Use these tips for leaving your cat at home while you're away.

How To Prepare For Leaving Your Cat At Home When You’re On Vacation

While they may not show it the same way dogs do, cats really do miss us when we’re not home. It’s tough to totally relax on vacation if you’re worried about your cat. Are they safe? Are they happy? Are they lonely?

Here’s some ways you can prepare before you leave your cat at home for vacation.

Provide Multiple Water Sources

A single water bowl could evaporate, get tipped over or contaminated. Provide multiple water bowls in your cat’s preferred areas of your home, and a cat water fountain, if possible. If you’ve ever had your cat drink out of the sink faucet, you know how much they love to drink moving water.

Create An Enriching Environment

There’s many ways to entertain your cat when you’re not home.

Leave blinds open and install a bird feeder just outside your window to create opportunities for bird-watching.

Puzzle feeder toys, purchased at a pet store or made from household items, allow your cat to “hunt” for their food. Something as simple as a toilet paper roll with one end stapled shut, or a shoebox with holes cut out of the sides, can be filled with dry food. Get creative with materials, but take care that your cat cannot choke or get caught on the components.

If you want to go high-tech, you can watch your pet on your phone with a Petcube pet camera. The Petcube Play has a built-in laser so you can play with your cat while you’re on vacation.

Separate Housemates That Don’t Get Along

If you have dogs, or multiple cats that don’t always get along, you can keep your animals in separate rooms, or use baby gates to section off your home.

Create A Cat-Proof Environment

Before you leave, check for any hazards that your cat could get into while you’re away. These might not normally be too tempting for your cat when you’re home, but the change in routine could prompt your cat to be more mischievous than usual.

Make sure your counter and tabletops are clear of glassware, food, houseplants, and anything else your cat could mess with. If your cat can open cabinets and drawers, install some child safety locks.

Get A Pet Sitter

A daily visit from a professional pet sitter ensures that your cat is safe, healthy and happy while you are away. Your pet sitter from A Better Way will clean and refill food and water bowls, freshen the litter box, administer medications, and spend some time socializing with your cat.
Daily pet sitter visits are also a good way to make sure your home is safe and secure in your absence. Should a pipe burst, your basement flood, or any other disaster occur, your pet sitter can alert you and prevent further damage. Your sitter can also bring in the mail and newspapers and alternate lights and curtains to prevent burglary.

Planning your vacation? Contact us to set up a consultation. We’ll have a pet sitter available to keep your cat safe and happy while you enjoy your trip.

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