As the owner of a beautiful Husky and a shy cat, we often have to decide the best course of action in regard to their health, safety, and mental well-being. They are both very attached to us, have favorite sleeping places at our home, and have gotten used to their routines … all of which change while we’re traveling.
When we decide to head out, either for an overnight trip to the mountains or a two-week international trip; we have essentially five options for our cat. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of each in this post. At the end of this article, we’ll tell you what we choose to do with our own cat when we travel. Have a dog at home? See our related article about What To Do With Your Dog When You Travel.
Hire A Babysitter To Come To Our House
Online sites such as Rover.com and TrustedHousesitters.com allow you to hire a pet sitter to come to your house. You can schedule them to check in on your cat, feed them, clean their litter box, and give them some attention. The biggest pro is that your pet gets to stay at home where they are most comfortable. If you travel a lot TrustedHousesitters is designed so that you pay one annual fee for unlimited sitters, but the house sitter also lives at your house during your absence.
Bring Your Pet To Stay With A Pet Sitter
Similar to having a pet sitter come to your house, you can also leave your pets at their house. Although online sites such as Rover.com have slightly fewer options for boarding with a pet sitter, they still have options. The pro is that this ensures that your cat gets regular attention and care. The con is that you really need to trust the pet sitter to care for your pet, and you may not know the environment that they keep compared to your own.
You also have to think about what happens if your pet causes problems at their house. Cats can act out when they’re feeling stressed. Many cats don’t like leaving environments they feel comfortable in which makes them stressed. Most also allow you to read reviews of sitters before selecting one.
Board Our Cat At A Boarding Kennel
Lots of companies exist that do pet boarding, many for both cats and dogs (and I’ve even seen bird boarding.) Some examples are PetPardise & PetSmart PetHotels. A quick Google Search should help you find one near you. Boarding your pet at a boarding facility is likely the safest and most secure choice because they are often designed specifically for that purpose.
For cats who get lonely if they are left alone for too long, this could be a great option. Also a good idea for a cat who needs regular medication or medical care. If your cat likes to just nap on the couch, this could be an overly expensive option.
Before considering boarding, tour the place, meet the staff, and ask lots of questions. Also, take a look at online reviews and see what other people say about them.
Leave Our Cat With Friends
This can be the cheapest option if you have a friend or family member willing to watch your cat. For a cat, the workload is often minimal. It’s much easier to find somebody willing to take them during a short trip away.
The downside, similar to boarding with a pet sitter, is that their rules may differ from your own. You may still have to worry (probably even more) that your cat may cause some damage or misbehave. Unlike hired sitters, your friends and family don’t have the same insurance coverage.
Bring Our Pets On Vacation With Us
For our cat, this is a no-go. He doesn’t like to be outside; or in his carrier, or in a car. So, he doesn’t generally travel with us. If you want to read more about traveling by plane with a cat, see our article here.
The biggest pro is that we can also ensure our cat’s safety and comfort during the trip. This also allows us to maintain as much of a routine as possible. We, also, get to spend more time with him.
The cons are that it’s not always easy to find somewhere that allows pets. Additionally, traveling with pets can have its own challenges, and it often has additional expenses. Some of these fees include pet fees at hotels, airplane pet tickets, etc.
What Option Do We Use For Our Cat When We Travel?
We generally always have a pet sitter come to our house. We had a pretty consistent pet sitter for a couple of years. She would check in on him every time we traveled. I have boarded a cat in the past but didn’t find that it was worth the cost. Plus it caused our cat additional anxiety being away from home.
He’s perfectly happy laying in his favorite sun puddles and having the house to himself. He has a pet sitter stopping by every few days to give him cuddles and fill his food bowl. We personally use Rover and have had good results so far. But we did both an interview and a meet & greet before we decided to hire a pet sitter.
Any one of these options has some risks to our cat, and he has gotten sick while we were away on vacation requiring a vet visit. So, we make sure to have Pet Insurance for him to help manage any of these unexpected costs.
What To Do With Your Cat While Traveling
So, in summary, there are lots of options for ensuring that your pets are cared for while you’re traveling. My biggest suggestion is to take the time to ensure that whatever option you are choosing is one that you are comfortable with. Keep in mind that your pets should be comfortable too. Unfortunately, things can go wrong while you are away. So you want to make sure that your pet care is left up to somebody who you trust. While you’re on vacation, the last thing you want to worry about is the health, safety, and comfort of your beloved pet.
Do Cats Feel Abandoned When You Go On Vacation?
According to a couple of articles and studies, cats do have separation anxiety and can get lonely if left alone. They become used to our routine, our presence, and notice when we are not around. Make sure whatever option you choose includes plenty of time and attention for your cat. For our cat, we also leave toys and hide snacks all over the house. We suspect he will keep him searching and entertained for a few days.
Can I Leave Cats Alone For A Week?
Although in theory, you could put out enough food and water for a cat to be okay for a week. But as referenced in the question above, it can lead to separation anxiety, which can lead to physical symptoms. Also, litter boxes need to be cleaned, and you’ll want to ensure that they don’t run out of food or water. Although I think your cat would survive, as a pet parent myself, I could never justify taking that risk.
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