Do Vacations Drive Your Cat Crazy?

  Posted on February 18, 2012  by Joy of Living  No comments

Cats generally like remaining in familiar surroundings, so it’s preferable to allow them to remain in their normal environment when you’re away.

If you’re thinking about hiring a petsitter, make time to show the sitter specifics about feeding (do you stay in feeding area when your cat is eating or do you distribute food and allow them privacy for their meal?) litterbox maintenance and play time. Give your cat a chance to interact with the sitter as much as possible to help build your cat’s level of comfort.

If your cat is prone to act less than friendly with strangers, but doesn’t aggressively pursue, advise the sitter to ignore the cat and go about their other duties. It’s been my experience that curiosity takes over and cats will come out after a visit or two to see what’s happening.

For cats that aggressively pursue strangers, owners should seriously consider boarding.

If your cat is accustomed to having people at home a lot during the day, consider leaving music or TV on to keep them company and minimize the sounds of silence.

Of course your cats prefer having you at home with them, but a little advanced planning can lessen your kitty’s stress until vacation is over.