Going on vacation is a great experience and everyone should do this every once in a while but if you have a cat and you don’t bring them along you’re probably wondering how they actually feel when you are away for all that time. Here are some of my thoughts on this.
Should You have Anxiety About Leaving Your Cat Home Alone?
In short maybe. If you are going to go on a trip somewhere my advice is to not leave them home alone at all even if its for a couple of days. If you aren’t there with your cat they are going to wonder where you are and it will cause them a lot of stress. Not only that you might get stressed out yourself wondering if your cat is ok and you wont enjoy your vacation. Its a lose, lose.
Will My Cat Miss Me While I’m Away?
You cat will miss you if they have attachment issues. According to petmd.com “Separation anxiety is an unwelcome condition that can be a result of excessive attachment. Research supports the fact that cats can develop separation anxiety syndrome, and they show many of the same signs that are seen in dogs.” If this sounds like your cat I would be careful about leaving anywhere.
If you are lucky, some cats on the other hand will feel indifferent and won’t really care that you left at all. Others will feel relieved that you have come back to them.
How To Fix Seperation Anxiety
The best thing to do is leave regularly so your cat gets used to you being gone. Don’t leave for long periods of time in the beginning but take it slow at first. Once you do this they will eventually get used to you being gone.
Other things that you can do to help this problem:
- Leave the TV on a channel that is usually on.
- Have a lot of things for them to do such as toys, cat perch, cat tree so they can look out the window etc.
- Plug a pheromone diffuser in your wall outlet. Pheromones can help your cat relax.
Will My Cat Forget Me?
If you leave on vacation somewhere you don’t have to worry about your cat forgetting about you unless you just got your cat recently. Someone who has had only one interaction with a cat they can remember them for up to 16 hours later. However, if you spent enough time around them cats can remember someone for years.
Do Cats Have A Sense Of Time When You Leave Them?
Cats don’t keep track of the time like a human does. The way cats tell time is consistancy. You as an owner do things in such a habitual way that its a way your cat will tell the time. When you give them food, wake up, go to work etc.
Will Your Cat Hate You While You’re Away?
Some cats are fine and are relieved when you get back from your trip but sometimes with certain cats that have attachment issues they might act in a way that they don’t normally such as acting aggressive. In this case you have to slowly reintroduce yourself to your cat. They reason for this is because when you leave its a big change they have to get used to and then when you come back its yet another change they have to deal with and that’s where the aggressive behavior comes from.
How To Keep Your Cat Happy While You’re Away
Even if you leave your cat with someone to watch them there are some ways that you can make your cat more comfortable.
Toys: Make sure to have all of your cats favorite toys as this will give them something to do.
Keep Them At Your Home: You can take them to your friends house if you have to but they will be more comfortable if you have your friend (preferably a friend that they are familiar with) watch them at your house. The new house will just add to their stress of you being gone.
Stay Within Ritual: Cats are creatures of habit so if they are fed at a certain time or you sleep at a certain time make sure to have your friend to do everything they can to accomedate that.
Signs Your Cat Misses Or Missed You
If your cat has attachment issued they will definitely miss you when you come back. You will know this is that case if they:
Affectionate Behavior: When you get back your cat will act overly affectionate. If this is a core personality trait of theirs this will be amplified.
Attention Seeking: This is another thing your cat will do if they miss you. They will do things such as meowing excessively, howling, pawing at you, headbutting or even interupting your work.
Destructive Behavior: Dogs are known for doing this but cats will also do the same thing if you are gone. They can do things such as damaging furniture, household items in general, or even biting people.
Depression: Another downside to going on vacation away from your cat is they can become depressed as a result. some signs of this include:
- Lack of grooming
- Lack of appetite
- Destructive Behavior
- Excessive Meowing
Conclusion
These are all the things I would do if you are leaving to go on vacation. If you handle everything correctly your cat will be comfortable when you’re away and you can enjoy your vacation without any problems.
