As we start to think of summer and vacations the questions that cat parents ask themselves is what to do about the cat while they are away? And is it okay to leave her alone?

Cats are viewed to be independent and low maintenance. So what would the harm be to leave her alone? Just leave bowls of food and water and a clean litter box and she’s all set. Right?

But consider this…. Accidents do happen. If your cat gets anxious or bored she could get into places she normally wouldn’t and an injury could happen. Leaving a big bowl of water and food may sound harmless but your cat could knock over the water bowl and not have any water or food if the water spills into the food. How about illness? Your cat could become sick and with no one there to notice…for example a urinary blockage, a cat can die from this in less than three days which is a long painful death. So why would you risk your cat’s health and well-being.

So what is a cat parent to do?

There are options:

1) Ask a neighbor, a relative or a friend to look after your cat. This may be okay but your cat wouldn’t be their priority and they may forget. There have been stories where this happened and it didn’t end well for the cat.

2) Take your cat to a kennel. This too may be okay but can be very stressful for the cat with all the noise and unusual smells and she would be stuck in a cage the whole time you are gone. There is also a chance that your cat could be exposed to Bordetellosis (kennel cough).

3) Hire a professional cat sitter. In fact cats would prefer to stay in their own homes, so the best option is a professional cat sitter. A cat sitter will come to your home to feed and water, clean the litter box and play with your cat. If your cat has daily medication the cat sitter can administer that as well. The cat sitter should visit your cat twice a day to make sure she is eating, drinking and yes going potty and that no health issues arise.

So why risk your cat’s health and well-being, be safe than sorry and don’t leave your cat alone while you’re away.  Questions regarding cat sitting and/or cat care can be sent to questions@thecatnook.com.