Cat owners HELP!!! Two questions about cat issues and need advice

First is a question of Cat Kennelling. I was planning on taking a 9 day vacation in March and normally one of my friends watches the cats. But lately I've been feeling on the outside of this group of friends and just feel it's best to deal with the cat issue myself.

My neighbors are nice but I don't trust enough especially in the neighborhood where I live. I have large feeders and could possible buy an extra set in order that they have enough dry food/water while I'm gone, but I've never left them alone in my apartment for more than 4 days like that.

And I'm worried because Abbott & Evita still fight (although I think it's more than playing) and I swear if Evita was to ever get loose she'd run away because she's really a ferral cat at heart.

Anyone ever kennel their cats when they went on vacation or have other alternatives on how to keep these critters alive while you're away?

Second problem is Abbott. I have these two shopping bags from DSW. Both were filled with items and just happened to be out there on the ground. And for some reason Abbott loves to lick these bags. Not anything else, but if I leave a DSW bag out he'll lick the things. What the hell is up with that?

I am going to do that for Stinky when Michael and I leave for a week or more this year...but, I am only going to have the person come in every couple of days or so.

What's "DSW?"

I love the one at Downtown Crossing in Boston. It's one of the few places I can find a great selection of size 9 shoes in the clearance section.

I just bought a pair of size 11 Stuart Weitzman pumps (originally like $210) for $34.95.

I can NEVER find anything worth wearing in my size! Cheap, yes - and I see why! I think there's someone my sizes, going ahead of me and buying up stuff I'd like wherever I go! Saves me money, but SHEESH!

but at least I don't have to go through the embarassment of some snooty sales clerk coming back telling me there are no size 11s. I would rather just browse around myself and suffer through my own private humiliation than that public one.

And damnit, Paris Hilton has size 11 feet so you think folks would get the hint and start making our size a bit more common.

.... lots of cat folk there. Someone will probably have an answer for ya' real quicklike.


:hi:

Toby does the same thing. Drives me nuts, but after four years of it being impossible to keep him away from plastic, it doesn't seem to harm him at all.

I've never put my cats in a kennel but I have a good friend who does it and she said it's good. As long as it's a good place. Check it out before you make a reservation -- meaning, go to see the place. They should have an individual kennel for each cat with plenty of room to move around in, a common area where all the cats can get out and play,* and obviously it should be clean.

Or, you could hire a pet-sitting service. We do. It works best for our kids.

Good luck! :hug:

* They should watch the cats while they're playing in case there are fights, and they should be careful enough not to let "trouble" cats out at the same time.

First, I don't exactly live in the best neighborhood of Wilmington although I don't live in the worst either. My concern is something stupid like they'll leave the door unlocked and I'll come home to an empty house. When I was gone for 6 days I did have a friend visit like twice to make sure they had some wet food snacks. Right now I'm checking out a kennel in Middletown DE that sounds like a bit of cat heaven plus one thing I might have done while I'm away is to get Evita groomed.

Ask your vet and other people with critters.

They didn't leave the door open, but my pets were filthy when I came back. I seriously don't think the pet sitter showed up when he was supposed too.
When I had friends to come over, the pets were never that filthy.

When I'm gone for more than a few days, I have a pet sitter (actually, I pay a neighbor to pet sit). It's less stressful on the cats since they get to stay in their own house, and I don't have to worry about them picking up anything at the kennel (rare, but it can happen). One of my boys is VERY sensitive to stress and my elderly Siamese HATES to be moved, and if my neighbor was unable, I'd hire a rputable sitter. Or stay home (but I am pussy whipped, so to speak).

They lick plastic because manufacturers use corn oil or something on the bags to keeps them from sticking together. It's harmless as long as the cat doesn't eat the bag (choking hazard).

I mean, I would have a friend pet sit but the friend is not an option now. And my neighborhood is shaky at best plus if someone leaves a door unlocked my apartment would probably be wiped out.

I have six, and as I mentioned, two with serious stress issues, so a petsitter is the way for me.

Maybe it's not the bag, but what comes in them? One of my cats is totally obsessed with my husband's leather shoes, especially his boots. This cat greets him at the door when he comes home, not to say hello to my husband, but to maul and love his boots. He will lay on them and bite and kick them, and then love on them, rubbing his face and licking them. He's even been known to fall asleep with his head on the boots after one of his little love-hate sessions. He also likes to chew and kick socks after they have been worn with leather shoes.

Maybe your cat just likes the smell of leather shoes that clings to DSW bags? :shrug:

OH MY :wow:

My buddy is taking me to Clearwater, FLA. in March for 8 Days of Spring Training !

CHECK!:think: Another one off the "Life List"

We have never had a problem with the service we use doing anything stupid like leaving doors unlocked - in fact, they've been more security conscious than we have been at times. (And I, too, have lived in dodgy areas of Denver.) If they DO end up doing something stupid, you are protected by their bond. Also, your renter's insurance would cover any loss. You might also consider getting ADT to install a security system (they're not terribly expensive) in addition to a sitter. (We just priced security systems for my sister in Savannah - her husband wanted a guard dog, but since they have a baby, my sister put her foot down.)

Kennels are fine, but ours would smother us in our sleep if we kenneled them - one gets seriously carsick on even short trips, and the other is very much a home-body (and our late third had something like panic attacks when she was left overnight). If you must kennel, get a recommendation from your vet and visit the place a couple of times.

As for the plastic bags, some cats just do. It won't hurt them unless they start chewing.

But if you can't find anyone to take care of them, then kenneling them is an option. I think living them alone for 9 days is way too long.

We've never hired a pet sitter or used a kennel for her - it didn't even occur to me to do that. We just put out a ton of (dry) food, and a bowl of water - and make sure to leave the bathroom door open so she can drink out of the toilet, since she does that anyway.

She's been alone for I think two weeks at a time, no harm done. Except for once when I had the brilliant idea to leave the back door cracked so she could go in and out. She caught a bird and brought its bloody carcass into the living room to decompose. Since then, she has to stay inside if I'm out of town.