To board or not to board-need advice

[Mer.kitten]

I live in Northern California and will be going back to Maine in late January for 5-7 days.

I live alone & have 2 choices for my kitty:

1. Board her.

Pros:
Someone there 24-7 if she needs anything, i dont have to worry about her being alone, getting sick alone ect, i know she's secure

Cons:
She wouldnt know anyone there, would be away from the apartment shes lived in for the last 4 years, and could be scared & freaked out.

2. Have my ex check on her every 1-2 days and leave her at the apt

Pros:
She stays in the environment she feels safe in, shes not stressed besides the (hopefully minor?) stress of missing me. We're pretty close, she sleeps with me every night, and last week when i was gone for a day and a half she was very clingy when i got back
Also she knows my ex and he's good with her, he would go in, scoop her litter, change her food & water, and probably sit and pet her 5-10 minutes. He'd probably go every other day as its an hour round trip out of his way.

Cons:
She'd be there alone in the apt for 1-2 days at a time. I mean i'm not expecting anyone to break in, she'd be safe, its just the thought of no one there with her.

I really dont know-can y'all tell me honestly what you would do? Is there an obvious reason not to do one or the other that i'm missing? If theres a consensus maybe that would help me decide.


This is the kitty in question:

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I would always opt for my cat to stay at home rather than be boarded, but with more interaction than your ex can provide. Have you considered looking for cat lovers in your neighborhood through the Next-Door Neighbor web site? Or care.com to hire a caretaker? You have enough time to find some candidates, interview them, and even get your cat used to them before you leave, with visits between now and then. Not to say that your ex couldn't also come by just to check up on everything.

Things like leaving worn, unwashed clothing in your home in her favorite places in your absence could help to make her feel more secure. Also, you can get her used to things like the TV or a radio running at various times of the day (with timers) to help with some sort of familiar noise while you are gone. Timed lights, and even night lights, would be beneficial as well. All of these things can be monitored by a hired sitter to ensure they are functioning while you are gone. You can even get baby cams or something similar to record what is going on in your absence. A hired caretaker would be more than willing to share those with you in your absence. I have even known persons to use Zoom/Skype to see and 'talk to' their cats through a caretaker.

 

[Mer.kitten]

Hi. I would always opt for my cat to stay at home rather than be boarded, but with more interaction than your ex can provide. Have you considered looking for cat lovers in your neighborhood through the Next-Door Neighbor web site? Or care.com to hire a caretaker? You have enough time to find some candidates, interview them, and even get your cat used to them before you leave, with visits between now and then. Not to say that your ex couldn't also come by just to check up on everything.

Things like leaving worn, unwashed clothing in your home in her favorite places in your absence could help to make her feel more secure. Also, you can get her used to things like the TV or a radio running at various times of the day (with timers) to help with some sort of familiar noise while you are gone. Timed lights, and even night lights, would be beneficial as well. All of these things can be monitored by a hired sitter to ensure they are functioning while you are gone. You can even get baby cams or something similar to record what is going on in your absence. A hired caretaker would be more than willing to share those with you in your absence. I have even known persons to use Zoom/Skype to see and 'talk to' their cats through a caretaker.

Thanks for the ideas! I like the idea of a cam i could watch her through, i may do that, that way i can check on her and if anythings up i can call the ex to go over there.

I hadnt thought of a cat sitter, honestly it makes me a little uncomfortable, the idea of a stranger letting themself in my house. I'll think about it though.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I hadnt thought of a cat sitter, honestly it makes me a little uncomfortable, the idea of a stranger letting themself in my house. I'll think about it though.

Have a garage with an automatic door opener and a keypad? Doesn't stop a 'stranger' from being in your home while you are gone but it does allow access with a temporary code on the keypad that you can change when you get home - no keys to your house involved.

 

[maggie101]

At home. My cats are very scared locked in an unfamiliar area. My cat most attached to me hid in the back of her room and growled at me

 

[Kieka]

I'm going to be the odd one saying board.

In my opinion, I feel much more comfortable knowing my cat is being watched by my vet when I am gone. Granted, I tend to be more worst case scenario and doomsday about things. If something bad happens my vet can handle it and will (hopefully) notice quicker then a friend, family or hired person. I also don't want to put any friend or family in the position of feeling responsible if something does go wrong. I don't want that stress to weigh on their consciousness should my cat get hurt by accident or become ill.

