My cats OK after home alone for 4 weeks!

how cruel can you be????You should consider rehoming them if you find
the need to wander off for so long.How would you feel if your cat
cleared off for 4weeks?The poor kitty's need your love, not your
contempt!

Lesley wrote:
223rem wrote:
I was on a trip abroad for four weeks. I left a ground floor window
open (I live in a very low crime area), plenty of dry food, several
pots full of water on the floor. I dont have a litter box. I was a
little worried, but I found all my 3 cats in perfect health upon my
return. They were not even at home when I got back. Try doing that with
a dog! Try doing that with indoor cats!

I just really hope this is a Troll because I cannot bear to think
someone did that for 4 weeks!

The longest we have left the Furballs (Both current and previous) is 2
nights and that was going out late on the first day, then rushing home
the 2nd morning (not to mention starting to get worried half way
through the 1st day). We knew we were going to be out so we left huge
bowls of food both wet and dry, filled 3 litre containers with water
and left taps running, left a completely clean litter box (and resigned
ourselves to the fact that any mess when we got back was our fault)

If I had had to leave them longer I have a friend who doesn't care much
for cats but can be relied on to fill bowls, clean litter, make sure
they don't escape and lock up afterwards whom I would use..he wouldn't
pet them much but they'd be fed and safe...or maybe he would and would
end up a slave!!!

But I wouldn't leave them that long

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

wrote:
tension_on_the_wire wrote:

My father got smoke inhalation from when his house
half burned down. The fire alarm had woken him just
fine, and he did go outside, but he came back into the
house to look for the cat (my cat Caitlin) who was hiding
in the basement all scared, and it was the time he spent
trying to find and catch the cat that gave him the injury.

What a wonderful dad! Did he succeed in rescuing Caitlin?

Yes, indeed, he did.
I consider it one of his great redeeming features, hahah!

--tension

MaryL wrote:
"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
MaryL wrote:
"223rem" wrote in message
ups.com...
I was on a trip abroad for four weeks. I left a ground floor window
open (I live in a very low crime area), plenty of dry food, several
pots full of water on the floor. I dont have a litter box. I was a
little worried, but I found all my 3 cats in perfect health upon my
return. They were not even at home when I got back. Try doing that
with a dog! Try doing that with indoor cats!


In my opinion, what you just described is *neglect.* Mine are
indoor cats, but I wouldn't dream of leaving *any* cat (indoor or
outdoor) for more than a day or two without having someone check on
them. You are fortunate that nothing happened -- one could have
been struck by a car, become ill, or run into any number of
difficulties. You took a great risk by just assuming that they
would be "safe" for a month,

As a follow-up to your earlier message: Mine are indoor cats
precisely because I *do* love them. They are protected and get lots
of love and attention; they are not "prisoners."

MaryL

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
Duffy: http://tinyurl.com/cslwf
Holly: http://tinyurl.com/9t68o
Duffy and Holly together: http://tinyurl.com/8b47e

Mary, Duffy is the blind kitty, right? An absolute tribute to
overcoming (or ignoring!) handicaps and just being a cat I love
Duffy; such a pretty cat!

Jill



Thanks, Jill. Yes, Duffy is my blind kitty, and he is an absolute
delight. He is happy, active, sweet-natured, and can do almost
anything that a sighted cat can do. Just to add "icing on the cake,"
he is also beautiful and adorable!

MaryL

He is absolutely beautiful, that's for sure!

Jill

MaryL wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

Christina Websell wrote:
"223rem" wrote in message
ups.com...
I was on a trip abroad for four weeks. I left a ground floor window
open (I live in a very low crime area), plenty of dry food, several
pots full of water on the floor. I dont have a litter box. I was a
little worried, but I found all my 3 cats in perfect health upon my
return. They were not even at home when I got back. Try doing that
with a dog! Try doing that with indoor cats!

I am shocked to hear you say this. I cannot imagine leaving mine
home alone
for a month. What if they had become ill, what if one had been in a
collision with the almost no traffic that I have here?
I have left mine once, overnight in an emergency. They were shut
in with a
litterbox/ food/water and were safe.
My cats are outdoor/indoor. I check on them, I expect them in for
their breakfast and in for their dinner every day, if they are late
I go looking
for them. They are often late because they are looking at mouse
holes/rat
holes and forget the time. My cats don't mind how long they stay
there if
there is a chance of catching a mousie or a rattie (smallish one..)

Leave them home alone for a month? No way at all. If I needed to
go away
for a month I would board mine in a cattery,

Tweed

I'm thinking this post was probably bait to start words flinging
around. But in any case, I agree; I wouldn't even leave my barn cats
alone for a month without someone to come in and feed.

Sherry


Same here. I have a suspicion this is actually a troll, but I
decided to respond in this case because I think the information all
of us have provided can be beneficial to some newbies (and some
not-so-new) who may actually think that cats can simply fend for
themselves.

MaryL

Cats that can fend for themselves are, in my book, not "homed" cats. They
are strays and in some case ferals. 223 obviously doesn't care for his cats
and shouldn't have cats.

