New Roof Going Up On My Apartment...cats Scared

[bella lago]

I came home last night and couldn't figure why my cats were hiding. Normally they meet me at the door and start begging for their dinner. Both were hiding under my bed and stayed there. Even when I dinged on their food bowl with a spoon they wouldn't come out, and that's the equivalent of the dinner gong in my house! I was going to call in sick today to take them to the vet, but at 7:00 am this morning I started hearing loud noises on the roof of my apartment. Workers are installing a new roof and actually started yesterday around 10:00. The noise was AMAZINGLY loud before I left at 8:00 and my cats were scared.

Should I try to board them during the day or would the unfamiliar surroundings be worse than the noise?

 

[Kieka]

How long will it take for the roof to go on?

 

[surya]

I'm no expert, but I'm guessing they will be scared either way.

 

[bella lago]

It's going to take 10 business days for the completion of the roof.

I just don't know what to do. If I could take them to work I would but my job doesn't allow it. I have no one who could take them during the day either.

Arrg. I am very frustrated.

Any ideas?

 

[Kieka]

Maybe try turning on the TV or a radio to help cover the noise?

Boarding might be better if they do well with it. I've had a cat who was completely relaxed in boarding and I've had one who I am pretty sure didn't eat or move the whole time he was there. You could try boarding at your vet for a few days and visit them after work. If they are not doing better then bring them home again.

 

[Kieka]

Our roof was redone about a year ago (new roof, insulation and add a little overhang over two doors). After they got the old roof off the rest of it wasn't quiet as loud. I am in a house though so that may make a difference. My cats go outside during the day and none of them seemed to have a huge problem but they also could watch and see what was going on. Plus my cats are used to us doing projects with power tools. Last night I brought them in early because Link likes to watch the city tree cutters work on our large trees along the street and they were coming late in the evening. He is special and will even going running towards the guys cutting the tree to play with falling branches.

Hopefully it gets quieter once they get the old stuff off or your guys realize the world isn't falling.

 

[bella lago]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I appreciate them all. I will turn my tv up fairly loud to try to distract them.

Poor kitties.

 

[bodester413]

You could maybe try one of those Feliway diffuser things that you plug into the wall. A few years back my cat was stressed from road construction noises in my neighborhood. When I told the vet about it she suggested trying those.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Will your vet do daycare, or is there a pet-sitting option you could check out? Could you, or someone they know, visit during the day? Poor babies. Good luck.

 

[lavishsqualor]

That's a tough call--whether to put them in a quiet yet unfamiliar place during the day, or leave them in noisy, frightening, familiar surroundings.

I think if it were me, I'd try to board them during the day.

 

[dustydiamond1]

How are things going?

 

[bella lago]

Sorry for forgetting to update! I actually decided to board them at a local "Cat Spa." They are there only during the day and I pick them up after work around 6:00. My two cats have their own enclosure at the spa with lovely scratching posts and multiple cat trees to climb! It's not terribly cheap but it's worth it. It's $45 per day. I'd rather pay that though than have petrified cats. The spa sends me really cute pictures and I can log on and watch them anytime I want. They seem happy enough and are playing and climbing.

 

[dustydiamond1]

HOORAY!!! So happy you found such a wonderful place for your kitties, how abut posting some pics for us?