How to Leave your Cat Home Alone
While it is undeniably great to get away for a couple of days and go on vacation, the thought of a pet left behind at home can frequently result in a guilt trip. While cats generally prefer to roam free and give off a fairly independent vibe, this does not mean they can be left to their own devices while you go on a whirlwind road trip across the country. If you are looking to get away for a long break, take measures to ensure your kitty will stay safe, warm, and well-fed in your absence.
Things Required:
– Litter box
– Kitty litter
– Self-watering cat water bowl
– Several food bowls
– Favourite blanket or cat bed
– New toys and favourite old ones
– Catnip
– A friendly visitor
Instructions
-
1
Start by designating one room where your cat will be staying while you are away. You can start introducing your kitty to the room before you leave, by making her spend some time in the room every day. Limiting the cat to one room will ensure that the feline will not roam around the house unsupervised, and minimises any risk of injury and sickness. However, while picking the room, make sure it is well-ventilated, and has ample space for the kitty to roam about and explore.
Image courtesy: abiteofamerica.com
-
2
Get a reliable family member or friend to promise to check in on your kitten, once a day at least, and more frequently if they can manage it. This will not only fulfil the feline’s need for social interaction, but also ensure that the cat is safe, healthy, well-fed, and generally well provided for. If you desire, you can call them up once in a while to inquire after your kitty.
Image courtesy: humor.about.com
-
3
A week or so before you leave, move your pet’s litter box to the designated room, so the cat has time to adjust and get used to the new location of the box. Similarly, to ease your kitty into the impending transition, move the cat’s food and water bowls to the room, along with any favourite blankets and cat beds, to set up a sleeping area. It would be advisable to keep the bed in a corner, so your cat feels safer.
Image courtesy: clickpets.co.uk
-
4
On the eve of your departure, make some last-minute changes. Fill the litter box with fresh litter, and replace the regular food dishes with a self-watering water bowl (don’t forget to fill this up), and several food bowls filled with food. Cross your fingers and hope the food lasts until you return, and your kitty doesn’t make herself sick by eating it all in one day.
Image courtesy: tumblr.com
-
5
As a finishing touch, place some favourite toys on the floor, and add in some new ones, to keep your kitty occupied and give her something new to explore. Toys stuffed with catnip are likely to keep any feline happy and busy for hours. Finally - don't go! But if you must, bid your cat adieu, and don't stay away too long.
Image courtesy: pickywallpapers.com
