As you prepare to leave town, you may be thinking about leaving your cats alone with some extra food and food. We often hear from clients, “I know they will be ok but I’d feel better if someone checked on them.” While cats may be solitary creatures, that doesn’t mean that they don’t miss you when you are away. Having someone watch your cats for you can not only put you at ease but also put your cats at ease. Even though cats are independent by nature, there are many reasons why you shouldn’t leave them home alone for an extended period of time.
Stress/Anxiety
It’s a myth that cats don’t love and crave our attention and company. When we are away for prolonged periods, they get lonely and they worry. The longer you are away, the more they can start to feel increasingly nervous and worry about abandonment. While some cats may not show their anxiety in obvious ways, others may have their own ways of showing you their displeasure when you return home by peeing on your suitcase or other personal items. If you travel frequently, your cat could develop some unwanted behavioral issues that can be hard to break. A client told me recently about how they used to leave their cat home by itself and it would be mad at them and snub them for several days upon their return. Since hiring a pet sitter, they now arrive home to a happy kitty.
Water/Food Issues
Cats are very particular. Most cats love fresh water and may turn their nose up when their water bowls start to get dirty and refuse to drink. Mischievous cats may enjoy playing and knocking over their water bowls, or ants can invade the food bowls. In addition, cats crave their daily routine and do not do well with change. Cats do best when their feeding routine is kept consistent. If you have multiple cats, then you need to worry about making sure everyone gets their share of the food. In some households, one cat may gorge itself if given the chance leaving your other cat with little to no food.
Clean Litter boxes
It comes as no surprise that cats like clean litter boxes. If left with a dirty box, many cats will find other places to do their business. Once this type of behavior starts, sometimes it can be hard to break. It’s important to have someone clean litter boxes daily. Plus, it allows them to pick up on any unusual behavior such as your cat peeing too much or too little, becoming constipated or not pooping at all.
Injury/Illness
Cats have ways of getting themselves into trouble. Ever browse through funny Instagram photos of cats tangled up in blinds or stuck in other awkward scenarios? While mom 
and dad are away, the cats will play! These situations happen more frequently than you think. When left alone too long, cats get bored. Cats love to climb and jump off furniture and injuries can happen before you know it. Having someone check on your cats once per day allows them to catch injuries immediately. Not only that, but there are many life threatening conditions that can sneak up quickly or go unnoticed if you don’t have someone monitoring your cats daily. Over the years as a pet sitter, I’ve been able to clue pet owners into developing conditions when noticing their pets acting off. In one case, our client’s cat had a blockage that needed to be taken care of immediately. Unfortunately, a family member of mine who left their cat alone had a similar instance and they were not quite so lucky. They lost their beloved cat after it developed a urinary infection while they were away that went untreated. By the time they returned, he was in kidney failure and couldn’t be saved.
Why take a chance of your pet’s health and well being? Hire a professional pet sitter or find a trusted friend or neighbor who can visit your cat daily.