Going On Vacation

[Nature9000]

So next week I'm traveling down to the Houston area to visit my relative for about a week and I'm a little nervous because obviously Prince and Nikita aren't going to be going with me. I hope I'm making the right move as far as what I'm doing with them

The plan is to gather there scratching post and trees as well as of course their food and litter box and let them stay with my grandparents for a week. I'm more nervous leaving them in my apartment because as you know I have a very small studio apartment with only the front door and I worry that my grandfather who already has difficulty going up and down the stair to my apartment would have to do that everyday and open the door and then I'm concerned about my cat's bolting out the door or just being at the apartment all by themselves. My grandparents have a much bigger house and would be more company for them during the week so I'm more comfortable with that.

I've never been apart from them for so long though so that's part of what I'm worried about is will their behavior change or will there be some sort of separation anxiety or will they not even acknowledge me anymore when I get home I suppose I'm worrying a lot about nothing in that case.

Before you at the reason they're not going with me is for a number of reasons, the trip is much too long and my aunt and uncle have a dog that will probably quite literally eat them. That dog have been known to attack other animals even though it never attacked the cat that it lived with at the time because those two pets were around together. And then of course my cousins have a cat that would probably get into a territorial dominance problem with Prince most likely

 

[Nature9000]

I suppose id like some advice or a bit of input. I think im more nervous to be apart from them

 

[Nature9000]

I dont mean to sound hasty or anything but this has been on my mind all day and six hours since I asked for some advice, is there anyone out there thaf can offer some peace of mind at all?

 

[kittyluv387]

It'll take a few days to adjust but they will be ok. Are they going to start off in one room? That makes the transition easier for them instead of giving them the run of the whole house right away.

I have boarded my cats for weeks at a time when I have vacationed out of the country and it really is ok! Once they get back they sniff around everywhere to check things out for half the day but after that they go back to normal. My cats don't do this but some other cats have been known to ignore their owners after they've been gone for a while but they will go back to normal and be fine. Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Nature9000]

Well ive taken both to my grandparents on several occasions, and they seem to do okay. I would worry about them pulling away from me though

 

[Nature9000]

You dont think a week is too long is it?

 

[Antonio65]

You dont think a week is too long is it?

Cats have no sense of time passing.
I mean, they don't know if a day or a week is gone, they just know you're not there with them.
As long as they are looked after by someone they know and trust, I don't think they will be in distress. Furthermore, it seems they already know the house where they are going to stay, don't they?

 

[AbbysMom]

I dont mean to sound hasty or anything but this has been on my mind all day and six hours since I asked for some advice, is there anyone out there thaf can offer some peace of mind at all?

I'm going to move this to Behavior.

 

[kittyluv387]

It's not too long. Even if she acts aloof with you when you get back she will go back to her old self.

 

[Nature9000]

I'm going to move this to Behavior.

Thanks Abby, I had no idea whether or not it belonged in behavior because it felt general to me, but I thought it could go there.

As long as they are looked after by someone they know and trust, I don't think they will be in distress. Furthermore, it seems they already know the house where they are going to stay, don't they?

Yes its not been frequent, but theyve both been over there from time to time. Nikita likes to sit on the chair under their dining room table, where the tablecloth covers her; and Prince likes the big open den they have, so I imagine theyll be fine

In fact, i may miss them more than theyll miss me

 

[Hellenww]

In fact, i may miss them more than theyll miss me

You may be right. Some cats get excited when their human returns. Some become aloff for a short time. They won't forget you or stop loving you. Even though they are familiar with your grandparents house take some used litter with them. They'd probably like a used t-shirt of yours in their bed.

 

[foxden]

Nature9000
My cats sulk after I come back from a trip and we have had a pet sitter come over.

We boarded the cats during our most recent vacation. They were more nervous and wound-up when we brought them home instead of sulking.

 

[kissthisangel]

In fact, i may miss them more than theyll miss me

You probably will. we went "away" a couple of weeks ago. We went less than 12 miles from our home, and we were gone for two nights. We left our cats at home. We left them with more food than we normally would feed for two days, two brimmed water bowls, the heating on 12C even though we don't normally have the heating on and y'know cats have fur coats. Plus we hid loads of treats to give them things to do in the day, and we piled up blankets and stuff for a cosy bed. When we got back they looked at us and were like "oh it's just you what a shame." As normal!

Despite them clearly not being phased by this at all, when my mother in law told me after we returned there was thunder on one of the nights we were away, I was furious because I would have come back to check on the cats. She said "I didn't tell you about it because you would have cut your trip short. The cats don't care, I bet they slept through the whole storm." And she was probably right, even if she wasn't, the cats are fine.

