Up to about 36 hours is ok, but 3 days is too long. At the very least you need to get a neighbour to pop their head in once a day, check his food water and litter box.

Taking him with you is far from ideal as well. If he is anything like our cats he will be terrified at a strange house, even if you are there and spend the whole time underneath the sofa. The stay and journey will be very distressing for him.

I think that long term OP you need to train your cat to use a litter tray. And you must have a food timer. I'd try to use it for a week before you go so that your cat gets used to it.

We left our late cat alone for a week with a neighbour popping in once a day and he was fine. Ignored us for a few hours but ultimately cats cannot tell the time! I'd also leave the radio on too for company - Radio 4 or Talk Sport worked okay for our cat, he liked the voices! Check for daft things like vases that he could knock over; wires he might chew or nudge - he might not do that now but if he gets a little distressed he might cause harm. Put door stops on each door so he can't get locked inside a room.

But like everyone here, I'd urge you to find someone to pop in if you can - a hard ask if you don't know your neighbours I realise. Do you have a good friend who you can bribe with wine? Or can you ask your vet if they know anyone - sometimes they have a noticeboard.

Here's the RSCPA page and link if this helps
http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanim...l/holiday/away

i wouldnt leave the cat for 3 days as she/he'll fret - cats need interaction.

If lived near you i would help out.

I can't imagine doing this for a second. Might be different if a cat had a brother or sister to keep company but otherwise, no way.

have you tried a litter tray with compost or plain earth in it instead of litter?I had a cat that would poo next to a catlitter tray, but was happy to go in it when I switached to earth.

I've tried all sorts. I even dug up earth from his favourite spot in the garden. He just doesn't like to toilet in a tray. He was actually found on the street when I got him as a kitten and took him in and even then at 12 weeks he was reluctant to go in the tray. (He always opted outside of the tray and refused to go ebven when I put him directly in it when it was obvious he needed to go. And fo course I have a dog and he wanted to do everything she did, so he saw her go outside to toilet and I guess he felt that was where he had to as well. I swear he's part dog.


On the issue at hand. Spoke to a neighbour who has agreed to check in on Christmas day, (The only day I will be away the entirety of) give him fresh food and water. In the chance he escapes I've left them with easy instuctions and told them not to worry about it.

We used to leave our cat for a weekend, but he had access to a big bag of food he just used to help himself out of and he had access to his cat flap so could come and go at will. I am not sure how I would feel about leaving a cat who was not litter trained and at the same time had not access to outdoors. To me this would be stressful to a cat. All cats are different though. One of ours was really independent and not really a 'people' person - only when it came to food but our other cat was a slut for cuddles and would miss human company dreadfully.

Realy pleased you have sorted something out for him. It does sound like he is copying the dog. What sort of litter trays have you used as well.

A large standard tray. Plenty of room to manouvre. Damn, that is the ONE thing I didn't think of actually. A closed littertray! DUH! That might work instead.

you can get them with/without doors. Corner ones as well. Does he go on paper. Train him too use it using strong paper towels in it he might feel more comfitable with it. Might not like the feel of it on his paws

Tried paper. Wasn't interested,

When it came to the bit about toileting on cloths I thought this was a windup.

[quote=CBFreak;55251042]Ok thanks.

Not that it will make much difference but when I say three days I meant I will probably leave on christmas Eve and return on boxing day. I wouldn't go if I literally left him for three days on the trot on his own. The issue is I don't drive and have to rely on the buses. So I'm at the mercy of christmas services.

I don't go anywhere normally because I do care about my pets. Last time I spent any more then 4 hours away from home (aprta from one time I was away for a day) was many many years ago.

Thank you for the replies. It's helped me realise I do need to do something more. I'll ask my sister if it's possible to bring him instead. But I just worry it would be more stressful for him to travel all that way to an unfamiliar place and then back again.[/QUOT

I will be leaving my cat for this length of time. She is a house cat and uses a littertray and is fine. I make sure i leave her a big bowl of chicken, dry food and two bowls of water. She is always fine, she just sleeps curled up on her blanket. She would be so worse off in a cattery, the stress of the move is too much. Anything over this time we use a pet sitting service. I have done this for years and she is a lovely healthy little cat.

Nope the paper bit wasnt a wind up. Some rescues litter train kittens on paper so not too hurt there paws

So glad you got things sorted, CBFreak.

He was absolutely fine . He had a neighbour twice daily to feed him and play with him (he hated other cats so no point taking him to a cattery or getting a companion). When he was older we paid for a cat sitter to live in our house whilst we were away. He was very well looked after all his life, if you don't mind!

