Going On Vacation, Leaving A 5month Kitten Alone At Hone

altairose

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We are going on a 1 week vacation in 1 month and cannot bring my 5 month old kitten along with us.

We found 2 friends who are cat owners and who will come over 1-2 times per day to play and feed with her and clean her litter box.

Will that be ok at her age? Are there better alternatives? I don’t think that she could stay with them at their house (because of their own cats and they declined this option). I looked into pet boarding but wonder if the kitten would be more stressed in that situation? I guess I could hire a cat sitter from my vets office but I think my friends (who are both doctors) are reliable and love cats, though they’re often stressed for time and very busy.

I also plan to raise the blinds of my windows as she loves to look outside.

Thoughts? Any other suggestions to make her less stressed?
 

Mamanyt1953

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The "stressed for time and very busy" part does concern me a bit. IF they can be there without fail twice a day, that should be fine, but a kitten that age needs to be fed at LEAST twice a day, and three times is optimal for another few months. If they are unsure they can commit to twice a day, I'd suggest a cat sitter, or ask them to commit to either morning or evening, and have the sitter come in at the other time.
 

susanm9006

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Given the kittens age, I think the best option is to board her. There is just too many predicaments a youngster can get themselves into on their own most of the time. While boarding can be stressful, kittens are so adaptable that I think she would do just fine at a good facility and you would have a better time knowing she was safe.
 
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altairose

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Yes I know they can be there without fail 1-2 times a day (1 of them lives 1 st over from me, and we are good friends; the other guy is only going to come 1 day when the first person knows she can’t make it). I agree with you that maybe a cat sitter combo could be optimal. So friend 1 can come over once a day in the evening and I’ll get a cat sitter for another visit in the morning. That would make things simpler.

In terms of feeding, we pretty much free feed her, and it’s been fine. We give her 1 can of wet food in the evening which she usually eats half in the evening and half the next morning (so basically 2 meals). And we leave dry kibble out. She self regulates very well and grazes throughout the day.
 

She's a witch

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I'm actually not a fan of boarding facilities because of the presence of other animals and their scents, and I agree that normally it's best to leave a cat at his own territory, but with kittens, because usually they are pretty adaptable, I think it'd make sense to "board" them with your friends/colleagues that have no pets; even if you don't have close friends that would help, maybe any coworkers that you trust? Friends of friends? You'd be surprised how many good people would be happy to have a kitten for w week. Personally it'd be heart breaking for me, leaving a playful kitten alone for so many hours. Boredom can be stressful too.

Or - if you live in attractive location - you can find some people through designated services that would stay in your place for free in exchange for taking care of her.

BTW so you leave the wet food overnight? Do you have special bowl for it? If not, personally I'd be afraid to leave food for so many hours in the open bowl.
 

Mamanyt1953

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And I have to say...consider confining her to an area that you thoroughly kitten-proof. There are concerns with leaving a little one alone...HOWEVER...I've read so many horror stories about boarding facilities lately, that the idea kinda scares me.
 

PushPurrCatPaws

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This is a toughie. With a kitten 4-6 months old, you have a social, very playful soul who is also going through the last throes of teething. So much can happen to such a kitten when left alone... I am kind of in Mamanyt1953's camp, of trying to get friends and/ or cat sitters to come over several times a day and to even spend an hour or two also providing companionship for the kitten.
How Long Can You Leave Your Cat Alone For?

Make sure you have the kitten-proofing in your home well-in-hand,
Kitten Proofing Your Home: 13 Practical Tips

that you introduce the future friends/ pet sitters to the kitten several times before you leave in a month, so that the kitten can recognize their scent(s),
Selecting The Best Pet Sitter

and that you both let your vet know you will be out of town and will have pet sitters, and that you leave a note of permission for veterinary care and a way to take care of those potential costs should the kitten need to see the vet due to any mishap or health issue that might crop up.

Also, darting out of the door when a kitten/ cat is stressed is very common... is your cat microchipped? wear a collar? do you have a plan of alerting the pet sitters to making sure the kitten doesn't get out?

If you do decide to go the boarding route, I've found that boarding facilities connected to an animal hospital or clinic that is open 24 hours a day (hopefully) have the best staff to look after my cat.
 
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altairose

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My concern about leaving the kitten with a friend at another persons house is that they will not kitten proof their house enough.
 
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