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I have to leave my cats overnight while I travel to another state to pick up my daughter from school. I'll leave tomorrow morning and won't be back until evening the next day.
I've done it before so I know they'll be fine, but I just feel so guilty whenever I have to do this.
I don't have anyone to ask to stop in and feed them or anything, so I just open cans of food and freeze them the night before and then leave them out so they thaw by nighttime and they'll have something to eat that isn't old and crusty. Only one likes dry food, two of the others will eat it if they are hungry enough, and the blind one won't eat dry at all. She's the one I feel bad about the most, but it's not as though she's about to keel over from starvation, either. Last time I left them with tons of extra food that they didn't eat.
No advice, just alleviating my normal guilt by posting this!
Poor dear, I know how it feels. Good idea about freezing the food, never occurred to me. They will be fine!
I might have told this on cd before....Years ago, I went to visit my grandmother, 4-5 hours away, and left my 2 cats home with food and water. WELL....I got very sick with an intestinal bug and had to stay more days than planned.
When I got home: they had climbed onto the counters, opened the cabinet doors and proceeded to find some chow. Cereal boxes were open and empty. And crackers.
There was flour everywhere, and rice. But they were ok and not even that hungry when I got there!
Funny now but not then. I really felt miserable about that!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801
I have to leave my cats overnight while I travel to another state to pick up my daughter from school. I'll leave tomorrow morning and won't be back until evening the next day.
I've done it before so I know they'll be fine, but I just feel so guilty whenever I have to do this.
I don't have anyone to ask to stop in and feed them or anything, so I just open cans of food and freeze them the night before and then leave them out so they thaw by nighttime and they'll have something to eat that isn't old and crusty. Only one likes dry food, two of the others will eat it if they are hungry enough, and the blind one won't eat dry at all. She's the one I feel bad about the most, but it's not as though she's about to keel over from starvation, either. Last time I left them with tons of extra food that they didn't eat.
No advice, just alleviating my normal guilt by posting this!
I remember being worried about Mickey, he could not eat for a day, something about his teeth. The vet poked his round tummy, and said, "won't hurt this fellow to miss a few meals".
I have to leave my cats overnight while I travel to another state to pick up my daughter from school. I'll leave tomorrow morning and won't be back until evening the next day.
I've done it before so I know they'll be fine, but I just feel so guilty whenever I have to do this.
I don't have anyone to ask to stop in and feed them or anything, so I just open cans of food and freeze them the night before and then leave them out so they thaw by nighttime and they'll have something to eat that isn't old and crusty. Only one likes dry food, two of the others will eat it if they are hungry enough, and the blind one won't eat dry at all. She's the one I feel bad about the most, but it's not as though she's about to keel over from starvation, either. Last time I left them with tons of extra food that they didn't eat.
No advice, just alleviating my normal guilt by posting this!
I know how you feel. I don't even like to be gone more than a few hours. On days when I go on long hikes, or holidays such when I am away all day, I get really anxious.
Well, I'm back and they are all just fine. I left out less food for them than I did last time, and they still hadn't eaten everything. Two of them ate as soon as I fed them, and the other two just licked at their food a little bit then ran and scratched at the sliders that lead to my outdoor patio area (it's fenced in and the only exposure to the great outdoors they get).
Thanks everybody for laughing with me and not at me!
Glad all is well! I bet that won't make any difference though, the next time you have to leave them for 24 hours, you'll worry just as much.
I know...I am going to be making a trip to China sometime next year...that's going to take a little more than just leaving out food! It might be better though--I'm already scheming to play let's make a deal with a niece who lives in a crappy apartment. Maybe she'll care for my cats and put up with a longer commute for a couple of weeks in exchange for a better place to live plus some cash...
When we were on a 2 week cruise, I cajoled a friend into staying here with 2 of my kitties and the kitten went to a friend who does dog rescue. Mostly we just have a friend who stops in once a day to clean out the litter boxes and gives them some company. But I DO feel really bad leaving them for an overnight when it's going to be less than 24 hours.
And my friend has a key for "just in case" we get stuck for longer than we expect.
When we were on a 2 week cruise, I cajoled a friend into staying here with 2 of my kitties and the kitten went to a friend who does dog rescue. Mostly we just have a friend who stops in once a day to clean out the litter boxes and gives them some company. But I DO feel really bad leaving them for an overnight when it's going to be less than 24 hours.
And my friend has a key for "just in case" we get stuck for longer than we expect.
That would be ideal. Unfortunately, I have no family near enough to just stop in every day (the closest is a sister about 30 miles from me) and really don't know anyone where I live who is more than just an acquaintance--not people I could freely ask to take care of my cats.
Hopefully luring my niece will work. The nearby animal hospital does boarding, but with 4 cats I'm sure they'd want megabucks, and I wouldn't feel right just stashing them into little cages for two weeks anyway.
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