Away over night, Anxiety!

I'm visiting a friend that is 2 hours away and will be heading home in the morning, but am having anxiety about being away from my kitties. Two were sick but are better now, but since having them sick I'm anxiety filled about being away from them for any length of time.

How does everyone else handle it?

I only go away 1, maybe 2 nights at most at any given time and make sure my Mom checks in on the kitties while I'm gone. I know what you mean though, I HATE being apart from them at all!

I haven't been away from home over night in 8 years, since Tolly's seizures started.

Before that I did go away for one night, once or twice a year. But I did nothing but worry the whole time.

If I had a pet sitter I loved like some lucky people do, it might be different, though I'm not much for traveling at any time. I like to be home with my cats.

I love to go camping but we usually don't go for more than 4 days. But our normal pet sitters which come once a day really can't do it anymore. My fiance's grandparents did that for us, but his grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and we just don't want to bother them any more than they are. The other pet sitter that I could get is pregnant and due in August so that won't work. Now I won't be able to go away for more than a night or so unless I can find someone whom I trust to check on them once a day. I'd really love a stay in kind of pet sitter but can't afford that.

Originally Posted by mizmelzy

I'd really love a stay in kind of pet sitter but can't afford that.

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But you'll soon have one, your brother in law. Drill it into his head and make that part of being allow to stay with you - that he gets to act as pet sitter if needed. For overnight I do have my BIL for this purpose.

But feedings aside, I know my cats are fine. They manage by themselves when I'm asleep for most of the night.

Originally Posted by mizmelzy

I love to go camping but we usually don't go for more than 4 days. But our normal pet sitters which come once a day really can't do it anymore. My fiance's grandparents did that for us, but his grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and we just don't want to bother them any more than they are. The other pet sitter that I could get is pregnant and due in August so that won't work. Now I won't be able to go away for more than a night or so unless I can find someone whom I trust to check on them once a day. I'd really love a stay in kind of pet sitter but can't afford that.

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Check with your vet clinic. Many techs do pet sitting for additional income. You want one licensed bonded and insured, and check references. Most charge around $15 a visit give or take.

Cats do get sick, suddenly. And can get into things. Or get hurt. Or knock over water bowls.

It's better to have someone check in at least once a day, if you are going for more than one night.

Originally Posted by otto

Check with your vet clinic. Many techs do pet sitting for additional income. You want one licensed bonded and insured, and check references. Most charge around $15 a visit give or take.

Cats do get sick, suddenly. And can get into things. Or get hurt. Or knock over water bowls.

It's better to have someone check in at least once a day, if you are going for more than one night.

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The best thing I ever did... I travel a lot for work... I am actually out of town right now, since Monday, way far away from everything, in Iron Moutain, Michigan... I have a neighbor who quicky feeds my kitties on her way to work in the morning, and my WONDERFUL vet tech who visits them every night to give them love, make sure they are eating, and give Bugsy his daily medicine...
As otto said, cats do get sick, and it is great to know that the person who visits them will not only feed, change the litter, etc, but will also pick up on any symptoms if anything is wrong with them...

Bugsy for example got a very bad vaccine reaction the day before I left, and was quite sick on the day I had to travel, not eating well, limping, and with a fever... My vet tech came to my house in the morning with the chief vet tech to examine him before I went to the airport, and to give him a steroid and pain killer shot. That night when she went back, she spent extra time loving him and hand feeding him - literally having him lick the food off her fingers, to make sure he ate enough .

Only because I have a person like her I feel 100% safe living my babies at home... When I get back from my trips, they are not stressed at all, are healthy and happy... That is absolutely priceless... I pay her $20 a day, and she has full authority to take them to the clinic anytime.

I also have a webcam where I can see them, and that makes me feel sooooo much better!

My TCS family also checks the webcam and update my thread so I know what is going on with them throughout the day...

Originally Posted by Carolina

I am actually out of town right now, since Monday, way far away from everything, in Iron Moutain, Michigan...

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O/T - It's been a long time since I've been up around Iron Mountain. Do the trees look normal yet? I remember when I was up there, and maybe it was just past Iron Mountain, that the trees all looked really bad - as if the forest was just dying. Rather creepy.
Have fun in the UP and don't let the mosquitoes carry you off!

Originally Posted by strange_wings

O/T - It's been a long time since I've been up around Iron Mountain. Do the trees look normal yet? I remember when I was up there, and maybe it was just past Iron Mountain, that the trees all looked really bad - as if the forest was just dying. Rather creepy.
Have fun in the UP and don't let the mosquitoes carry you off!

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The trees look just fine right now LOL!
I am in a Golf Resort Called Pine Mountain, SO Beautiful out here.... There was a golf outing with a client today - we do this once a year with all the vendors and all the buyers and the management... it is so fun! The course was really soggy though, as it has been raining a lot, but I will tell you, that this golf course is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen! The deers come right next to you, and there are so many chipmonks around! So cute! Last week they said there was a moose here! I did golf on pants because of the mosquitoes, some poeple complained of ticks!

We're going on a cruise in a few days and as much as I love cruising I hate being out of contact for a week. My petsitter is wonderful and I know she can handle anything that comes up, but I don't like not being able to check in. As it is I'll pay whatever it costs just so I can check my email once a day and know of any emergencies.

I miss my kitties when I'm away and I always take pictures of them with me.

We do go on vacations and I worry about the cats the whole time we're away. This past weekend was the first that I was away from Mollipop and I called the pet sitter every night. We're lucky in that our sitter is wonderful with our kids...she's also bonded and insured. I always make sure she has both DH's and my cell phone numbers, the vet's number, and the number of the hotel or B & B where we'll be staying.

Oh, and I always call our vet to tell them that we're going to be away and that our sitter has the right to seek vet assistance if necessary.

But I worry anyway.

I have been very lucky and never had to have strange people come into my house and have to pay them money for doing it. I have always had family to watch my kit whenever I was away overnight or longer. As I said, I've just been very lucky.

Originally Posted by Carolina

The trees look just fine right now LOL!
I am in a Golf Resort Called Pine Mountain, SO Beautiful out here.... There was a golf outing with a client today - we do this once a year with all the vendors and all the buyers and the management... it is so fun! The course was really soggy though, as it has been raining a lot, but I will tell you, that this golf course is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen! The deers come right next to you, and there are so many chipmonks around! So cute! Last week they said there was a moose here! I did golf on pants because of the mosquitoes, some poeple complained of ticks!

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Maybe it was a little further along that I was thinking of? Hmm.
And yes, there's lots of beautiful places up there. I lived in St. Ignance for over a year. A decent town, big enough that it doesn't seem dinky but small enough that it's not too urban. I think there's a couple moose farms up there and I know there's one outside of Cheybogan - a family member's property bordered it, I was out walking and didn't know about the farm until I suddenly stumbled upon it! Ticks are usually pretty bad up there, make sure to check yourself. Consider spraying your pant legs and stay out of brush/tall grass.
If you ever get the chance, visit the islands. iirc there's a big golf course over on Bob lo, too. (I have a grandmother that owns some land over there.)

Wow, this really got O/T.