Will my cat be ok staying with someone else for a few days?

[annavc]

In a couple of weeks my cat is going to have to go to stay with one of my friend's for a couple of days. I've got a holiday booked (and already paid for) and my housemate who was going to look after him now has to go away for work at the same time. A friend who lives about 15 minutes away has said she will look after him but she won't have the time to come to the house to feed him etc so has asked that I take him to her flat. He's an indoor cat anyway so is used to not going out and he does know this person so I think he'll probably be ok but I know I'm going to worry - it will be his first time away from me since I got him. Do others out there with more experience than me think he'll be ok and is there anything I can do to make it easier? Thanks.

[honeyboo]

Hi annavc i have cats myself and any change can be stressfull for them. The best way would be to keep him at his own house but as you cat do this i suggest that if possible you take your cat to your friends house quite a few times before you go away so your cat gets used to this new place and with you being with him it should make it a bit easier for him. Then when he is used to thier home leave him there for a few hours so he is used to you not being there with him, then when you come back fuss him a lot and give him some treats. So now he knows that when you go on your holiday that you are going to come back. Thats what i would do, i hope this helps. Honey xXx

[kovac]

That is good advice from honeyboo. I'm in a similar predicament and will be hiring a Pet Nanny to visit my cat daily while I'm away in the summer. In addition to taking your cat for regular visits to your friends house, when you actually go away, it may be wise to leave a jumper with your scent on..so he feels close to you.

[lankeela]

I would feel safer leaving him in a cattery where he will be in a secure pen with people who know what to do if there was an emergency.

[annavc]

Thanks for your answers. I'm not worried about him escaping or anything bad happening to him as this girl's flat is on the 2nd floor so he won't be able to get out and she knows to be careful about windows etc. She's also had many cats in the past so is very knowledgeable about looking after them and would know what to do if anything did happen. I guess I'm just worried that he'll get stressed out but it will only be for 2 days and 2 nights and I will make sure he has lots of his favourite things with him like the blanket from my bed where he sleeps and his favourite food etc. I will take him round there a couple of times before he goes to stay as honeyboo suggests - that's a good idea - thank you.

[spudqueen]

When I had an indoor cat (many years ago now) my flatmate and I were going on holiday and so took the cat round to a friends flat for them to look after him. He was absolutely fine ( I suppose he knew them from when they visited out flat) and we came back to find he was their hero as the person in the flat above theirs had run their bath and forgotten about it and water was starting to come through their bathroom ceiling totally unbeknowns to them. Our cat kept running along the hall into the living room and miaowing loudly and running back out so in the end they followed him and so were able to divert a disaster. So don't worry, I'm sure he'll be fine.