How to ensure my cat is happy and safe while I'm on vacation?

Hi. It sounds like you're trying hard to do what is best for Daisy. Some of it depends on her personality, some cats enjoy traveling and new places. I've known several that travelled the country in an RV! That said if you do bring her with you there are certain things you should do for her health and safety. First make sure she is up to date on vaccines and parasite prevention. This is to protect her as she may come into contact with other animals on travels. I would also ensure that she is spayed, as an intact female will try to get outside every heat cycle. She could get lost or injured if this happened someplace she was somewhere unfamiliar. Also, please make sure she has a collar with your cell phone number and I would recommend a microchip as well. If she doesn't enjoy the new places, consider someone to come to your house while you are gone to care for her and keep her company. In these cases, sometimes a companion cat helps ease boredom if people are absent for long stretches. I wouldn't recommend leaving her for more than 24 hours without someone checking food, water and litter boxes.

Cats generally don't do well either way, but taking them out of their environment is typically more stressful to cats. I would suggest keeping her there in the house and let your friend take care of her needs while you're away. You can also look into a supplement called Zylkene which is a natural way to treat anxiety in pets. It is available online and in some veterinarian clinics. It is a capsule tht can either be given by mouth or potentially sprinkled on your pets food daily. If you are interested in this approach, I would recommend trying it first at home with Bitsy while you are still there to ensure she still stays interested in her food, especially if you decide to sprinkle it on top. A good tip here is to mix it in with the food to hide it well. If you are using dry kibble then adding a small amount of water will help to mix in the contents. Other options for stress management can be discussed with your veterinarian, but most require giving the medication by mouth and I'm not sure how comfortable your friend would be with this approach. I hope that this information proves helpful. Best of luck with your pet Bitsy moving forward. Take care!

I am glad your kitty is bonding so well with you. I would think, however, that a flight and trip in a strange place would be more stressful than staying home without you. You may consider having your pet sitter come over a few times to meet your kitty before your trip. You can also use a Feliway diffuser https://www.feliway.com/us#redirected and a calming supplement like Zylkene http://www.vetoquinolusa.com/content/zylkene or Composure to try to decrease stress while you are away.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cats. They would likely enjoy being able to stay in their own home while you are on vacation. If your neighbor can check on them twice per day, this is most likely a good solution. She can provide food and water, clean their litter boxes and most importantly provide social interaction. Be sure to give her your veterinarian's contact information in case the need arises. The only other consideration would be to board the cats. They would receive more supervision, but it can be a stressful scenario for a cat to be kennels. I hope this information helps!

Most cats do best in familiar environments, and since you will be gone short term, it is probably better for Olivia to stay at home and have a sitter or neighbor come in when your husband can't be there. That way she isn't dealing with the stress of a new place in addition to being away from you. I highly recommend adding in some calming devices such as pheromone diffusers that can help her relax some while you are away. Leaving behind a shirt or blanket that smells like you that she can also snuggle may help as well. Some cats may also respond to voices via phone or voice chat, but it depends on the individual cat.

Hi Kerry! I think it's best that Poppy stays at home and you have some come in daily. Going to cattery will only stress her out, she will be more comfortable staying at home, and you will enjoy your vacation better. Have a great time!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Having someone come to the house is a great idea, it will keep Canela happy in her own environment. Consider having the friend bring Canela for walks if they can. Also, consider calling and 'skyping' Canela while you are gone. Another thing to prepare for your vacation is to discuss with your vet and your emergency clinic that you are going away, and what you wish to happen with Canela in the event of an emergency. Stress can bring on some conditions (but you are doing everything to minimize this already which is great!), so giving your vet/the emergency vet your contact information, and some people will leave their credit card information with financial limits and wishes, so that if something happens in the middle of the night and you cannot be contacted Canela is given the care you desire. Best of luck on your vacation, and it sounds like you are prepped and Canela will be well taken care of!