Leaving my two cats alone at home ....

Well I have never left Loki alone that long and I always have some one check on him every day.

However is a always very happy to have me back and is stuck to me like velcro when I return.

I left my cats alon for 10 days one time. My sister promised to come and look in on them but only did once. So a friend came on one of the other days and was there the entire day.

I would not knowingly recommend this and I think every 2 days would be fine. I am a little worried though since you said for 2 months.

That is a LONG time for the cats to be without human interaction. Unless the people coming are going to stay for the day, or over night or for a few nights and house sit too. That would probably be better. I know boarding them is a little expensive, but if you could get a friend or a few friends to take shifts and house/cat sit for a week or soemthing. I really don't knwo what else to suggest.

I do really think 2 months is too long for them to be cooped up in a stuffy house without you. I mean, are the people you are counting on to come over to check on them, going to actually do it and spend time with them or will the person just pop their head in and leave?

They will need to open up windows to air out your place, clean the litterboxes, make sure the cats haven't gotten into anything or broke anything and that there is nothing they can get into. Will you be leaving emergency vet money and will they know when a cat needs to see the vet? Will they recognize problems with the cat and potential problems and dangers in the house?

I don't think I could ever do that. Hubby is out of town for a few days, and I've been coming home at lunch to check on them, after just a couple hours. I would be a total nervous wreck if it was even just a day. But then, I do think I'm a bit over protective

If you had someone you could trust move into your house like a house sitter, that might be better?

If I were going to be away that long I would try to get a house sitter, or even have the kittties go live with someone I could trust. Two months is a very long time to leave them by themselves, even with someone occasionally checking in on them. That's just my take on the situation. Good luck with everything!

2 months is a long time. I do not think the cats would like that.

Since it is for two months, they probably would be better off at home than boarded out (less stress, less exposure to disease), but I would make sure that this person is very reliable and will be spending time with them everytime they come over, so the cats have some people time, not just food, water and a clean litterbox. Is this someone who has taken care of them for you before? Do the cats know them? If not, could they come over and spend sometime with the cats before you go and give treats, so the cats will come around and your "cat checker" can check and make sure they are all doing well?
I think that if I had to be gone for 2 months, I would have 2 people coming over (like person "A" comes over once a week, on say, Sunday, and person "B" comes over the rest of the time, and doesn't have to go on Sunday, that way if person "A" falls down on the job, you'll know, and person "A", if reliable will have one day a week where they don't say "Oh no, was today the day I check on the cats?"-gives them one day they know they don't have to do it-if nothing else, just to be nice-2 months is a long time ), or at least have someone lined up and available to come over, in case the one whom you have coming over can't do it for some reason, family emergency, etc...

If you are using a sitter service to check on them, I would still ask a friend or relative to check on them once a week. And be sure they know where the vet's number and clinic is, and the cat carriers, just to be safe.

Thank you very much for all your suggestions.

Believe me if I could fly them both out with me, I would never leave my kitties alone. But I don't have much of a choice and boarding them at a pet shop would be worse for them as they would be seperated and only allowed out for 1-2 hours. I would rather leave them both alone and get someone to take care.

The idea of sending someone else to check on them apart from the one who I will pay to take care of them is an excellent idea.

We may not be able to find someone to live in with the cats as all of our friends usually fly during the summer and only come back in September. I live in Riyadh.

Yes, please provide them with as much attention as possible in your absense!!!!!

And don't forget to make sure they have two months of supplies! Litter, enough toys to rotate around since they will be bored-er than ever, two months' of food... don't count on the person caring for them to go out and buy it! It would be excellent to have friends stop by occasionally on top of the person being paid, to make they're doing their job and that the cats are fine! Also, try having the person who stops by leave the tv or a radio or something on every now and then so the cats cabin fever doesn't get too bad! And play with them somehow, even a piece of string or something.

I also think the cats will be better off at home than in a different house or boarding facility. We tend to anthropomorphize animals and think that the worst thing for them is to be alone... but a little loneliness and boredom is much less stressful for them than a change of environment. With one option, they're without you for two months; with the other, they're not only without you but without everything else they know. If they're at home, they'll feel safe and comfortable.

A relative recently had to leave her cat behind for three weeks when she went on vacation. Since he's elderly and needs medication twice a day, she tried to take him with her, but on the day of departure he got out of the carrier, hid and could not be found again. He ended up staying at home the whole time, with twice daily feedings from a neighbor. It ended up being the better choice for him... he did just fine.