Missed pets while cruising

[Scoobydobe7]

Hi -- We have friends that have planned a 10 night cruise with us for next year - 11 night total with pre-stay. They recently got a cat and are thinking of cancelling because they do not want the cat to miss them (they do have a "catsitter" that will be in the house except while at work) while they are away. Not having pets, I am not sure how/why to support their decision or try to reassure them that their pet will be okay -- any advice??? Thanks

[Dr.A]

Hi -- We have friends that have planned a 10 night cruise with us for next year - 11 night total with pre-stay. They recently got a cat and are thinking of cancelling because they do not want the cat to miss them (they do have a "catsitter" that will be in the house except while at work) while they are away. Not having pets, I am not sure how/why to support their decision or try to reassure them that their pet will be okay -- any advice??? Thanks

 

Your friends sound like my parents. They will not travel at all because of their cats.

 

We have two cats ourselves and we either have the in-laws catsit when we're away or we leave them in a cattery we trust. The cats are always very happy to see us when we're back (we've been gone up to three weeks at a time) but I don't think they actively miss us when we're away.

The main thing for us is to know that the cats are well looked after when we are away. The cattery sends us text messages almost daily with updates as do the in-laws. It gives us peace of mind.

[aloha43]

The beauty of it is that they have a cat and they can take it much easier. Dogs are much harder to leave with sitters because they require much more attention and care.

 

That being said, we have four cats and feel awful every time we leave them. We stress for months, and while we are gone.

 

But everyone needs the time away. If they have a live in cat sitter, the cat will be fine. The cat will welcome them with open paws when they get home. :D

[Dr.A]

That being said, we have four cats and feel awful every time we leave them. We stress for months, and while we are gone.

 

We miss our two when we're away too, they are part of the family after all! :) Plus I always worry when someone else is looking after them.

[dpostman]

Wow... I don't even worry about if our KIDS would miss us. Let alone cats. On their return, the cats will be excited for all of about one and a half minutes, then go right back to sleep on Laz-y-boy.

 

dp

[George C]

Hi -- We have friends that have planned a 10 night cruise with us for next year - 11 night total with pre-stay. They recently got a cat and are thinking of cancelling because they do not want the cat to miss them (they do have a "catsitter" that will be in the house except while at work) while they are away. Not having pets, I am not sure how/why to support their decision or try to reassure them that their pet will be okay -- any advice??? Thanks

 

We can understand, our cat sitter send us pictures of the cats while we are away

[bouhunter]

Wow... I don't even worry about if our KIDS would miss us. Let alone cats. On their return, the cats will be excited for all of about one and a half minutes, then go right back to sleep on Laz-y-boy.

 

dp

 

:D:D:D

 

Seriously, if someone is that worried about leaving their pets, maybe they just shouldn't consider travelling......:rolleyes: We love our dog and know she isn't thrilled about going to the kennel, but it's not ever going to even be a consideration when we want to travel. They will survive.

 

Kids don't want to go to school, we don't want to go to work, pets don't want to be left...........we all deal with it.

Edited May 12, 2015 by bouhunter

[SausPud]

I take my cat with me. He love's being on board. Old Naval rule states that every ship has to have a cat.

[tallnthensome]

Wow... I don't even worry about if our KIDS would miss us. Let alone cats. On their return, the cats will be excited for all of about one and a half minutes, then go right back to sleep on Laz-y-boy.

 

dp

^^^^^^^^^ THIS and tell your people to get a grip. The cats could care less if your gone. A cat can live falling from atop a telephone pole, they can certainly live without their owners while spread out on a couch licking their crotches in peace and quiet for 12 days. Edited May 12, 2015 by tallnthensome

[bouhunter]

^^^^^^^^^ THIS and tell your people to get a grip. The cats could care less if your gone. A cat can live falling from atop a telephone pole, it can certainly live without them spread out on a couch licking their crotches in peace and quiet for 12 days.

 

If someone is considering cancelling a 10 day cruise because their new cat "might miss them", I think they are beyond "getting a grip"........:D:p:rolleyes:

[ryano]

^^^^^^^^^ THIS and tell your people to get a grip. The cats could care less if your gone. A cat can live falling from atop a telephone pole, they can certainly live without their owners while spread out on a couch licking their crotches in peace and quiet for 12 days.

