Thinking ahead...

I have not travelled anywhere since well before 9/11 and well before Persia
demanded I take her in. I'm thinking of taking a trip for a week in May and
already I'm worrying over what to do with her.

Persia hates other cats. She gets all puffy and bristly tailed just seeing
one on our patio. So I'm concerned about boarding her at the vet. They
said just bring her favorite blanket and a toy or something she's familiar
with and she'll be fine. But she'll be right next cage with other cats!
Will she be okay? Or maybe she'll learn to get along with others? (ha!)

I think possibly my brother would take care of her, but he's sort of
careless... I can see him leaving the door open to tend the grill and her
running out the door, only to be lost in a strange neighborhood.

Any words of encouragement?

Jill (fretting already)

I have not travelled anywhere since well before 9/11 and well before Persia
demanded I take her in. I'm thinking of taking a trip for a week in May and
already I'm worrying over what to do with her.

Persia hates other cats. She gets all puffy and bristly tailed just seeing
one on our patio. So I'm concerned about boarding her at the vet. They
said just bring her favorite blanket and a toy or something she's familiar
with and she'll be fine. But she'll be right next cage with other cats!
Will she be okay? Or maybe she'll learn to get along with others? (ha!)

I think possibly my brother would take care of her, but he's sort of
careless... I can see him leaving the door open to tend the grill and her
running out the door, only to be lost in a strange neighborhood.

Any words of encouragement?

Jill (fretting already)

One thing you might consider is, Persia probably behaves differently when you
aren't around. She sounds like my old Cherokee. He was also a terror at the
vet's. Once the vet asked me to step out of the room where he couldn't see me,
and he settled down *a lot*. I think sort of like a child, they know what kind
of behavior they can get away with the owner, but maybe they aren't so sure
when you're gone.
What about a "trial run" and leave her at the boarders for an afternoon to see
how she does?

Sherry

jmcquown wrote:
Any words of encouragement?

Why not hire a pet sitter? We have a wonderful sitter that comes twice a
day to feed and play with the cats and clean the boxes. She also brings
in mail and newspapers and turns lights on and off. In the summer we've
asked her to water plants as well. She's really good and the kids love
her. Oh, she also feeds the fish.

--
Victor Martinez
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Victor Martinez wrote:
jmcquown wrote:
Any words of encouragement?

Why not hire a pet sitter? We have a wonderful sitter that comes
twice a day to feed and play with the cats and clean the boxes. She
also brings in mail and newspapers and turns lights on and off. In
the summer we've asked her to water plants as well. She's really good
and the kids love her. Oh, she also feeds the fish.

Victor, I am very hestitant to give someone else a key to my apartment. I'm
not rich, but I do have some rather expensive heirlooms which could easily
walk out the door... How do you know who to trust?

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
Victor Martinez wrote:
jmcquown wrote:
Any words of encouragement?

Why not hire a pet sitter? We have a wonderful sitter that comes
twice a day to feed and play with the cats and clean the boxes. She
also brings in mail and newspapers and turns lights on and off. In
the summer we've asked her to water plants as well. She's really good
and the kids love her. Oh, she also feeds the fish.

Victor, I am very hestitant to give someone else a key to my
apartment. I'm not rich, but I do have some rather expensive
heirlooms which could easily walk out the door... How do you know who
to trust?

Jill

Oh, and I actually entrusted my oldest brother to take care of my dog once
when I was going to be gone for a 3 day weekend.... came home to find he'd
not been there, the dog was not walked and the food/water was not
replenished. The poor mutt was crossing his legs when I got home going "can
I pee now?!" ROFL

I've never trusted this brother with anything I cared for since.

Jill

Sherry wrote:
Will she be okay? Or maybe she'll learn to get along with others?
(ha!)

Any words of encouragement?

Jill (fretting already)

One thing you might consider is, Persia probably behaves differently
when you aren't around. She sounds like my old Cherokee. He was also
a terror at the vet's. Once the vet asked me to step out of the room
where he couldn't see me, and he settled down *a lot*.

She's fine at the vet when I'm there. She tries to 'hide' under my arm.
But she will crash into furniture and knock over the plant stand if she sees
another cat near our windows at home.

I think sort
of like a child, they know what kind of behavior they can get away
with the owner, but maybe they aren't so sure when you're gone.
What about a "trial run" and leave her at the boarders for an
afternoon to see how she does?

Sherry

Good idea, except that trial idea costs $5 a day. Okay, I can afford it,
but could I stand it knowing she's away and I'm still at home? I'll admit
it, I'm a slave

Jill

"jmcquown" wrote in message
. ..
Victor Martinez wrote:
jmcquown wrote:
Any words of encouragement?

Why not hire a pet sitter? We have a wonderful sitter that comes
twice a day to feed and play with the cats and clean the boxes. She
also brings in mail and newspapers and turns lights on and off. In
the summer we've asked her to water plants as well. She's really good
and the kids love her. Oh, she also feeds the fish.