I wonder how many of the pious self righteous fusspots in this thread, who are so keen to wail on about cruelty ( where there is none) are happy to send their precious kitty out into the world of cars, and other such life threatening dangers?
People in glass houses.......

Our cats have always been left at home when we used to go on holiday, our neighbour would feed them and we would do the same for them. My cat now gets left at home on her own and she is perfectly happy, all she does is eat and sleep most of time she wouldn't notice if we were there or not. My parents come round and feed her, make sure she is okay etc. I wouldn't waste money on a cattery, she wouldn't like it anyway and sticking her in an unfamilar place with people she doesn't know is far worse in my eyes than leaving her in her own home with a friendly face popping in twice a day anyway she is not a particulary friendly cat when people don't know how to handle her.

i see no real issue with this. i wouldnt leave out food the cat doesnt like, but a dry food he does like in maybe a few big bowls dotted around the house so its not all in one place, and several bowls of water too. a couple of litter trays, maybe with different litters in them so he has a choice (or just use your floor as it would seem he may do) and you know you will need to clean up when you get home. our cat was left for 10 days, with family coming up every other day (30 mile round trip so every day wasnt an option) to feed him and check on him. he is an outdoor cat though, and wont come inside so to shut him in wasnt an option. he is terrified of other cats, and strange places so a cattery wasnt going to be fair on him either. he did perfectly well, we came home and he greeted us at the door as always and then sunbathed out on the patio as he was when we left. no harm done. you are leaving your cat in safe surroundings, with plenty of food and water, for less than 3 whole days. i see no problem here at all. if you really think he may get lonely, maybe you could put a radio on and leave it plugged into a timer switch so it turns on in the evenings for a while so hes got some noise around him.

People who keep their cats indoors are very determined to press their point that this is in cats' best interests - but it is a contentious subject and somewhat off topic on this particular thread because the cat in question does normally go outside but will be locked indoors for the duration of the OP's absence and, what's worse for the cat, he doesn't like to use a litter tray.

Funny how rescue shelters will only rehome cats to homes where they will have outside access (with a few exceptions eg if a cat has certain disabilities or is exceptionally nervous). I care about my cats' welfare but that includes meeting their social, psychological and behavioural needs too. My cats would be unhappy locked 'safely' indoors However, if I lived on a busy road - 'the world of cars' - I wouldn't keep cats, hence I've always chosen to live in quiet, residential roads where the danger is limited and my cats can roam quite happily.

The indoor/outdoor debate will rage on. I've never actually met anyone, in real life, who keeps cats locked indoors but this forum attracts a lot of 'self righteous' people who do and who feel their way is 'the right way'. Allowing my cats outside is what's right for me and my cats - keeping cats 'safe' indoors suits other people and other cats, I don't think either side is going to change its stance and I'm definitely not going to change my views on the matter - and, in my defence, cat welfare organisations agree with me too

I'll be leaving my two for the same amount of time, but they have their team of fans, one of whom will pop down at teatime on Christmas eve to lock the flap for the night and give them cuddles/listen to their complaints, then another will pop in later to "tuck them in" or give them more cuddles, then they get the same routine on Christmas day, perhaps without the tucking in at night, as a friend normally does it on her way down to the local for a nightcap. They're always fine with this routine, I don't worry about them too much ( more than usual ! ) I worry more when I go away and OH is in charge... they're both traumatised when I get back as he doesn't cuddle them much, or chat to them either. They're not neglected by any means, but not indulged either !!

My cat is a house cat but this is though her choice, she can go out if she wants but she doesn't. Cats don't need to go out they choose too. If the cat welfare organisation said that i was in the wrong i would invite them to my home to show my cat is happy and healthy and prefers to be indoors

Thank you for your post. I'll be honest and say I was upset by the insinuation by the other poster that I might have neglected our much loved cat. I think what you have articulated better than I, is that all cats are individual and all good owners know best.

My cats only go out if they choose to. No one is forcing cats to go outside In winter, my cats (even my late Tabitha who loved the outdoors) much prefer to be cuddled up warm inside the house and only go out for very brief periods.

My point is that some posters are advocating an indoor lifestyle only and berating those of us who allow our cats outside to the 'world of cars and danger' whereas cat welfare societies prefer cats to at least have some access to outdoors (but obviously at the cat's own discretion). Some cats prefer the indoor lifestyle, including one of my own though he toilets outside and comes outside to greet my car every evening, but it's nice for them to have that choice, if possible and practical.

Owners can do what they feel is best for their own cats and I know some people here live on very busy roads or their cats have some health problems etc. I just don't like the suggestion that those of us who allow our cats outside are exposing them to danger, we should respect each other's views on the subject.