What to Do With a Cat While on Vacation: Tips for a Worry-Free Trip

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It’s that time of year again: vacay season! Margaritas, clear ocean waters, sunbathing…you can’t beat it! But while you’re packing up your bag and booking excursions, you might be wondering what you’re going to do about your cat. Do you send them to a family member’s house? Do you hire a pet sitter? Will they miss you while you’re gone? Don’t fret. I’ve been there. I take at least one week-long vacation a year, so I know all about the cat mama guilt when leaving for a trip. In this article, I’ll tell you exactly what to do with a cat while on vacation and how you can have a worry-free trip!

Note: I am not a medical professional, and this article is not to be taken as medical or veterinary advice. Always contact a veterinarian regarding concerns about your pet’s health or behavior. Additionally, Caitycat is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see my full disclosure for further information.

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Preparing to Leave Your Cat to Go On a Trip

Leaving our cats for any amount of time is so difficult. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seriously considered canceling a trip because I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving my fur babies at home alone. It never gets easier, but there are things you can do to make it a little more bearable for both you and your kitty.

Deciding Where to Keep Your Cat While on Vacation

First things first, where are you going to keep your cat while you’re away? Well, you have a few options, which I’ve outlined below.

Option 1: Leave your cat at home and have someone check in on them

This is what I’ve always done when I go on vacation. Cats don’t particularly like being in places other than their home, and a new environment can cause your kitty stress, according to Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Of course, this is not an option for everyone, especially if you don’t have someone that can come to feed, check on, and spend some time with your cat. I am very fortunate in that I have family members close by that come to care for my girls Luna and Hazel while my husband and I are out of town.

Tip: Make sure you leave detailed instructions for whoever will be coming to take care of your cat, whether it be a family member, friend, or pet sitter. Don’t forget to include information about any medications your cat may be on or special dietary restrictions. Additionally, even though you will be having someone to come take care of your cat, always leave lots of extra food and water out. I always like to leave a few bowls of food and water in different locations just in case the 3 AM zoomies cause a little spillage.

Option 2: Send your cat to a family member’s or friend’s house

As I said before, a new environment can be stressful for a cat. However, choosing a close friend or family member to board your cat while you’re gone is a good option if they can’t come to your house to take care of your cat.

Tip: Make sure you send your cat with enough food for your time away, their litter box (plus extra litter), lots of treats, and their toys. You might even consider sending them with an article of clothing that smells like you, as your clothes can be a comfort to them.

Option 3: Board your cat at a facility or use a private pet boarding service

If you don’t have a trusted family member or friend to board your cat while you’re on vacation, there are lots of options for boarding facilities or private pet boarding services. If choosing to board your cat at a facility where there will be other animals present, make sure to follow this checklist by FOUR PAWS International for what to look for in a pet boarding facility. Some things to look for when boarding cats is the option to have their own individual room, a window with a view outside, and scratching/climbing facilities.

If choosing a private pet boarding service, look for reputable companies or individuals with great reviews. You will want to interview them first to explain your cat’s unique needs and to ensure they have the experience and training needed to board your fur baby.

Things to Keep in Mind if Leaving Your Cat at Home

Because I have a lot of experience with leaving my cats at home while on vacation, I’m going to give you some more advice for how to prepare your home before you leave. These tips always help me have a worry-free trip (well, for the most part…I’m always going to worry about my girls!).

Set up a camera (or two, or three…)

If you want complete peace of mind while you’re out of town, investing in some cameras you can place around your home might help. It may sound a little over-the-top, but I feel so much better knowing I can check in on my kitties while I’m out having fun in the sun. I often worry they are going to get into something they shouldn’t or get hurt, and I won’t be there to help them.

If you have a camera, you can catch any issues right away and call up your trusted family member, friend, or pet sitter to head over and help. My favorite indoor security camera for pets that is super budget-friendly is the Ring Indoor Cam from Amazon, which you can find here: https://amzn.to/4jE2cZZ.

It even connects to Alexa devices, has motion detection, and has two-way audio functionality so you can talk to your kitty cats.

Cat-proof your house

If you’re a cat owner, your house is probably already cat-proof, for the most part. However, we all know our crazy little critters tend to find a way to get into every possible thing that they shouldn’t. For example, my cat Luna will constantly chew on the leaves of my artificial plants and trees. These are things that I will put away in a storage closet before I leave for vacation, since I won’t be there to correct her.

Go around your house and put away anything that you think your cat may get into while you’re gone. Also remember to close any doors to rooms that you don’t want them going in when you’re out. I have to keep my bathroom doors closed since my problem child (Hazel) knows how to turns on faucets.

Leave some of your clothes out

I mentioned this earlier, but leaving a few articles of clothing out will help to comfort your cat while you’re on vacation. I will usually leave a sweatshirt of my husband’s and mine out on the bed. We always find Luna snuggled up on one when we get home, which just melts my heart.

Leave a radio or TV on

Having some background noise in the house while you’re away might help your cat feel less alone. I always leave a peaceful music station on at a low volume. You can even leave a cat station or channel on that plays cat-specific and nature sounds.

Do Cats Get Lonely When You Go On Vacation?

We all know that we miss our cats when we’re away, but does your cat miss you? And do they get lonely when you’re on vacation?

Dr. Marci L. Koski, a certified feline behavior consultant, confirms that cats do feel lonely when their owners are gone for a length of time. Cats feel safe and secure when their owners are nearby, so it stands to reason that they would miss them when they’re gone.

While this might make you sad to know your cat gets lonely when you’re on vacation, taking the steps I mentioned earlier will ensure your cat has everything they need to feel comforted while you’re gone. Additionally, ensuring your family member, friend, or pet sitter spends sufficient time comforting and playing with your cat will help reduce their loneliness.

In Conclusion

Leaving for vacation can cause a lot of anxiety for owners and kitty cats. Take the proper steps to ensure arrangements are made for either leaving your cat at home with someone checking on them, sending your cat to family member’s or friend’s house, or using a boarding facility or private pet boarding service. If leaving your cat at home, make sure you leave lots of food and water out, leave a radio on if you want them to have some background noise, and leave an article of clothing out that smells like you. This will ensure your cat is as content as possible until you get back home and are reunited with your fur baby.

You could also just get another cat to keep yours company while you’re gone (since that is my solution to everything apparently). 😉

Did you find this article helpful? Let me know in the comments!

See also…

Can I Take My Cat to the Beach? 10 Must-Haves for a Safe Trip