what to do with my cat

Subject: Cat sitters

When we go on vacation, we have a pet sitter come once a day to take care of our 2 cats. The sitter will feed and play with the cats, take care of the litter boxes, and most sitters will also bring in your mail and water your plants, etc. if you ask them.

You can find local petsitters on http://www.petsitters.org (enter your zip code to search). Also, ACME Pet Supply on Vanderbilt Ave usually has several business cards from local pet sitters.

Book as soon as possible for Christmas/Holiday season -- the pet sitters' calendars fill up fast!

dan.h wrote: You can also put her up in boarding at 5th ave cat clinic..

I've done that with my two cats, and they take good care of them. Keep in mind that it can get pricey because they aren't open for you to pick up your pets on Sundays and charge for even a partial day. So the last time I left my cats there, I came back to town late on a Saturday, wasn't allowed to pick them up until Monday morning, and got charged for both Sunday and Monday.

Have the folks here who have used the petsitters website had good experiences with them? I'm a bit leery of handing my apartment keys over to someone I don't know.

sje wrote: I will say this though, PLEASE don't dump a whole bag of food out and just leave for a week. For crying out loud. :roll:

Why? Because cats get lonely? I think it beats being locked in a cage somewhere wfor a week anyday. Think if it like this, cats have pea brains. They forget and forgive very easily.

Oiseau wrote: [quote=sje]I will say this though, PLEASE don't dump a whole bag of food out and just leave for a week. For crying out loud. :roll:

Why? Because cats get lonely? I think it beats being locked in a cage somewhere wfor a week anyday. Think if it like this, cats have pea brains. They forget and forgive very easily.

Yes, cats get lonely. You can leave them with extra food, water, and a clean pan for a few days, but a weeklong trip means you either should have a friend look after them, or get up off your wallet and hire a sitter.

Cats are much more tied to their "territory" than dogs are, so it tends to be less stressful for the cat if you can have a pet sitter come to your place rather than sending it to a kennel. Here's one more recommendation for a sitter: Sandee's Petsitting (http://home.earthlink.net/~crankgirl/index.html).

I agree with the other posters that cats can get lonely, and when they do they can act out. So the folks who take the "leave a buttload of food" approach might return to find shredded furniture, urine in unwanted places, etc. etc.

And, as others mentioned, book early (i.e., now) for the holidays!

I'm glad you guys say Sandee's good because I've already emailed her to find out about her availability over Xmas!

Get a freind to stop by to collect your mail and make sure your cat hasn't filled up his litter box. But if my apartment building burnt down the friend wouldn't have a clue until too late. As long as a cat has food they are usually happy creatures. If your cat acts out because you're not tehre well then maybe that says something more about you than the cat?
When was the last time an apartment was flooded in PH?

Oiseau wrote: If your cat acts out because you're not there well then maybe that says something more about you than the cat?

Such as?

The operative word in my post was that cats "can" act out when they get upset. Just putting the information out there. No reason to get snippy.

I think you've made the right choice. I wouldn't put my cats in a kennel unless it was the last option on earth. When I go out of town, I leave lots of food & water. If I'm gone more than three nights, I get a neighbor or friend to check in on them every few days to make sure they're okay. I also set up an extra litter box so they don't have to deal with it (of course, if I'm away more than a week or so, it does need changing).
Good luck. I think you and your cat will be very happy.

Also, you may want to put some items of clothing that you've worn without washing (so they have your scent) - or any other clothing items they love to sleep on in kitty's favorite sleeping spots. (Mine love polar fleece) I also hide some food treats around the apartment for them and get a new catnip toy or two if I'm gonna be gone a while.

dc wrote: I told you La Tanya!!

spoilapet.com

She rocks and the kitties lover her.

I called her once and she will only come once a day. in other words, as many have posted, you can leave cats for multiple days on their own. she insists on coming every day. which, while nice, is a far more expensive proposition than having someone come once or twice during a week long trip.

I have no idea if this is typical among cat sitters - I generally scrounge up some combination of neighbors and local friends to care for my cats when I'm away - but it is pretty irritating and makes it so that her schedule fills up SUPER fast.