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
MaryL wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

Christina Websell wrote:
"223rem" wrote in message
ups.com...
I was on a trip abroad for four weeks. I left a ground floor window
open (I live in a very low crime area), plenty of dry food, several
pots full of water on the floor. I dont have a litter box. I was a
little worried, but I found all my 3 cats in perfect health upon my
return. They were not even at home when I got back. Try doing that
with a dog! Try doing that with indoor cats!

I am shocked to hear you say this. I cannot imagine leaving mine
home alone
for a month. What if they had become ill, what if one had been in a
collision with the almost no traffic that I have here?
I have left mine once, overnight in an emergency. They were shut
in with a
litterbox/ food/water and were safe.
My cats are outdoor/indoor. I check on them, I expect them in for
their breakfast and in for their dinner every day, if they are late
I go looking
for them. They are often late because they are looking at mouse
holes/rat
holes and forget the time. My cats don't mind how long they stay
there if
there is a chance of catching a mousie or a rattie (smallish one..)

Leave them home alone for a month? No way at all. If I needed to
go away
for a month I would board mine in a cattery,

Tweed

I'm thinking this post was probably bait to start words flinging
around. But in any case, I agree; I wouldn't even leave my barn cats
alone for a month without someone to come in and feed.

Sherry


Same here. I have a suspicion this is actually a troll, but I
decided to respond in this case because I think the information all
of us have provided can be beneficial to some newbies (and some
not-so-new) who may actually think that cats can simply fend for
themselves.

MaryL

Cats that can fend for themselves are, in my book, not "homed" cats.
They
are strays and in some case ferals.

I have to disagree with you. Both mine can fend for themselves if they have
to but they are now "homed" with any amount of food that they need but they
choose to go outside to hunt,

..223 obviously doesn't care for his cats
and shouldn't have cats.

That's your opinion only.

Tweed

jmcquown wrote:
MaryL wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

Christina Websell wrote:
"223rem" wrote in message
ups.com...
I was on a trip abroad for four weeks. I left a ground floor window
open (I live in a very low crime area), plenty of dry food, several
pots full of water on the floor. I dont have a litter box. I was a
little worried, but I found all my 3 cats in perfect health upon my
return. They were not even at home when I got back. Try doing that
with a dog! Try doing that with indoor cats!

I am shocked to hear you say this. I cannot imagine leaving mine
home alone
for a month. What if they had become ill, what if one had been in a
collision with the almost no traffic that I have here?
I have left mine once, overnight in an emergency. They were shut
in with a
litterbox/ food/water and were safe.
My cats are outdoor/indoor. I check on them, I expect them in for
their breakfast and in for their dinner every day, if they are late
I go looking
for them. They are often late because they are looking at mouse
holes/rat
holes and forget the time. My cats don't mind how long they stay
there if
there is a chance of catching a mousie or a rattie (smallish one..)

Leave them home alone for a month? No way at all. If I needed to
go away
for a month I would board mine in a cattery,

Tweed

I'm thinking this post was probably bait to start words flinging
around. But in any case, I agree; I wouldn't even leave my barn cats
alone for a month without someone to come in and feed.

Sherry


Same here. I have a suspicion this is actually a troll, but I
decided to respond in this case because I think the information all
of us have provided can be beneficial to some newbies (and some
not-so-new) who may actually think that cats can simply fend for
themselves.

MaryL

Cats that can fend for themselves are, in my book, not "homed" cats. They
are strays and in some case ferals. 223 obviously doesn't care for his cats
and shouldn't have cats.

jmcquown wrote:
MaryL wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

Christina Websell wrote:
"223rem" wrote in message
ups.com...
I was on a trip abroad for four weeks. I left a ground floor window
open (I live in a very low crime area), plenty of dry food, several
pots full of water on the floor. I dont have a litter box. I was a
little worried, but I found all my 3 cats in perfect health upon my
return. They were not even at home when I got back. Try doing that
with a dog! Try doing that with indoor cats!

I am shocked to hear you say this. I cannot imagine leaving mine
home alone
for a month. What if they had become ill, what if one had been in a
collision with the almost no traffic that I have here?
I have left mine once, overnight in an emergency. They were shut
in with a
litterbox/ food/water and were safe.
My cats are outdoor/indoor. I check on them, I expect them in for
their breakfast and in for their dinner every day, if they are late
I go looking
for them. They are often late because they are looking at mouse
holes/rat
holes and forget the time. My cats don't mind how long they stay
there if
there is a chance of catching a mousie or a rattie (smallish one..)

Leave them home alone for a month? No way at all. If I needed to
go away
for a month I would board mine in a cattery,

Tweed

I'm thinking this post was probably bait to start words flinging
around. But in any case, I agree; I wouldn't even leave my barn cats
alone for a month without someone to come in and feed.

Sherry


Same here. I have a suspicion this is actually a troll, but I
decided to respond in this case because I think the information all
of us have provided can be beneficial to some newbies (and some
not-so-new) who may actually think that cats can simply fend for
themselves.

MaryL

Cats that can fend for themselves are, in my book, not "homed" cats. They
are strays and in some case ferals. 223 obviously doesn't care for his cats
and shouldn't have cats.

Not true. Lots of homed cats could fend themselves if they had to. Just
depends on the availability of prey if the cat's hunting skills are
good. *Should they* is another question, and of course, the answer is
no--that's neglect on the part of the owner.

Sherry