 

I honestly didnt think a cat was capable of missing their owner :o They are so independent.

 

No one loves their dog as much as I love mine. With that said, I dont know about any other pet owner but I need a break once in a while! :eek:

[Ocean Boy]

The way I see it the dog runs the house the weeks that we are home. The weeks we are gone is the price she pays for those weeks that she runs our lives.

[BigB0882]

I have a cat and a dog. The dog goes to a doggy camp while we are gone where she gets to play all day and has a private little room to sleep in, so she is not put in a cage. It is expensive but we just factor that into our vacation budget.

 

The cat stays home and my MIL will go by the house every 2-3 days to check on her food/water/litter box. The cat misses me, I am sure, but she isn't going to die of loneliness. Most cats like having time to themselves so it isn't really that bad for a cat to be alone as long as someone checks in on them from time to time.

 

If your friends are really going to cancel then I would question if it is because of other things and the cat is just their excuse. Maybe they don't want to say it is about the money or something else. Although as a new pet owner I can remember not wanting to leave my cat/dog alone for more than a minute. Tell them it will wear off and the cat will be fine!

[jules815]

We can understand, our cat sitter send us pictures of the cats while we are away

 

I've been a pet sitter in Chicago for more than 10 years. I always ask my clients if they'd like to receive daily updates via email or text. I often send pictures and video. I don't stay in people's homes, I do daily visits, and my kitty clients all do very well.

[Scoobydobe7]

Thanks for the replies - was not sure how to handle but I have decided to just let them make decision. I will tell them I hope they do not rush into a decision and we were really looking forward to cruising with them, but only they can make the call. I will suggest the e-mails and texts. A friend said they would be there every night. Thanks again

Edited May 12, 2015 by Scoobydobe7

[beancounterbeth]

If I didn't have my parents to leave my dog with I don't think we could travel. My 13 year old dog couldn't stand to go to one of those dog sitting places. She has too much stress and dog issues to handle it and I'm pretty sure it would send her into an attack that might kill her. Too many medical issues to list but trust me. She loves my parents and this is the only way we are able to leave her. This leaves us with the problem of not being able to go on vacation with my parents because there isn't anyone to leave her with because of her problems.

 

I am going to make sure my next fur baby doesn't have all these issues and is more socialized.

 

We don't have kids and my little fur baby means the world to me so for now we make sure to schedule vacations only when my parents can watch her and they love her to bits.

 

I agree with the other person that posted though that cats are not the same as dogs and they are making an excuse about the vacation and it is something else as to why they want to cancel.

[CJPi]

Is this their first pet? I think of it as the first baby where "new parents" are hyperaware and terrified to do anything. When my cat was a kitten I remember the first time I left (for ONE NIGHT) and I texted a friend to go knock on the windows to see if the cat would run up so I would know he was okay. :rolleyes:

 

Yes I was insane, luckily the friend was willing to do so and didn't verbalize how insane I was although I know she was thinking it :D

 

Said cat is now about 10 years old and he has survived multiple trips ranging from a weekend to a week away, either with a live-in house sitter (such as "grandma") or someone stopping by to check food/water. Yeah the cat is a little clingy when we get home but he gets back into his regular routine within a day or two.

 

Is it ideal? No. Do they survive? Of course! Can you find a way to say something nicely about how insane they're being without damaging the friendship? That's not as certain... hopefully they will realize soon enough that it's silly to put your entire life on hold for 8-18 years when you adopt a cat. There WILL be a vacation sooner or later... might as well start "training" both kitty and pet parents to deal with it now.

[HappyCampers3]

We all miss our pets, but to consider canceling a cruise because of a cat. That would be too much for me to deal with...I'd be looking for new cruise mates.

[Havingfun2010]

It's one thing to plan your life around your kids. Which is normal since they are family. But to plan you life around whether a cat will miss you. I sometime wonder who is in charge. The human, or the animal.

 

Pets survive without the owner (note I used the word "owner") and I'm sure they won't suffer from depression over it. Maybe they will have a few friends over, and have a party while the owner is gone! That's what kids do!

[ZandZ]

Pf! I have no issue leaving my kids with my Mom when cruising :) Seriously tho, my cat stays with my in-laws for any vacation or weekend get always - he does fine and likely enjoys the quite time he gets :) My dog is only a year old so no experience leaving her yet, but she too will stay with my Mom and step Dad when we cruise in August... I am sure my Mom's cats are not too excited about that, but it is what it is....