Victor, I am very hestitant to give someone else a key to my apartment.
I'm
not rich, but I do have some rather expensive heirlooms which could easily
walk out the door... How do you know who to trust?

Jill


Ask for recommendations from your vet, rescue groups, vet techs (several vet
techs at my vet pet sit) friends and get references and check them. Purrs
for a good solution.
Christine

"jmcquown" wrote in message
. ..
I have not travelled anywhere since well before 9/11 and well before
Persia
demanded I take her in. I'm thinking of taking a trip for a week in May
and
already I'm worrying over what to do with her.

Persia hates other cats. She gets all puffy and bristly tailed just
seeing
one on our patio. So I'm concerned about boarding her at the vet. They
said just bring her favorite blanket and a toy or something she's familiar
with and she'll be fine. But she'll be right next cage with other cats!
Will she be okay? Or maybe she'll learn to get along with others? (ha!)

I think possibly my brother would take care of her, but he's sort of
careless... I can see him leaving the door open to tend the grill and her
running out the door, only to be lost in a strange neighborhood.

Any words of encouragement?

Jill (fretting already)



I used a petsitter when I went on vacation last summer, and I am going to
use the same person this summer. I first talked to my vet and to a number
of people who have pets, and she received a number of *fantastic*
references. After I met her, I could see why. She was wonderful -- in
fact, she became a "second me." She came twice a day, maintained their
feeding schedule, gave one cat medication that was required at that time,
cleaned their litter boxes, spent time playing with them, wrote a daily memo
to let me know what happened that day, and even spent some time (at my
suggestion) having her coffee at my kitchen table while watching the
birds -- all of which provided my two with a sense of normalcy. She even
thanked *me* when I returned for letting her care for my furbabies because
she said it was such a nice, peaceful environment that she really enjoyed
doing it. I also used two plug-in Feliway diffusers "just in case," but
that probably would not have been necessary.

If you can do this, I think it is far superior to boarding. Your cats will
be in their own environment with their own toys, have their normal amount of
space for play, sleep in their favorite places, etc. -- and there will be no
problems with picking up fleas or disease from another location. Do be sure
to get references, though!! Also, my pet sitter came over a couple of days
in advance to get to know my cats, and she took detailed notes concerning
feeding and other routine. She even asked if she could fill my bird
feeders -- an offer which, of course, I happily accepted.

I called the sitter every couple of days to check on how things were going,
but there was never any problem. I also left numbers where she could reach
me and some emergency numbers. Finally, I made arrangements with my
veterinarian so that they would know to provide any medical treatment that
might be needed, and I also gave them my cell phone number so that I could
be reached at any time.

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")

"jmcquown" wrote in message
. ..
Victor Martinez wrote:
jmcquown wrote:
Any words of encouragement?

Why not hire a pet sitter? We have a wonderful sitter that comes
twice a day to feed and play with the cats and clean the boxes. She
also brings in mail and newspapers and turns lights on and off. In
the summer we've asked her to water plants as well. She's really good
and the kids love her. Oh, she also feeds the fish.

Victor, I am very hestitant to give someone else a key to my apartment.
I'm
not rich, but I do have some rather expensive heirlooms which could easily
walk out the door... How do you know who to trust?

Jill



As you suggest, it very important to hire someone who is absolutely
reliable -- trustworthy both in the sense of taking good care of Persia and
in the sense of honesty. That is why I recommended in my other post that
you get a number of references. In addition, I took steps several years ago
that have given me great peace of mind whenever I had to give a key to
someone (such as the cleaning service for my house). I now have two
deadbolts on my front door. One is a double-cylinder deadbolt, and the key
to it also fits every lock in the house (including the second lock which I
am about to describe). The other lock has a key that fits *only* that lock.
I thought I was being "original" when I asked for this system, but then
learned that others do the same thing and second lock is known as a "maid's
lock." This way, I can leave the key to the maid's lock for those who clean
my house (being careful to leave the other lock unlocked that day because
the maid's key will not fit the second lock). I leave this key any time I
feel an absolutely necessity to give someone else a key, and this is the key
I gave to the pet sitter. You still need to take lots of precautions for
security because your home will be open to anyone with a key while you are
gone, but you do have the safety of knowing that people cannot enter your
house after you return even if duplicates were made because now you can lock
the other lock. Incidentally, all of my locks are double-cylinder locks,
and that provides still more security -- remove all of the keys to the other
locks when you leave.

MaryL

jmcquown wrote:
Victor, I am very hestitant to give someone else a key to my apartment. I'm
not rich, but I do have some rather expensive heirlooms which could easily
walk out the door... How do you know who to trust?

Make sure to ask for references and that your sitter is an established
professional. Ours is bonded and insured and has been doing this for
years now. Ask your vet for references and don't hesitate to ask a lot
of questions.

--
Victor Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
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