You're doing what's right for your g'pa as well as the cats, if he struggles in and around your flat, then it's not a good idea for him to be trying to wrangle possibly flighty cats if he has mobility issues. Better that they take the cats to their house and the cats are a little fed up with not being "at home" but safe in a controlled environment that your grandparents are safe and familiar with.


I'd not leave my own cats for longer than 3 nights on their own without supervision (they are both used to semi- frequent 2 nights) for me, that means that I would have to board them or have a friend stay at my house since neither mine, nor my partner's parents are practical care options and I wouldn't consider giving my key to a pet sitter. Luckily (or unluckily if you like), we haven't traveled outside of this time frame unless we're in a commutable radius since we had ours. For example going to my father in laws over Christmas, we're normally there at least 5 nights, but we drive back every day to spend time with the cats. I guess what I'm saying is it's all situational.

Practical advice, leave the contents of their litter-box alone for at least one day before you travel, move the boxes (untouched) and their posts / beds with them, and leave them each a place with your scent when you drop them off. Like a used and worn hoodie or shirt and get your grandparents to put these items in the places they use least in their house. It's good they have visited the space they will be inhabiting before this and try not to put too many worries or demands on your g'parents. Just "they must stay indoors" and "here is their food" "please scrape out the box 1x every day (or 2days)". If you want them to do something specific with the cats, for example, one meal at 9am one meal at 12 then a meal at 5, then portion it out for them. Preparation is going to help you feel so so much better!

Finally, you're doing the RIGHT thing for your cats, leaving them with someone you know and trust and preparing before you leave.

 

[Nature9000]

Thank you for your responses, I will definitely do as you suggested and leave some clothing items near the areas in their house for them. I'm at my grandparents know. My intention is to take about four of their trees and posts over there so I'm thinking I will leave some shirts on those. Here's what I intend on taking over there for the cats

I think on those two small stands that you see there I can put a shirt over the square one and inside the circular one and that along with the familiar cat trees and stands should be enough for them. I would take that chocolate brown cat tree or Castle as I call it and that you see in my profile picture but it is too big to move right now

 

[Nature9000]

Also I'm going to take them all over tomorrow morning, before I go to work at 3, so they will have the entire day of Friday to spend with my grandparants

 

[kissthisangel]

Oh that will be plenty of furrrrniture to make them aware that this is also their territory. It will smell of your shared home. I would recommend that you put the clothes where you think they will most likely want to sleep. If that's a tall wardrobe or a dark corner, on the arm of a sofa on the cat tree, whatever your cats would normally go for place the "smelly" item there. It should make them very comfortable in their spots. If the cats choose somewhere other than where you place that item to sleep it really doesn't matter so long as they have access to a "comfort" space. good luck and enjoy your trip!

 

[Nature9000]

Whats evwn better is it's nuetral territory for them. Even though they're best buds, Prince has always maintained an alpha cat state because Nikita was the new kid. My grandparents place may have them share the space even more

 

[Nature9000]

I left my cats with my grandparents tonight and as I walked out to my truck and look to the door they were sitting at the door watching me it was so hard not to turn back around and take them home with me. And of course when I got to my apartment I half expected them to be at the front door

 

[kissthisangel]

I left my cats with my grandparents tonight and as I walked out to my truck and look to the door they were sitting at the door watching me it was so hard not to turn back around and take them home with me. And of course when I got to my apartment I half expected them to be at the front door

Yeah it's always going to be a bit strange not having them at home. My mother in law has a dog who's young, demanding and loves attention, and sometimes MIL just can't cope because her own anxiety will overwhelm her, if the dog senses she's anxious, the dog gets anxious and will vomit, which makes MIL even more anxious... it's a vicious circle really. It ends up with many many trips to the vet. So, when my MIL is in this state of mind, she will board the dog to avoid this, and that helps a lot but she always says she feels like the dog is missing. Even though she knows exactly where the dog is, it's just weird not having her at home. When we visit we feel strange the dog isn't there and we can't wait to pick her up from the boarder. Even though she is very well looked after there, it's always more comforting knowing that your pets are home.

It will be strange to not have them there, but think that you will be able to run this as a test and see if your Grandparents are suitable holiday-sitters. I'm sure everything will turn out just fine.

 

[Nature9000]

Oh yes they're enjoying the cats too. They said this morning that Prince, unsurprisingly, still hasnt come around them much (he has always been independent and aloof in a way) but that Nikita id friendly and loving (honestly i think she has a little more freedin yoo because their home is larger so she doesnt havs to worry about getting attention and then Prince walking by,)

They sent me this picture of nikita on one of the posts I took over