considering a cat

I advise buying and mounting a cheap webcam so you can admire its independence in real time. Some of them have a little speaker that lets you speak in a disembodied voice to your bewildered animal.

Oof, I'd not generally be pro leaving a cat alone for so long, but if it's absolutely necessary then they will be fine. Could you get an autofeeder? I can imagine some cats just eating all the food in one day and then being pitifully hungry, so might be an idea - I've never used one, though, so don't know how reliable they are. Alby doesn't much like to socialise with people who aren't me so there's not much point in asking people to play/sit in with him, so I just get someone to do a brief feed and check-in. Actually, last time I was away for a weekend he accidentally got locked out, and he was perfectly alright, they're hardy little buggers really.

Also leaving for a weekend almost certainly better than a boarding kennel or forcing a cat to travel, harbl otm on that front. I don't think I've ever met a cat who would enjoy boarding, but I guess some must be okay with it?

i get into a lot of disputations regarding this sort of thing whenever i express it publicly but an indoor cat should have some contact each day in my opinion.

― findom haddie (jim in vancouver)

I mean, I very much do agree with this generally, but I'm thinking in extenuating circumstances/as a one off, it'll be okay.

need for autofeeder depends on cat's habits, too. i just leave my little girl an extra bowl of food and there has been some left each time.

xp yeah i can't imagine a cat that enjoys boarding! i'd be afraid of such a cat.

i ended up booking someone to come in sat/sun -- it's worth it just not to worry about it

when i go out of town and have someone come in the morning and evening to feed him he still is all disheveled (from not grooming himself) and freaked out when i get back

Uggh this. My cat is fine for a couple days, but whenever we go out of town for a week or two there's just no solution. She hides from whoever comes to feed her, then lives in a state of constant anxiety. One time she made it out of the bedroom and hid upstairs without eating for days, as far as I could tell. I feel really guilty about it, but I guess not guilty enough to spend 5-6 years without leaving the country? So yes "having a cat is bad".

aww :(

i feel bad leaving our guys but they’re pretty resilient. we have someone come twice a day and when we come back they’re up on our laps/couch/bed almost instantly.