Leaving my little buddy for the first time for a 10-day vacation...

[plan]

Next Friday, I'm leaving this little guy for the first time to go on vacation in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. I'll be gone for 10 days. (Note: Those are pictures of him as a baby, and I would never leave a kitten home alone like that. He's almost a year and a half old now.)

I have a sitter, a close friend who will come by once a day and check on him, feed him, fill his water bowl, and play with him. I'm also going to leave some unwashed clothes out, put towels across the door frames so my little Buddy doesn't get locked in any room, and I'm going to get him another toy he can entertain himself with. (For his birthday this year, I got him one of those Cheese Chaser things with the balls he can swat through circular tracks. He loves it.)

However, I'm still worried about leaving him for so long. This will be the first time he's truly alone -- I've been away for long weekends a few times, but there was always someone here with him. He's an extremely social kitteh, and he does not like it when he's not around people. Making matters worse, I work primarily from home, and I've had him since he was a baby, so he's literally spent the entire first year and five months of his existence with me constantly. He's hanging out on my desk if I'm working, lounging on top of me if we're watching TV, in the bed and burrowing against me when it's time to go to sleep. If he's not immediately next to me, he's always in the same room, and when I go out, he parks himself on the carpet near the door and waits for me there until I come back. He's almost dog-like in his temperament in that regard.

Which is all awesome, but I guess I'm only now realizing that being so close to my cat could cause him a lot of stress when going away for a relatively long stretch of time. I want to get him a good toy that'll keep him occupied, and my friend likes my cat so I know she'll spend time playing with him. I've heard some people say leaving a radio on is good, others say not to do it. What else can I do to keep him busy and happy while I'm gone?

Thanks

 

[stephenq]

 
Next Friday, I'm leaving this little guy for the first time to go on vacation in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. I'll be gone for 10 days. (Note: Those are pictures of him as a baby, and I would never leave a kitten home alone like that. He's almost a year and a half old now.)

I would suggest 2 visits per day (and emailed pics to to keep you calm :-), but a better solution if possible would be for your friend to foster your kitten in her home while you're gone, and the best solution I've found (for the future) is to have a trusted friend actually stay at your place while you're gone.  Nothing replaces (or even comes close) to the company of people both for social reasons and safety.

 

[plan]

 
I would suggest 2 visits per day (and emailed pics to to keep you calm :-), but a better solution if possible would be for your friend to foster your kitten in her home while you're gone, and the best solution I've found (for the future) is to have a trusted friend actually stay at your place while you're gone.  Nothing replaces (or even comes close) to the company of people both for social reasons and safety.

Thanks, Stephen. I considered asking my friend to take my cat for the 10 days, but she can't do it and I think my little buddy would be stressed to be in a different home for so long. The most I can expect is daily visits, and her staying a half hour, maybe 45 minutes, to play with him and keep him company. I'm really thankful that she's doing that, believe me, but yeah...I wish it was more than once a day.

Is there anything else I can leave around the house to keep him occupied? Yay or nay on leaving on a talk or classical radio station? 

And just curious, but has anyone ever taken their cats with them on vacation? I can't do it this time, but I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has done it and how they handled the logistics.

 

[irinasak]

We have three cats. When we go on vacation, either our friend stays with them in our home (during the night, as she works full time) or my bf's father comes twice a day. We also have our cleaning lady who comes twice a week. I am still overly stressed. We just leave the house as it is, no special things lying around that usually aren't. There are toys anywhere anyhow and they sleep in our bed. No radio on.

I would never advise for the cat to stay at someone else's house. It would feel like abandonment. How do you explain to him that he is relocated temporarily, and all those new smells, new place, too much stress. Home alone is better, from my point of view - even for a single cat.

We have also taken them with us at a vacation home, where we knew they were safe and can't get outside by accident. They usually stay under the bed the first day, but then they start exploring at night. However, at the slightest noise they hide. I think for one cat is worse. I am not so sure travelling with them is a very good idea, but I would rather have them with me. However, we would only take them at this vacation home, where there are our smells, we have our own room, we travel with their litterboxes, food and toys. I wouldn't take them to a hotel. Too many risks.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

When we leave for vacation, I actually set up the pillows under the covers on our bed to  make it seem like there are bodies in the bed for sleeping purposes, since our furbabies like to snuggle up to us at night. 

  Then, like you intend, I leave some "dirty" clothes laying around, so they get our scent and know we'll be back.  Our neighbor comes over at least 3 times a day to feed them and just hand out with them and change which lights are on in the house, etc.

I do like the idea of leaving on a radio with classical music, or really whatever your little buddy is used to hearing.  Classical music is the most calming to cals, but if your guy is more used to hearing rock and roll, then you could put on that station

.  Whatever makes him the most comfortable, I say.  Does he KNOW the person coming over?  If not, introductions before you leave are definitely in order. 

We've never taken our furkids with us on v acation, mainly because we're either on motorcycles, or cruises.  Neither are cat friendly

 

[stephenq]

 
Thanks, Stephen. I considered asking my friend to take my cat for the 10 days, but she can't do it and I think my little buddy would be stressed to be in a different home for so long. The most I can expect is daily visits, and her staying a half hour, maybe 45 minutes, to play with him and keep him company. I'm really thankful that she's doing that, believe me, but yeah...I wish it was more than once a day.

Is there anything else I can leave around the house to keep him occupied? Yay or nay on leaving on a talk or classical radio station? 

And just curious, but has anyone ever taken their cats with them on vacation? I can't do it this time, but I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has done it and how they handled the logistics.

Sure thing, and honestly i don't think much makes up for companionship than the real thing.  Hopefully your sitter will provide enough play and attention.  I have taken our cats o vacation by car and its worked out really well, provided your cat is ok in the car....

 

[betsygee]

When we had a solo cat, I always left a TV on for company while we were gone.  Now we have three cats who can keep each other company, but I still leave a TV on for them when we're gone.