 

Before I had kids I would wonder about those people who prefer to take vacations without their children.... Life gives you lessons, now I am one of those people.... I would say to your friend that while their concerns are legit, we need vacations because our lives are way too stressful. They will come back and be better "cat parents" having had some rest.

[Iamthesea]

They don't always survive, sadly. :(

 

We had our 14 year old JRT die while we were away on a 2 week cruise last May. She had issues, but always loved going to Camp Bow Wow. Though we made arrangements ahead of time with the camp director and our vet, I truly thought she would be OK and be there when we returned. :( Thought the camp experience would "get her out of the gutter." Instead, she got worse and had to be put to sleep three days before we returned. I feel guilty that we were not with her at the end (her sisters - 2 of my children - were with her at the vet.)

 

Now, having a new 10 month old pup, we have already left her at camp for a long cruise and she will be going back several times in the next few months. Life has to go on!

Edited May 12, 2015 by Iamthesea

[Carolrd]

Animals, whether it be a dog or a cat, do not have a sense of time. So if you leave them for 10 min, or 10 days, they will not realize the amount of time you are gone. Tell them to go ahead and have a great time on their cruise.

 

Carol

[Mnamom1105]

it's hardest the FIRST time you leave your pets. I have had my cat almost 15 years and it was hard the first time. Now he knows when I get an extra bowl of food out for him that we will be gone but someone will check in on him. It's gotten a bit harder the last year with a dog now, but I have AMAZING friends that let her stay with them when I am gone. She LOVES to go to their house and hang with their dog....

 

See if your friends can leave the cat a night or two here and there - your friends will warm to the idea of leaving the cat and cats don't mind being left to their own devices!

[mjeff87]

We have four cats, including one that is just this side of psycho and lives in segregation in our upstairs without direct contact with the other three (don't ask, she's the proverbial "cat from hell" LOL). Our old neighbors have cats as well, so they watch ours when we go on vacation and visa versa. On the odd occasion that they can't (or we can't watch theirs), we have a vet tech from our vet (we both go to the same vet, coincidentally) that comes after work and stays the night at our house. You might want to suggest to your friends to check with their vet to see if any of the techs/interns do pet-sitting on the side. It's a win-win for everyone......they earn some extra cash, and you have peace of mind that you have a qualified (medically) person taking care of them in your absence.

 

Jeff

 

edit: I am not suggesting that professional pet-sitters are not qualified to take care of your pets.....just offering another option

Edited May 12, 2015 by mjeff87

[Anita Latte]

Hi -- We have friends that have planned a 10 night cruise with us for next year - 11 night total with pre-stay. They recently got a cat and are thinking of cancelling because they do not want the cat to miss them (they do have a "catsitter" that will be in the house except while at work) while they are away. Not having pets, I am not sure how/why to support their decision or try to reassure them that their pet will be okay -- any advice??? Thanks

 

I've read the responses...and your follow up. It is best to let people follow their own hearts in making decisions for what they think is the best course of action for whatever situation.

 

I think it's perfectly natural to THINK about canceling when getting a new pet. There is the thought of the training involved (yes, you CAN train a cat) and getting the new family member (for me, pets are family) well established in the ways of the household before leaving them for the first time. Factors in the decision as to when to leave the cat for the first time might take into consideration the age of the cat and how long it will be in the house before the vacation and also the circumstances for the adoption (rescue adoption, for example).

 

I can tell you that our cats absolutely knew when we left them when we went on vacation. We had very demonstrative cats and we would get a feline "what for" when we returned home. Sometimes, our kitties would literally give us a cold shoulder as if to punish us for leaving them. Things would eventually return to "normal" though.

 

But we did not leave them during their first year in our household.

 

I wouldn't judge too harshly...as it feels that some responses here have. I'm a very sentimental person...I have felt very strongly about the pets that I have had...I haven't necessarily considered myself an owner so much as a pet Mom and those of us that think that way may do things that others consider to be needful of getting shall we say a different grip? but some of us aren't quite wired that way.

 

My advice is to be a supportive friend. You absolutely can not argue that everything would be okay because that is impossible.