My fiancé and I love to take spontaneous road trips on the weekends to various towns and cities to fulfill our wanderlust, but never going too far away that we couldn’t get back in a day or two. While we love our adventures, we miss our two kitties, Danni and Spencer, while we were gone. Both growing up with cats in our homes, we are well aware of cat’s independence and know they are okay with some extra food and water for, at the most, 48 hours, as most cat owners could tell you. Still, we learned some helpful tips, cool products, and the best way to prepare our kitties for a weekend away so that they stayed safe and well taken care of until we came back home.
Automatic Food and Water Fountain
Of course, the first thing to make sure of is that your cat(s) will have enough food and water to sustain them until you arrive back to their loving paws. There are a ton of great options on the market today for automatic feeders that you can even control from far away. This is a great option if your cat isn’t a free eater and you need to make sure their food is still portioned out correctly while you are gone.
If your cats are able to free feed (ours were) be sure to portion in your head how much your cat(s) typically eat during a day and multiply that by how long you will be gone. You could also use a gravity food dispenser to help manage portions better.
Since water doesn’t need to be portioned out, just make sure they have more than enough. We always fill our cats’ water fountain up to the tippy top and then add an extra bowl of water out, just in case. If you want to get fancy, there are water dispensers that are automatic as well!
Play Time Before Leaving
Although your kitty may like some alone time here and there, when you’re away they are sure to still miss you. Before heading off, make sure to give some extra attention and (maybe some treats) to your feline family so that they feel the love before your departure and know they’re still top of mind.
Hi-Tech Toys
Want to make your cats feel like there’s still someone home to play with them? Believe it or not, there are actually automatic toys you can get that will move and interact with your cat even when you’re not there! This way your cats stay entertained and get their exercise despite you not being at home.
Freshen Up the Cat Box OR Go With CatGenie!
That litter box is going to get pretty full by the time you get back to town. Make sure that it’s scooped well before heading out so your cat’s are comfortable to use it in the meantime and there’s less of a chance for accidents outside the litter box.
We’ve always hated coming home to a full, dirty, smelly litter box. I mean, who wouldn’t? After an invigorating weekend away, coming home to that is anything but pleasing. That’s why the CatGenie is perfect for those mini getaways! The CatGenie scoops itself after every use, if that’s what you prefer, before it flushes away all cat waste from your home, washes its granules and bowl, rinses everything clean and then warm air dries itself for your cat’s maximum comfort. With the CatGenie, your cat(s) won’t have to deal with an exceedingly dirty litter box and you won’t have to do any cleaning when you get home! Plus, with the CatGenie A.I. connected app, you can monitor your CatGenie and control it from wherever you are AND get notifications every time it is used, sort of like a little text from your feline family while you’re away. It’s a win-win for everyone!
Final note: If you are leaving for more than a couple days, I highly recommend a pet sitter or having someone come in to check on them while you’re gone. Cats can only be independent inside for so long. But next time you head out for just a couple days, make sure your kitty is well prepped for some alone time and be sure to give them lots of love once you’re back!
