Leaving your cat while you are away

A healthy adult cat can usually manage a few hours alone, and many cope with a night. Beyond that, a cat needs a person to check on it every day. For a trip of more than a night, ask a sitter to visit, have a trusted person stay, or book a good cattery. Automatic feeders are a help, not a replacement for a person.

How long is too long

Cats are independent, but they cannot call for help. Food can spill or run out, water can tip, a litter tray can become unusable, and a cat can become ill or trapped in a room. A vet will often say that a cat should be seen by a person at least once a day. Some cats do well alone for a weekend, with plenty of food and water set out, but even then a problem is easy to miss.

Some cats should never be left without a person nearby:

• kittens
• very old cats
• cats with an illness such as diabetes or kidney disease, or that need medicine
• cats recovering from surgery
• cats that suffer from separation anxiety
• cats that eat too fast or gorge on dry food left out

Ask your vet if you are unsure whether your cat falls into one of these groups.

Your options

• A visiting sitter. A person comes once or twice a day to feed, clean the litter, play, give medication if needed, and check the cat. This suits cats that dislike travel and prefer their own home. Ask for references or use a registered service, and ask whether the sitter has insurance.
• A friend or relative. A trusted person who knows your cat can visit or stay. Write clear instructions.
• A live-in sitter. Best for cats with medical needs, or for a household with several animals.
• A boarding cattery. A good cattery offers a clean, quiet, secure space, and staff who check cats daily. It suits cats that do well with change and have up-to-date vaccines. A nervous cat can find it stressful. Visit in advance and look at the cleanliness, the space, ventilation, noise and how staff handle cats. Some places require licences or inspections, which vary by place, so ask what applies. Expect to show vaccine records.
• Taking the cat with you. Some cats travel well. Many do not. See the guides on travelling with a cat for details.

What to do before you go

1. Book early. Sitters and catteries fill up for holidays.
2. Meet the sitter first. Let the sitter and cat meet while you are home. Show the sitter around, including where supplies are, how doors and windows lock, and how the cat behaves.
3. Write instructions. Cover feeding times and amounts, any medicines (as labelled by your vet), the cat's habits, hiding places, and what is normal for the cat. Add the cat's name, microchip number and a photo.
4. List contacts. Include your phone, a backup person, your vet, and a nearby emergency clinic. Sign a note that allows the sitter or a boarder to approve urgent veterinary care, and tell the vet who may speak for you. Leave a payment method or a plan for emergency costs.
5. Prepare the home. Remove hazards such as open windows without screens, dangling cords, toxic plants and loose small items. Check that nothing can fall or shut a cat in. Close off rooms you do not want the cat in.
6. Set out extra resources. Put out more than one litter box and more than one water source, such as a bowl and a cat water fountain. Have a deep clean done just before you leave.
7. Test the gadgets. If you use an automatic feeder, run it for days beforehand, and do not rely on it for more than a short stretch. Some cats learn to break in. A feeder that jams is a risk. A puzzle feeder can add interest but check it first.
8. Leave enrichment. Leave toys, a window perch, a radio at low volume and the cat's usual bed.
9. Stay with the usual diet. Do not try a new food just before you go.
10. Check the cat's health. If it is due for vaccines or has a health concern, see your vet before you travel. A cattery will check records.

While you are away

Ask the sitter to send you a short message or photo each visit. Keep your phone on. Know when you plan to call the vet. If something is wrong, the sitter should call the vet first and then you.

When you come home

Greet your cat calmly. Look at it and check that it is eating, drinking, using the litter box and moving normally. A cat may sulk, cling or sleep a lot. Keep routines steady. After a cattery stay, watch for sneezing or discharge from the eyes in the next days.

Common mistakes

• Leaving a cat alone for several days with a big bowl of food. A problem could go unnoticed for days.
• Relying on a single automatic feeder or a single water bowl. Machines fail.
• Asking a neighbour who has never met the cat. Meet first.
• Forgetting medicines. Make sure the sitter knows exactly how your vet told you to give them.
• Not giving the sitter authority to call a vet.
• Boarding a cat without up-to-date vaccines. Catteries ask for records.
• Letting the cat out for the first time just before departure.

When a sitter should call the vet at once

Tell your sitter to call a vet straight away if the cat:

• strains in the litter tray or passes little or no urine, especially a male
• has trouble breathing or breathes with an open mouth
• has not eaten for a day or more
• vomits repeatedly or has bloody diarrhoea
• seems limp, cold or cannot stand
• has a seizure
• is hurt or is missing

Summary

• A healthy adult can manage a few hours alone, but a person should check on a cat daily.
• Choose a sitter, a friend or a good cattery based on your cat's temperament and health.
• Write clear instructions, include contacts, and give written permission for urgent vet care.
• Put out extra litter and water, and test any gadget in advance.
• Remove hazards, leave enrichment and keep the diet steady.
• Know the urgent signs that need a vet right away.