Can I leave my 2, 3-year-old cats with a sitter coming by an hour every day?

I have two beautiful cats (a tabby and a tuxedo) who are both 3 years old. They’re well-behaved, sweet, and very attached to me and my husband. We need to leave for two weeks in December, and I’m anxious about leaving them for that long. We’ve left them for three days and two nights before, and they were fine, but this trip will be much longer. We’ll have someone come by for an hour each day to take care of them—feeding, water, litter, and some companionship. We also have an automatic feeder, water fountain, multiple litter boxes, and more.

However, since my cats are very attached to us (my tuxedo especially loves cuddling and following us around), I’m worried about how they’ll handle the absence. I’m hoping to avoid boarding them because they take time to adjust to new places. Any advice on how I can make this trip easier for my cats?

I’ve been gone for three weeks with three cats and had someone visit once a day. I had auto feeders, water fountains, multiple litter boxes, and cameras. They were surprised when we returned but were fine and went back to being clingy. They will survive, and boarding them would be worse.

Have a backup person in case something happens with the primary sitter. Also, getting a pet camera could give you peace of mind.

Zyler said:
Have a backup person in case something happens with the primary sitter. Also, getting a pet camera could give you peace of mind.

Our upstairs neighbor has cats, so I might ask them as a backup. We also have two cameras from the last time we left for three days.

Zyler said:
Have a backup person in case something happens with the primary sitter. Also, getting a pet camera could give you peace of mind.

You can find affordable Wi-Fi cameras on Amazon, like Kasa ones for $20. We used one on our two-week trip. The voice feature helped bring our cats into range, and no subscription is required.

Two weeks is long, but with someone coming in for an hour a day, they’ll likely be fine. If possible, try having someone visit twice a day for extra interaction.

Ozzy said:
Two weeks is long, but with someone coming in for an hour a day, they’ll likely be fine. If possible, try having someone visit twice a day for extra interaction.

We just moved to a new state, so I don’t know many people yet. Luckily, our neighbors’ teens can come for an hour. I’ll consider asking for more frequent visits.

@Chan
When my parents have their neighbors’ kids watch their cats, they stock the house with snacks, candy, and soda. The kids get to relax and hang out, and the cats get plenty of company.

@Chan
Leave out some worn clothes that smell like you. It’ll help comfort them while you’re gone.

I’ve left my cats with sitters doing 30-minute drop-ins for years. They might ignore me for a few days when I return, but it’s far less traumatic than boarding them. A reliable sitter and a camera should be enough.

Consider hiring a professional pet sitter who can come twice a day. Most companies are insured, and they’ll send pictures during each visit. I avoid relying on friends or neighbors—it can get messy.

Cats have different personalities. Some hide from sitters, others enjoy a bit of socializing, and some need hours of lap time. Maybe do a test run with the sitter before your trip to see how your cats respond. Also, provide snacks and maybe even a gift card to encourage longer visits.

They’ll be fine with daily visits, but make sure the sitter is reliable. A camera and a backup sitter are great ideas, and ensure your sitter knows where the vet is and what to do in emergencies.

Could you arrange two 30-minute visits instead of one hour? Or offer your home to the sitter as a temporary staycation so they can spend more time there?

My antisocial cat wasn’t happy after day five, even with daily one-hour visits. Consider a house sitter for the second week or at least the last few days of your trip.

I’ve left my cats for two weeks with just 30-minute visits, and they were fine. Even one hour/twice a day seems like a lot to me. Cats don’t need as much socialization as dogs.