Finally, we can travel and you've booked your dream holiday and everything is in place. But if you are a pet owner, you know it's not that easy. After planning everything, you will still have one last question—how do you care for your cat while on vacation?
We prefer not to board our cat at a pet hotel because we had a bad experience with some and our cat is not comfortable with other cats or living in a different environment than our own. This is obviously dependent on the preferences of different cat parents as well as the length of your vacation.
We'd be happy to share some of our personal suggestions for caring for your cat while you're away without sending it to a pet hotel.
Automatic Pet Feeder
This is definitely a must in the list to get. In case you are not able to get someone to drop off food for your cat, you should consider getting an automated pet feeder that will give your cat a fixed amount of food at a set time with your phone.
Automatic pet feeders are typically quite large and can hold up to 6 lire of food, making them useful if you have a large number of cats to feed while also providing them with fresh food all of the time.
We got ours with a camera attached so we can keep an eye on our cat's eating habits while we're away.
Water Dispensers
An automatic water dispenser is a necessity if you're going to leave your cat alone for an extended period of time.
The reason? Water from the cat's bowl evaporates more quickly especially during hot weather. With this setup of water dispensers, you will be able to provide your cat with fresh drinking water at all times.
Large Cat Litter Boxes
We cannot emphasize enough the advantages of having large litter boxes at home, not only for daily use but also for modern cat parents who are constantly on business or leisure travel and are unable to tend to it on a daily basis.
Before you leave, make sure to clean the litter box with fresh cat litter. If you are only gone for a week or less, your cat will be fine with the current count of your litter boxes. If you intend to stay for more than a week, make sure you have an extra litter box. This way, the litter boxes can hold enough waste and cat litter without stinking up your house when you return from your trip.
Shop our favourite Jumbo PottyBox here.
Pet Sitter
It’s okay to leave your cat alone for a short vacation, but it is not a good idea to leave a cat alone for more than a week. While you’re away, a pet sitter can care for your cat so that you will not have to worry about your cat.
You can find many sites that will match you with a cat sitter according to your requirements. Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions when you're hiring or even making an appointment. Don't forget to ask for some references as well and talk to some previous clients.
If you are concerned about a stranger caring for your cat, you can ask a family member to visit your home on alternate days to check on your cat.
CCTV
No matter how much we try, we will never be satisfied when it comes to the safety and wellness of our pets. Investing in a camera with two-way audio will allow you to keep an eye on and talk to your cat while you are away.
To keep an eye on your cat at night, make sure the CCTV has a night vision feature. Place the camera where you can see the automatic feeder and water dispenser. This way, you'll know if anything is amiss and be able to ensure that your cat is eating and drinking as it should.
Conclusion
If, despite doing all of these things, you are still concerned that you missed something, you are not alone. Although cats are highly independent and self-sufficient, they still need humans for food, water, shelter, play and basic safety. We hope these tips may help and make sure you at least provide them with these necessities, they will be fine and eagerly awaiting your return.