longer trip like the two-week one I have scheduled in a few months.
I have lots of time to plan, so I need to think of something. I'm really worried for him and I want him to be happy. I can hire a sitter who will just come and check on him once per day, which would mean he would hide less and feel safer. I can hire a sitter who will stay here, but two weeks isn't long enough for him to get used to a new person, even one of my friends who's already seen him many times, so I fear he'd just hide all the time and it would be much more stress than before. I think he would get used to the person by the end of it, but he probably wouldn't get very close to them still, so it wouldn't be much comfort. Then lastly I can hire one of my friends to come visit him once per day, but they'd only be free for like an hour per day at most, and I don't think he'd get used to them in that time even though he's already seen them before.
The thought of him being all alone for so long when I know he loves my company and attention just breaks my heart. I'm not going to shorten the trip because it's extremely important and I need to take it, and it will likely be the only time I leave him alone this long. I worry that when I get back he won't love me anymore or he'll have been traumatized by being alone so long or something. Am I worrying too much? Are there any other options I haven't thought of? I can try to get my friends closer to him in the meantime, but it might be annoying to them because of how long it would take (it took him living here two whole weeks before he approached me). Even then they'd only be able to visit for an hour or so per day.
Any suggestions are appreciated, thank you so much!
I got my cat Caine in 2017 as an adult from a shelter and he is very attached to me. He always likes to be in the same room as me, if not cuddled right next to me. When I ignore him or I'm away for long he meows at me a lot for attention, and then seems very happy when I give it to him. He's very shy around new people and I'm the only person who he's gotten used to since we live alone. He always runs and hides when a stranger comes in, and won't come out until they're gone.
I've taken many short trips in the time I've had him, ranging from one to four days. When it's longer than one night I pay someone to come check on him, give him his daily wet food, etc. I try not to be gone for more than two days because he seems upset when I return, especially when it's longer. I think he's gotten used to these short trips I take to visit family and such, but I think he would react very badly to a longer trip like the two-week one I have scheduled in a few months.
I have lots of time to plan, so I need to think of something. I'm really worried for him and I want him to be happy. I can hire a sitter who will just come and check on him once per day, which would mean he would hide less and feel safer. I can hire a sitter who will stay here, but two weeks isn't long enough for him to get used to a new person, even one of my friends who's already seen him many times, so I fear he'd just hide all the time and it would be much more stress than before. I think he would get used to the person by the end of it, but he probably wouldn't get very close to them still, so it wouldn't be much comfort. Then lastly I can hire one of my friends to come visit him once per day, but they'd only be free for like an hour per day at most, and I don't think he'd get used to them in that time even though he's already seen them before.
The thought of him being all alone for so long when I know he loves my company and attention just breaks my heart. I'm not going to shorten the trip because it's extremely important and I need to take it, and it will likely be the only time I leave him alone this long. I worry that when I get back he won't love me anymore or he'll have been traumatized by being alone so long or something. Am I worrying too much? Are there any other options I haven't thought of? I can try to get my friends closer to him in the meantime, but it might be annoying to them because of how long it would take (it took him living here two whole weeks before he approached me). Even then they'd only be able to visit for an hour or so per day.
Any suggestions are appreciated, thank you so much!