Cat Chat Feline Forum

So I'm off on my hols in a couple of days. First I'm going to see my son who lives in Rastrick in West Yorkshire - possibly near you, Lilith - and then we're going camping in Snowdonia for 3 or 4 nights. Or one night if we get very wet ( I don't mind rain but if your stuff gets wet it's a misery). My neighbours will be looking after Rufus Tuftypaws. They've done it before: last November my son had a horrendous motorbike accident and I had to go to Yorkshire at very short notice, and since then I've gone three more times. They say Rufus is fine but of course I always worry. He's so unpredictable about what he will and won't eat, and he'll starve rather than have something he doesn't quite fancy. Often he'll only have a few mouthfuls and walk away, but he won't go back to food that's been sitting there for a while; he likes his meals freshly served.
Mind you, I also suspect that he won't be quite so fussy with the neighbours - after all he has me wrapped round his little paw. He knows I'm a soft touch and that I'll chuck the food he rejects and will get something different. But he won't get the attention he's used to. My neighbours will pet him and give him a quick brush (if he's not brushed for a few days he'll chuck up a hair ball. I've got new carpets) but several times a day he comes and miaows and paws at my arm and that means he wants attention, not food... I always feel guilty about leaving him.

Hi Catslave, Rastrick is quite near me - I'm in Wakefield, which is pretty different to Rastrick; there ARE a few pockets of wild country left but I've got many happy memories of hiking in the Rastrick area, my favourite part of the country I think!

I think the worst thing about having to leave a cat to be looked after by someone else, no matter how caring, is that you can't explain to the cat... It might be different if the cat understood.

But yes, I bet he will clear his dish and probably be perfectly content - he'll come to you for attention if he knows you're there, but if you're not, he'll wait. Cats don't watch the clock and calendar like we do. And in no time at all you'll be back, but I do know how you feel!

Ah yes, wet camping holidays, been there done that, got the T shirt (only it's a soggy lump at the bottom of a black plastic bag, waiting for the sun to come out...)

What is it with new carpets/rugs and cats? I've been waiting for days for the new bathroom mat to be christened, and there it was this morning, a nice ginger Emily furball...

Enjoy your hols, give my love to the moors and crags

I had a beautiful boy some years ago who had tufty ears so I called him Johnny Tufty Tops

Thanks Lilith - my son lived in Wakefield after he graduated from Leeds University, then in Clecky for a couple of years. I go up to see him at least once a year and we've been camping in the Yorkshire Dales many times. I can understand why he'll never come back to Suffolk. He even has a Yorkshire accent now.
GillianH: great minds think alike, obviously.

Hi Catslave

From the other side, I've just cat-sat for a friend of mine for a week and Buffy (their cat) was absolutely fine - in fact she was better behaved for me than for them in some cases! And she was purrrrfectly(!) happy when I got there - no evidence of stress or unhappiness and we had a good time together. I think that having a new face to play with and to fuss her stimulated her as it was a new learning experience.

I hated leaving my old cat Rameses at all but he was always fine, both for the person(s) feeding him and when I got home.
I'm sure Mr Tuftypaws will be ok as well - he's managed before, after all.

Good luck with the camping - in all my times I have never yet put the tent up when it hasn't been raining! Have a great time and maybe bring him something back with you?!

It is HORRIBLE having to leave them when you go away, which is why I rarely do it, but I have to admit that on the few times I have my gang have been absolutely fine and apparently well-behaved. Enjoy your break.