I know it is more stress for my cat. I always send them with a cave type bed they can hide in. I send a towel from home that smells like home. It's only a few days and most cats will settle into it. Even my high stress girl who hates everything did fine the last time she was boarded. It only took a few hours once they were back home for them to all settle back to normal and within 24 hours it was like nothing happened. It wasn't any worse then a normal visit to the vet for them by outward appearances.

 

[game misconduct]

i board graycie each time i have taken a trip out of town what i do is marinade a t shirt(workout in it and dont change it for a week or 2 or longer so its full of my scent(arm pit stench etc).we always leave one of her lil beds or sleeping pillows along with her baby blanket and my rotten t shirt we make sure to let them know no contact with other cats the place lets her out to play spend time with her 30 minutes each day and send lots of pics and daily updates to let us know how she is doing i would prefer to pay a person i trust to stay at my place the entire timenobody in my family has the free time to do that

 

[neely]

I would always opt for my cat to stay at home rather than be boarded, but with more interaction than your ex can provide.

I agree completely!

If your ex can only come once every other day due to his driving distance then I would definitely seek out an additional person to come in and look after your cat. I'm personally not a big fan of anyone pet sitting that I don't know. Do you have a reliable neighbor or friend who could share the responsibilities with your ex? If you have to resort to boarding do you know if your vet offers this option? That way they would have her medical history and since you have a relationship with your vet it would give you peace of mind.

 

[vince]

When I was young, we sometimes boarded our cats, but it became obvious they did better when somebody cat-sat. I have a trusted sitter. He and his daughter always take care of my cats, and they do just fine. Wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Mer.kitten]

I agree completely!

If your ex can only come once every other day due to his driving distance then I would definitely seek out an additional person to come in and look after your cat. I'm personally not a big fan of anyone pet sitting that I don't know. Do you have a reliable neighbor or friend who could share the responsibilities with your ex? If you have to resort to boarding do you know if your vet offers this option? That way they would have her medical history and since you have a relationship with your vet it would give you peace of mind.

I dont have anyone else that could check on her but my ex, so its him, or boarding. I'm considering leaving her at home with him cjecking her every other day, but also buying a couple home cameras so i can keep an eye on her for my own peace of mind.

If i do board her theres a great place ive boarded before, and also another obe i found, so that shouldnt be an issue. She's a pretty healthy cat, k ock on wood

Still pondering which to choose. Thank you everyone whose commented so far, i appreciate your input!

 

[neely]

You know her best and although it's a difficult decision you want to be able to enjoy your trip to Maine without having to worry. So do what you feel would make her the most comfortable and give you peace of mind. Please post an update when you return from vacation to let us know how everything worked out. Good luck!

 

[Mer.kitten]

You know her best and although it's a difficult decision you want to be able to enjoy your trip to Maine without having to worry. So do what you feel would make her the most comfortable and give you peace of mind. Please post an update when you return from vacation to let us know how everything worked out. Good luck!

Will do! I'm here pretty often, but i usually only post in the photo forum or sometimes the cats meow forum. I'll definitely post when i make a decision & again when i'm back

 

[Mer.kitten]

Hi guys, thought I'd update Maine trip didn't pan out, but I'm going to Mardi Gras and will be gone a week. I decided on having the ex come visit her, partly bc he said he'd come every day instead of every other day except on the weekend bc it's a longer trek for him, on the weekend he'll just come sat or sun.

I was still a little worried though, and then I found the petcam by Wyze. It's supercheap, only 35 bucks for one and tons of functionality - i bought two and will probably buy a third before I go. It has realtime monitoring obvs, night vision, motion detection, 2 way mic, the whole 9 yards. I feel much better now that I can keep an eye on her and if I see she needs help can call the ex right away to get her to the vet.

Just wanted to update and add this info in case someone's in a similar situation

 

[neely]

Thanks for coming back to give us an update. Enjoy Mardi Gras, I always wanted to go but never made it there, maybe some day.
And let us know how you like the Wyze. I'm sure other members would appreciate it.