My first cat. Going away for 15 days

[socksfurever14]

Hello,

I am going to the other side of the planet to visit my family, so I will be away from my cat for 15 days. Although I am very excited to see my family, the thought of leaving my cat for 15 days is making me sick to the stomach!

I adopted him about 5 months ago, I have been through a lot with him with his IBD and such but we are pretty much inseparable. He sleeps in my bed every night, cuddle, hang out!! 

Anyways, so now that I am leaving for 15 days, my roommate is going to take care of the cat. I am sure she will take great care of him, which I am grateful for, but I am terrified that when I return, he will be very mad at me, or even forget me, and go to my roommate all the time.

my biggest worry is

will my cat be very stressed out once he realizes I am gone? He is a rescue cat, was in foster homes for a year at age 5.  He hates leaving home and he follows me everywhere. I wonder if hes going to be stressed in my absence and how I can make things better. I will leave my door open so he can sleep on my bed still, leave some clothes out so he can just chill out on my bathrobe or something, I will call my roommate on video to talk to him when I can but I am also thinking of getting maybe felisway or something? Is that stuff OK? 

Any suggestions please?

Will my cat go back to being normal when I return?  I will cook treats on my return day and buy him a huge cat tree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I am so sad, I almost want to cancel my flight. but I love my family like crazy as well! Please can anybody please give me some advice, or cheer me up? 

Thanks!

 

[di and bob]

I go through the same thing when I'm away from my cats, and now only spend overnight away which really makes my husband mad. But I have a younger cat that actually beats up the 13 year old when he doesn't get to go outside, so what do I do? Since your cat will be spending time with someone who likes him, you shouldn't have to worry, take care of any possessiveness when you get back. Believe me, he won't forget you! Cats don't hold grudges or get 'even', he'll bounce back quickly! It will be hard, but you have to spend some time with your family also, they love you and miss you too! You can always talk to him via video like you said, good luck and post when you get back!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I will leave my door open so he can sleep on my bed still, leave some clothes out so he can just chill out on my bathrobe or something, I will call my roommate on video to talk to him when I can but I am also thinking of getting maybe felisway or something? Is that stuff OK? 

These are great ideas and just what I would suggest.  I wouldn't worry about your roommate until you get home.  Go enjoy your family!  It doesn't sound like the kind of trip that you can go on just any time; having to travel so far. 

A friend of mine always cared for her roommate's cats when she would travel.  They would sleep with my friend while their owner was gone; but the moment she was home they were back to their routine with their owner.  Hopefully that will be the case with your kitty too!

 

[blackcat416]

I have 7 cats and my job takes me away very often, sometimes over night and once as long as 23 days, in Houston after Hurricane Ike. When I got home everyone was glad to see me but my Sally. Boy was she pissed at me. Talk about your cold shoulder you would have thought I had her in a kennel for 23 days instead of in her house, with her brothers and sisters and with her Daddy. Nope she was pissed and pissed at me. So out came the treats, her brush, catnip, nothing. So finally I just picked her up brought her into my bedroom and started kissing and rubbing her. Finally we both fell asleep for a short nap together when we both awoke it was like I had never been gone. She just wanted me to beg for forgiveness, pamper her, then have me all to herself. So now I know whose needs more. Attention then any of them. Good luck on your trip, have fun and be safe. Don't change your bedding until you get home, leave them with your scent.

 

[socksfurever14]

Thank you everybody. I really appreciate for all giving me advice and sharing your experiences. My big flight is tomorrow morning (14-h flight, yikes!)

Conveniently my closet shelf came down yesterday, so I had to take all my clothes out of my closet, so now I have them stashed up here and there so Socks can lay down and smell me lol! Had to take out my plastic bins so made a new bin bed filled with my other blankets, stacked some bins up and made new hiding places...I guess for more "enrichment". I am leaving my bedding as it is with his favorite blanket and his chew toy on it. I have been showering him with attention, giving him boiled chicken treats, trying to play with him as much as possible. Checked out a cat tree at a pet store today and I think I will place the order so it arrives when I get back (return gift lol!). I will make sure to shower him with love when I come back, not sure what his reaction is going to be like, but regardless I will beg for forgiveness. 

I cried today like a silly girl thinking he may think I abandoned him. BUT I am sure once I see my family, I will be OK and I know my roommate will take very good care of him, that is the most important thing I should focus on. Thank you everybody for bidding me a good trip, I will sure have a great time with my family and friends. 

I shall update when I return...!

photo (1).JPG

• socksfurever14
• Jan 26, 2014

Socks chilling on the new "bed"

 

[socksfurever14]

I am back! Had a great time with my family...

Socks was a champ, staying strong with mom away. He was very happy to see me. I was surprised he didnt forget me he recognized me right away how intelligent these animals are! He basically followed me everywhere today and I made sure to shower him with love.

One strange thing is that his meows are muffled. He seems normal as hungry as usual and meowy as usual except its quieter. He also has extra dandruff for some reason which im having a hard time cleaning! Hopefully with time, he will be completely normal again!

Thank you everybody!

 

[catspaw66]

The dandruff will probably go away, if you keep brushing Socks daily. Perhaps your roommate didn't brush him enough. I don't know where you live, or what kind of heating you have, but electric heat tends to dry out the skin. With the weather being bad, the heat takes even more humidity out of the air in the house.  If that is the problem, just use a vaporizer - with plain water - or boil a kettle and make some tea every day. Let the kettle steam over low heat for 5 minutes while your tea steeps.