Conference misery::feline_v1

    Every other day should be fine. I've left mine for a long weekend
    without having anyone come in, but that's stretching it a bit. (The
    food holds out OK, but they do get lonely!)
    
    -b

    I do 'professional' cat sitting, meaning, I do it
    for money.  I find an every other day schedule to
    be quite acceptable for cats.  If you leave dry
    food out, I would leave more water than usual,
    maybe two bowls or one big bowl.  Another con-
    sideration might be the litterbox.  If you only
    have one, then it's going to be mighty full each
    time your friend comes.  If you have fussy cats
    that look elsewhere to do their business if 
    their box is not up to their standards, then
    you might have a problem.  This can be gotten
    around by putting out an extra box, or get those
    little disposable boxes from the supermarket.
    
    10 days means the box will have to be emptied
    and washed out at least once, so make sure your
    friend is up for that.
    
    Donna

    
    My husband and I went to Venezuela over the Christmas holiday. 
    We were gone approximately 15 days.  We asked my brother to 
    "babysit" Selina.  However the day of the trip he came down
    with strep throat and was unable to stay at our home. 
    
    Since my brother agreed to help us out and was unable to babysit
    other members of my family came to the rescue.
    
    My parents went to our home every other night to "babysit" Selina.
    Not only did they feed her, but stayed in the house for about 
    2 - 4 hours to watch t.v. and keep her company.  In the process
    of babysitting, my dad fixed a few things that needed repair around
    the house.  
    
    My sister and her boyfriend went to our home on the opposite nights
    than my folks to keep her company.
    
    Selina was treated to great company and had fresh food and water
    each and every day!                  
    
    Unfortunately/fortunately, she was in heat and of course sang to
    all who would or wouldn't listen.
    
    So as far as I could tell, every day was great for us since Selina
    doesn't have a companion.  However, we are in the process of a
    remedy.  We are going to keep a kitty or two from her litter
    due at the end of March.  
    
    But in your case having 3 cats, I think that every other day would
    be alright if your cats eat dry food.  I know that a lot of
    kitties won't eat food that has been sitting around for a while.
    
    I hope this helps.
    
     From a person that just recently left her
     "baby" to familycare.
    
                                     Shelly

    I have 5 (yes, five) cats and have been told that if you put a lot
    of food out for them, say 2 days worth, they will eat it all at
    once and have nothing for the second day.  I know if my cats overeat
    they have a tendency to vomit.  I would have your friend come by
    once a day to feed and water them--change the litter every couple
    of days.

    re .4
    
    That depends entirely on the cat.  Cats that are used to
    'free-feeding' wouldn't do this.  I don't free-feed but
    I have two cats that would not eat the food all at once,
    and one cat that WOULD, DEFINITELY, eat all the food at
    once, or at least he'd try.  Whenever we go away, we
    return to find KIWI just a little bit heavier.
    
    Donnaz

    When I left Aja at home alone, I left the water dripping in the
    bathroom at ~1 drip per 15-30 seconds. She doesn't like water
    that has stood for any amount of time. That and a big bowl of
    dry food was fine for 2-3 days....
    
    Wait till you get home! When I returned from 2 weeks at CXO, I
    thought Aja wold forget me.... Ha!! I've never seen her so happy...
    
    Edd 

    I like to make sure that there are at LEAST two bowls of water
    available when I plan on being out for more than a day.  That way,
    none of my "playful" felines is likely to spill ALL the water. 
    I'd hate to think that they'd spill it the first hour, and then have
    none available!

    
    
    re: spilling water.....
    
    This reminded me of a funny story.
    
    Many nights I keep my cats in the basement.  Since I am lazy I put
    the bowl of water on the top stair.  For weeks this worked out fine.
    Then one night, just after I went to bed I hear this boink, boink,
    boink, boink, as something fell down the stairs!  Thinking that
    one of my cats fell down the stairs in the dark I went running down,
    flipped on the light.  T.K. is about 3 steps down sniffing a puddle
    of water, and Bandit is at the bottom staring at the water bowl.
    Disgusted with them I went down, got the bowl, filled it back up
    and put it on the top stair again.... thinking that this couldn't
    happen twice!  Well I barely made it to my room when what do I hear
    but boink, boink, boink, boink!  This time I didn't panic and left
    them there till morning.  But now when they spend the night in the
    basement I leave the water at the bottom. 
    
    Cats are so smart!  T.K. figured that if I came running once to
    fill the bowl I would probably come running again.
    
    Karen
                                   

    I was looking in the window of a local pet shop here in Munich last
    Saturday evening and I saw a weird and wonderful device for sale.
    It consisted of two feeding bowls with lids operated by time clocks
    so that you could feed the cats while you were out. Each bowl was
    operated by a different clock so two meals could be set up. The
    box said that the food was kept fresh so I assume the lids are airtight
    and if kept in a reasonably cool place would last for 24 hours
    (assuming the clocks ran for such a time). Unfortunately the shop
    was closed at the time so I was unable to get any more details.
    Has anyone seen these before?? If not, if anyone wants further info
    I will try and get there while they are open.
    
    (Catacomb - a maze of tangles and the cure 8^)} )
    
    Cheers
    
    Brian

    RE: .11
    
    I'd be interested in knowing more about the device that you describe.
    I saw something like that on TV once but they didn't say much about
    it (like what it costs, how much food you can put in there, where
    you can buy them.)
    
    Deb

    Brian,
    
    Yes, I'd also be intested.  I had never heard of anything 
    like that.  Forget about vacations, I'd need it at 3:00 am
    when the cats decide they want to eat and wake Mom up to 
    feed them..........   
    
    Katie
    
    

    I have seen the "dial-a-meal" dual bowls with lids that can be set
    for between 0 and 24 (?) hours in the future.  The spring pops,
    and tops goes up (sure hope kitty isn't sniffing at it at just
    that minute!), and din-din is served.  It even has a cold pack
    that you freeze ahead of time and put in the container under the
    bowls to keep the food chilled.  Costs about $45-50 retail,
    MUCH less from vendors at shows.  I haven't bought one because
    my concern is not with 24 hours, but with 48 hours (a long weekend).
    
    I 'll check the price at the next show and report it here (if I
    can ever find this note again, that is!  ;-)
    
    	P

    By coincidence, my wife was reading one of the Sunday newspaper
    supplements yesterday and found an advert for just these bowls.
    Details as follows:
    
    	Catmate Automatic Cat Feeder.
    
    	Each bowl will hold half a 400g tin of food.
    	Timers are up to 24 hours.
    	As mentioned (-.1) comes with a ice pack to keep food fresh.
    	Battery comes with order, lasts 12 months.
    
    	Availability in England: (from Mail on Sunday magazine)
    
     	Dept YU49
    	Crane House
    	32, Gould Road
    	Twickenham
    	Middlesex
    	TW2 6RS
    
    	Price �19.95 inc p and p
    	Payment by cheque or credit card (Access or Visa)
    
    	German price 59.95 DM
    
    	I would expect the American price to be about $35.
    
    	Cheers
    
    	Brian

I need this feeder - it will help me control the spreading middles of my
felines to control when they can get to food, and how much they can get
to at one time.

Please, anyone out there with American ordering info, get us that data!

				Thanks,

				  D (mother of Hannah, Samson, and
				     Nicholas - aunt of Tabitha)

    The Boston Cat Hospital has them in stock at this very moment!
    (well, unless there was quite a run on them since 8:30pm last
    night!)  
    
    They are on the Boston-Brookline border, phone 617-266-7877.
    
    The feeder would be cheaper if you could get one at a cat show.
    I'll be at a show in 2 weeks, and will try to locate one there
    for you if you like.
    
    Please send mail if I can be of help.
    
    	Penelope

    The automatic 2-bowl battery-operated feeder was available at the
    cat show in Boston last weekend.  I did not price it, but imagine
    that it will be available at the other cat shows in the area.  Don't
    the same vendors show up at all the shows?
    
    By the way, this was my first cat show and I went bezerk buying toys
    and things for my cats (bed, hammock, peacock feathers, etc.)!  Much
    cheaper prices than at pet stores or through catalogs.  And quite
    a selection.  I was also pleased to see some shelter cats being
    adopted!  Oh yes, the show cats were also adorable to see!  (Don't
    tell my "mutts" I said so!)

    I have seen the two battery-two dish automatic feeder availabe at
    Breeder's Pride in Marlboro. 
    Fran

    I think the price of the auto feeder at the Boston show was $19.95.
    It may also be available at the Concord, NH show 2-27,28.  Some
    of the same vendors will be there.
    
    E.T.

    Check-out Kajan In-home Cat Care, per Note 400.
    
    
    KBS