Feeding Schedule when owner is away

lucentstreak · Apr 25, 2014

Dear all,

I hope I am not repeating anything here again but I will be travelling for 2.5 weeks at the end of May for some work reasons. Given the situation, I have started roping in help for people to feed Hugo but this is the first time that I will be away for such an extended period of time (the last time was about 10 days in Feb).

While I am prepping Feliway and litter, I'm wondering how I should structure his feeding schedule since he takes in about 3 meals and 50% wet a day with some dry out for snacking. I live in an apartment block without elevators and I do feel bad for my friend/pet sitter to climb up six storeys twice daily to feed my cat and am wondering if I can set him up for the pet sitter to come by once daily.

Will it be safe to leave out a can of wet and a cup of dry through 24 hours? He eats grain free and slightly less than a 5.5 oz a day.

raintyger · Apr 25, 2014

I wouldn't leave wet out that long. There are automatic feeders that keep the food at an appropriate temperature then give the cat access at a certain time. Or, you can have your sitter freeze the food and take it out in the morning. It will thaw and come to room temperature later in the day.

burkey · Apr 26, 2014

I would also recommend either a timed feeder or freezing portions of wet. Have the sitter put down two separate bowls of canned...one with a half can fresh, and a different bowl with a half can that's been frozen. You actually want to try all this out while you are still home. You have time on your side right now, so start adjusting him more towards what his meals will be like when you are gone. It will give you a chance to observe and see if you need to make any changes to your original plan.

How much does Hugo normally eat in one day? A 5.5 oz can, plus one cup of dry, is an awful lot of food for 24 hours. Is he pretty good at self-regulating, or will he overeat if too much is left out for him? If he doesn't have an "off-switch", I wouldn't leave out that much. But I would leave out a little more dry than you normally might give him in a day, just in case he snubs the older wet portion.

Edited to add... I just re-read your post and see that he is eating slightly less than 5.5 oz wet per day. Given that, I'd be inclined to leave out the can like described above half fresh, and the other half in a timed feeder or frozen. Then I would also leave out 1/2 the amount of dry that a cat would get if that was it's sole diet. So if a cat his age/size should get 1/2 cup per day, then I'd have the sitter put out 1/4 cup. That way you know he's at least eating the fresh 1/2 can, and the other half of his needs are available in dry if he chooses not to eat the other canned portion.

lucentstreak · Apr 26, 2014

Burkey said:
I would also recommend either a timed feeder or freezing portions of wet. Have the sitter put down two separate bowls of canned...one with a half can fresh, and a different bowl with a half can that's been frozen. You actually want to try all this out while you are still home. You have time on your side right now, so start adjusting him more towards what his meals will be like when you are gone. It will give you a chance to observe and see if you need to make any changes to your original plan.

How much does Hugo normally eat in one day? A 5.5 oz can, plus one cup of dry, is an awful lot of food for 24 hours. Is he pretty good at self-regulating, or will he overeat if too much is left out for him? If he doesn't have an "off-switch", I wouldn't leave out that much. But I would leave out a little more dry than you normally might give him in a day, just in case he snubs the older wet portion.

Edited to add... I just re-read your post and see that he is eating slightly less than 5.5 oz wet per day. Given that, I'd be inclined to leave out the can like described above half fresh, and the other half in a timed feeder or frozen. Then I would also leave out 1/2 the amount of dry that a cat would get if that was it's sole diet. So if a cat his age/size should get 1/2 cup per day, then I'd have the sitter put out 1/4 cup. That way you know he's at least eating the fresh 1/2 can, and the other half of his needs are available in dry if he chooses not to eat the other canned portion.

Hi there,

Thank you for all your suggestions. I forgot about the timed feeder and went out to get one. Yes, I do want to try it out while I am here so it might make things easier for the petsitter.

Thank you for the tips! I will test it out over the week or so to see how it goes!

He is about 6/7 months and about

burkey · Apr 27, 2014

I didn't realize Hugo was so young. I assume this is a necessary trip and it can't be avoided or even delayed a few months? This must be an incredibly tough situation to be in. I can't imagine leaving a 6-7 month old kitten alone for two weeks, I'd be a wreck. I don't think I could do it.

If it were me, and I couldn't find someone to come in multiple times per day (at least twice), I'd board the kitten. Preferably at a place that includes a set amount of human interaction each day, or at least where you can pay extra for it. I think two & a half weeks would be not only psychologically difficult on such a young cat, but dangerous... I have two young ones who are 9 & 10 months old, and they are still into everything, and have tons of energy that I have to help them expel each day or they get bonkers. I would do maybe a few days alone at their age, but couldn't imagine multiple weeks...

I'm sorry you're in this position. It must be hard.

lucentstreak · Apr 27, 2014

Burkey said:
I didn't realize Hugo was so young. I assume this is a necessary trip and it can't be avoided or even delayed a few months? This must be an incredibly tough situation to be in. I can't imagine leaving a 6-7 month old kitten alone for two weeks, I'd be a wreck. I don't think I could do it.

If it were me, and I couldn't find someone to come in multiple times per day (at least twice), I'd board the kitten. Preferably at a place that includes a set amount of human interaction each day, or at least where you can pay extra for it. I think two & a half weeks would be not only psychologically difficult on such a young cat, but dangerous... I have two young ones who are 9 & 10 months old, and they are still into everything, and have tons of energy that I have to help them expel each day or they get bonkers. I would do maybe a few days alone at their age, but couldn't imagine multiple weeks...

I'm sorry you're in this position. It must be hard.

Hi,

It is as it is to an event opening and all. Hugo will be 7 when I leave and the two sitters who are coming by are known to him (one being a friend who watched him in Feb, the other being my cleaning lady who comes by every saturday and plays with him as well). My friend would be happy to come by twice a day but at the same time, I can imagine she would be a little busy as well thus I am trying to make this as easy as it can be for all three sides. Currently, there is more than enough canned food in the cupboard to feed him for a month. My other alternative is to ask if his foster mother whom he has not seen since I adopted him, can board him for the time I am away...

Feeding Schedule when owner is away

lucentstreak

TCS Member

Thread starter

raintyger

TCS Member

burkey

TCS Member

lucentstreak

TCS Member

Thread starter

burkey

TCS Member

lucentstreak

TCS Member

Thread starter

Latest Posts

Connect with us