How to ease my grieving cat's stress with a new sitter when I'm away?

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.

Your cat maybe stressed due to your absence. You can have your sitters pick up some Feliway Spray ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cat/cat-health-and-wellness/cat-calming-aids/feliway-spray ) at the local Petco. Have them spray it before entering. It could calm Minnie down enough to get in and take care of her. Feliway also makes a diffuser that can be plugged in to provide continuous application of a calming pheromone.

I suggest you put some Feliway diffusers in your house starting about a week before the dog is to come over. This is basically "happy cat" pheromones and they really work to decrease stress. Their website has a lot of great information. ( https://www.feliway.com/uk/Products/FELIWAY-CLASSIC-Diffuser ) Also, make a "safe space" for your cat so that, if needed, she can get away from the dog. The best way to do this is to put a baby gate up across the door to one room so that the cat can get in but the dog can't. Put the litter box, food and water in there. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I can imagine it will be really hard for you to leave your cats, especially Jack! Yes, there are calming agents you can use. I recommend Feliway. It's a plug in diffuser that releases pheromones that help calm down cats. You can pair that with a Sentry calming collar, which also release pheromones when in contact with his skin. Your cats should be ok, they do adjust when their owners go on holiday for a bit. I would recommend as well leaving notice with your vet that your roommate has permission to seek veterinary treatment for them just in case something happens while you are gone. You also may want to have some funds set aside too in case of emergency. I hope this helps!

Change in environment can be very stressful for animals so I am not surprised that he is having some problems adjusting. You could try a Feliway diffuser and some Solliquin chews and see if that helps. https://www.feliway.com/us#redirected http://www.solliquin.com/#page-top

Moving can be a stressful time for both cats and people. Some cats begin to experience stress when the first box is packed. Try to keep this time as normal as possible for your cat by continuing a normal daily routine and avoid packing your cat’s bed, cat tree, and toys until the last minute. Calming pheromone products, such as the Comfort Zone® Calming Diffuser or Comfort Zone® Spray and Scratch Control Spray, may minimize some of this stress. When moving day arrives, be sure that your cat is safely secured in a cat carrier before the door opens and boxes start leaving. We recommend plugging in the Comfort Zone® Calming Diffuser into your old home during packing, as well as in your new home during unpacking and the settling period. If possible, try to move your cat as early in the day as possible and confine them to a bathroom in your new home with their normal bed, litter box, bowls, and toys. This will keep your cat from escaping during the move and may pose less stress if they see less of the action. If your cat is prone to high stress, resulting in self-trauma with overgrooming or inappropriate eliminations, it may be best to discuss short-term anti-anxiety medication with your veterinarian.

The multi cat diffuser may give you slightly better results but they both will likely help. The diffusers are nice because it’s a constant infusion of the pheromone that occurs even when you are not home. Other things that can help Trixie to feel more calm are to provide climbing opportunities that satisfy her natural instincts. A tall cat tree or shelves mounted to the wall with a bed on top can help some cats feel more secure. Set aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play as tiring her out may result in less anxiety. Royal Canin also makes a diet called Calm that affects the serotonin levels in the brain and some cats do very well on this diet. If she continues not to do well, medications may help. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions!