Conference misery::feline

    Kristen -
    
    I would think that taking her back to her old stomping ground
    would be the best. She will remember all those smells and sounds
    very quickly.  Has she been back since you moved?  Having a stranger
    feed her in her new home which she is still trying to get used to
    I would think would stress her out.
    
    I vote for what behind door number 2
    
    Barbara

    Kristen - 
    
    We are about to move houses with our four cats and a dog, and I can
    understand your concern regarding the unsettling in moving Murphy back
    to her old home. However this does seem to me to be preferable to
    leaving her in the new strange home with less attention than she's used
    to, especially given her medical problem. I to would vote for option 2.
    
    			Good Luck 
    
    
    			David (plus Cai (dog),George,Tim,Bubble & Tuppence)

Oh, good, people agree with what I wanted to say yesterday :-).

I also vote for the old house, with your roommate who the furface knows, and
who can give her more attention and better look after her health.  I would also
be concerned that *you* wouldn't relax enough on your vacation if you didn't
have someone taking such good care of your kitty.

Jill

    Don't forget to let the vet know you'll be away and who will be taking
    care of your cat.  we always call the vet (and write her a letter) to
    let her know how long we are going on vacation and we also supply
    full instructions on what to do if anything happens.  Vets appreciate
    that sort of thing and it helps them to be better prepared in case an
    emergency comes up, God forbid.

    I agree with the others - take the cat to the former place of
    residence.  Bring something of yours such as a blanket that the cat can
    relate to.  Most of all, have fun on your trip!

    Thank you to everyone for your replies.  Fortunately for me, a friend
    of mine who reads this conference offered me the best alternative of
    all.  He has offered to stay at the new house and take care of the
    Murphster.  This way she gets to stay at home, has someone to sleep
    with, and will get plenty of affection.  
    
    Kristen
    

if you aren't going to be there, I would talk to the vet about having Murph
stay THERE for the duration of your trip....separation from you will be a
big stress whatever you do...the vet will be your best bet for stopping any
asthma attacks quickly once they start.  AS your kitten is known to have a 
cronic condition, the vet may be willing to "board" her for your trip.

    I will be going on vacation (sans kitty) for 8 days. She is 2 years old
    and this will be our first major separation (the longest has been for a
    weekend). When I am not around a lot she tends to get cranky and will
    take a swipe at me while we are playing to let me know.
    
    What should I do to avoid a) major damage to my apartment b) her
    resentment that I am gone c) reassurance that I'll be back? 
    
    My landlord's 14 year old daughter will be taking care of her and she
    genuinely likes her so I am not too worried. Should I leave some
    articles of clothing around the apartment as a reminder? should I call
    her and leave a message so she'll hear my voice? Any suggestions will
    be most appreciated! Thanks,
    
    C

    I've never had problems leaving animals for lengthy amounts of time. 
    If someone comes in to feed them, they are usually ok.  The problem of
    going away is actually in when you return - that is when they decide to
    retaliate!  One of my cats used to intentionally miss the litter box by
    two feet when I went away for a weekend and left him behind.  He would
    do this *after* I came back from being away. 
    
    My advice on calling the answering machine is don't do it.  If the cat
    hears your voice, she'll assume you are home.  What happens when she
    can't find you there?  Might confuse the poor cat...
    
    If you have anything that you value, you might want to tuck it away
    inside a closet or drawer (assuming it fits).  Or, put your valuables
    in one room and shut the door.
    
    Maybe when you return home you can open a small can of tuna or do
    something nice to show the animal she has been missed?  Cats are very
    sensitive to being left alone but after the first or second day, they
    do catch on.  :^)  

    Be sure to leave a letter with the keeper authorizing medical care for
    your cat, and that the person can reclaim the cat from a shelter if she
    gets loose.  Call your vet also so they know you'll be responsible for
    any bills.
    
    When I had one cat he got really lonely when I was gone for a week; 
    two seem to keep each other company.  I haven't dared go away since I
    acquired the third, since there are still lowgrade territory wars going
    on.
    

    How the cat will react to you being away depends more on the cat than
    anything else. We have two.  Chloe, the Burmese, is appalling -
    deliberately bit the edges of every slice of cucumber left out for
    dinner by our house-minder, ate the centre out of a quiche ditto (yes,
    I know real cats DO sometimes eat quiche, but she's never done so
    before or since), refused to speak to my wife for a week after we got
    back, etc etc.  Roger (Roger the Lodger to give him his full name), the
    ginger stray we took in some 10 years back when he came calling on said
    Chloe, who is a standard moggie, couldn't give a damn as long as his
    dinner's on time.  I think Asian breeds are likely to react worse than
    others, and moggies are laid-back by nature (survival of the fittest,
    etc.).
    
    Re the original query - most cats definitely prefer familiar surroundings to
    familiar people.  Indeed, except for the Asian lot they don't reckon
    people much at all, whereas territory is everything.  Scientific fact.
    
    Ken

    I used to house/animal sit for a few years and found that my charges
    were pretty happy. I also used to stay over for the amount of time the
    family was gone...to give the house a lived in look, collect mail,
    etc.
    
    It's been a few years since I've had a real vacation but when I've gone
    camping with my horse, we usually go for 10 days at a time. I have a
    friend check on my two furbies, feed them, play with them, etc. They
    don't seem to be really bothered...except for once. Brandy peed in the
    water dish after my friend left and before I got home. He's never done
    it since. I also lavish them with attention when I get home. And they
    tend to follow me everywhere, constantly underfoot for the next few
    days...which I love anyway.
    
    I would definitely put away all the things you don't want damaged. and
    I tend to leave some clothes in the bedroom/laundry basket. They like
    to sleep with me and Escoh especially will sleep on my clothes. My two
    are also indoor-outdoor cats, fwiw.
    
    Try not to worry about them too much, & have fun on your vacation.
    
    Roslyn