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We have an outdoor cat who sleeps mostly around the house and has access to the back porch. We are going on vacation for a week but might stay a few days longer. We can not bring the cat. We were thinking about getting our neighbor to walk over to our porch and feed him every day.
Do you think that the cat will be ok having no one around the house while we are on vacation?
Will the cat take off being an outdoor cat with seeing no one around the house?
We were even thinking about getting a water and food dispenser that has a timer to set that will feed the cat everyday. What about this?
When I was growing up, we had all sorts of outdoor cats. When our family would go on vacation, we would have a neighbor feed them. Sure enough, they were still there when we got home. Those little buggers are terribly hard to get rid of once they find a reliable food source.
If you can get a neighbor to feed him, I think that would be the perfect solution.
I agree with mishgas. We have gone on vacation and left our outdoor cats outside with access to food and water. They were there when we got back, and they were just fine.
Is there any reason not to contain the cat on the outdoor porch during the duration of your absence while you have a neighbor pet-sit for you?
I had a friend who thought it would be ok to just have a neighbors check on their outdoor cat and by the time they got home (1 week later) the cat had disappeared never to be seen again. They could have easily contained the outdoor cat on their screened porch. Sad.
Your safest bet would be to contain him on a screened porch or something similar. The problem is it's hard to contain a cat that isn't use to it. With cats it really depends on the cats' personality. He might stay around and he might not. I think if the cat has been spayed there's a better chance he will stay around. Also, is he used to being pet and receiving lots of affection?
I think as long as the neighborhood is caring and reliable it will probably not be too much different for the cat then when you are there. I have had people who promised to help not um..come through very well.
Cats will usually return even if they wander. If the neighbor is good with the cat all should be well.
We have had to leave ours at the vet a few times as they do kennel service as they are on medicine twice daily.
will stray i've been feeding be okay when i go on vacation? i have no neighbors to feed her and don't want to leave food out for other critters to get to. water is not a problem since i can't get her to drink fresh water anyway
Is there any reason not to contain the cat on the outdoor porch during the duration of your absence while you have a neighbor pet-sit for you?
I had a friend who thought it would be ok to just have a neighbors check on their outdoor cat and by the time they got home (1 week later) the cat had disappeared never to be seen again. They could have easily contained the outdoor cat on their screened porch. Sad.
Yes, OP...keeping the cat on the porch is much better...you never know what can happen with an outdoor cat. The cat will be just fine, have a snuggly bed, food and water by the neighbors.
will stray i've been feeding be okay when i go on vacation? i have no neighbors to feed her and don't want to leave food out for other critters to get to. water is not a problem since i can't get her to drink fresh water anyway
The cat probably won't be okay if you suddenly leave and cut off her food source. What a rotten thing to do to an animal that depends on you.
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