by Ruth Greb

Created on: November 05, 2008

Deciding what to do with your pets while away is a very important part of planning a trip. Our pets are part of our family. They like their home since that is all they know and are not keen on going on their own trip unless it is with you. My cat, Harley, does not do well with change so taking him to a kennel would be out of the question. In a rare emergency, I could probably send him there but I would worry the entire time that he was not adjusting. He is better off left at home where he feels comfortable and familiar. I make sure all inside doors are open so he can roam wherever he wishes in the house. I also leave a few pet treats hidden here and there through the house so he has them to find. It keeps him from getting totally bored. When I am home with him, he sleeps a good part of the time so I would assume he spends much of the time sleeping when we are not here as well.

If we are gone just over night or a couple nights, I leave him with plenty of food and water and do not have someone come in. He does get lonely and seems to appreciate us more when we return but he fairs well. You could not leave a dog that way as he would eat all his food in one setting and be hungry while you are away. Cats do not eat that much at one time. They sort of graze their way through the day. The main thing is to leave plenty of food and water for even more than a couple days in case you get delayed in returning. I generally leave an extra food bowl and water container for him. I have one water container that holds lots of water and it self dispenses as he drinks it. His main water bowl is a fountain style and I purchased an extra water holder for that as well.

When we first start planning to be away, we make a decision on who is going to take care of Harley. I found a very sweet young lady up the street who seems quite responsible and likes cats. We contact her early in our trip planning to make sure she is available during those days we will be away. She then marks her calender so she will not forget. A few days before we leave we have her come over to reacquaint herself with Harley and let her know any changes such as where the food is kept and give her ways of contacting us should something happen. She comes in on her way to school in the morning to make sure he has enough food and water. Then, after school she comes back to play with him and take care of the litter box. This works out very well for us because we know Harley is well cared for, plus, she lives with her Grandma who would always be there to back her up. It works out well for our pet sitter as she has a way to earn a little money. I also let my daughter know who is taking care of Harley so she can make contact if there is a problem.

Learn more about this author, Ruth Greb.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.