Can you Leave your Cat Alone for a Week?

We talk a lot about dogs here. But we have plenty of cat clients, too.

You’re probably wondering why. “Why spend all that money for a sitter for the cat? We’ll just clean his litterbox before we go, leave out some food and water, and he’ll be fine. It’s not like cats need to be let outside like dogs. I can just ask the neighbor to look in once or twice while we’re gone.”

In theory, that works. But here are some reasons it may not work out that way.

Cats are Sneaky (And You Have a Lot to Do Before You Leave)

We were hired to visit a cat while the owner was on vacation.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan. The owner had left town. Our visits were scheduled.

But when our sitter got to the house, she couldn’t find the cat. A neighbor might have said, “Oh, the cat’s just hiding. I have to go pick up the kids from school and bring them to softball practice, so I’ll leave some food and water and come back later.” Where later might mean in a day or two.

But for a pet sitter, part of the job (and the passion) is to find your cat and make sure she’s okay. Even if she’s plastered herself to the back corner under your bed.

So our NCC sitter set out to find the cat. It’s a good thing she did, too.

The cat was stuck in a closet.

Maybe the owner hadn’t noticed the cat slipping in as the door was shut. Or maybe the cat did what cats do and managed to finagle the door open just enough to go explore – only to have it swing shut behind him.

It Could Have Been Bad

Now imagine if the owner had just left out some food and water because “it’s only a few days.” Or if the neighbor had stopped by, but decided not to take the time to look for the cat.

At 2-3 days away, the cat would have been dehydrated and hungry. Possibly sick from eating something stored in the closet. And most of the items inside would have been ruined from the smell of cat urine.

Stuck in the closet for a week? The situation would be far worse.

Cats With Medical Issues

If your cat has kidney troubles, diabetes, or any other medical issues, a cat sitter is a necessity.

Even if your cat doesn’t receive medication, you’ll want someone to check on how your cat is feeling and to make sure he eats and drinks. If your cat needs to be rushed to the veterinarian, your cat sitter will do that.

The same applies for a senior cat.

Healthy Cats Need Care, Too

Life happens, right? Getting stuck in a closet (or cabinet) is only one potentially bad situation for your cat. Others include:

• Digestive upsets (imagine a hairball sitting on your rug for a week – eww)

• An exterior door that wasn’t shut all the way

• Those little bags of silicon beads that continue to fall out of your luggage (no matter how many you’ve thrown away) and become tempting toys to chew on

More importantly, think about the cold shoulder treatment you usually get from your cat when you leave for a couple of days. Attention from the cat sitter means your cat will be more likely to forgive you when you get home. (Though we can’t make any promises here – we are talking about cats, after all.)

The Other Things Cat Sitters Do

Check that all lights are out and doors are locked. Bring in mail. Water plants. Make sure nothing shorted during that last bad thunderstorm.

These are the types of tasks our pet sitters handle in addition to feeding your cat, cleaning her litterbox, and giving her some attention.

And if you get a tracking update letting you know the package that was supposed to arrive three days before your trip has finally been dropped off, you can ask your cat sitter to check for it and bring it into the house.

A Cat Sitter Means Peace of Mind

Even if you ask a neighbor or a friend to drop by, you still worry. Did you turn off the lamp in your bedroom? Did you really leave enough food out? What if the litter box needs to be cleaned before you come home?

When you hire a professional cat sitter, you get a responsible adult who has scheduled time into their day to spend checking over your home and your companion. These visits come complete with updates so all those nagging worries go away and you get to enjoy your vacation.

Check out our pet sitting services here.