GOING ON HOLIDAY SOON - BARNEY ALONE CARED FOR BY IN LAWS !

[JulieandBarney]

So ...we are away from the 14th June and our dog Fi, will be living with in laws, who live just around the corner, they adore animals and have always looked after our pets when when we go away.....Father in Law will visit twice a day to see Barney and feed him etc...and lots of fuss, he loves cats and is a lovely man....so why do I feel so apprehensive and worried ?...... Barney means the world to me and I wonder if I am being too stupid worrying about him....both me and my husband desparatly need this break....but I feel so worried that Dad in law will accidentally let him out and I will never see him again.......totally ridiculous I know !......Anyone been through the same ?....x

[Diana]

Trust me I am like that too! And no it isnt silly, you love Barney so course you would feel like this. When we go away my auntie lives at our house whilst we are gone and I know my cats are well cared for. We all need a break so am sure the in laws will take very good care of Barney.

[Kay]

I'd stick a big 'Mind the Cat' notice on the door FIL will be using, just in case - it is very easy for people not tuned in to cats to be careless about doors

[JulieandBarney]

Thanks Kay and Diana....My Father in Law is usually very good, but he suffers terribly with Tinnitus, which means he can't hear at all on occasions., not his fault at all and he would be absolutely devastated if Barney got out....though Barney has been here since November last year and has ventured out on a couple of occasions, totally supervised, I have always brought him back in after about half hour...I don't think he would roam, he is an older cat...but I do worry so about him, as he is very clingy to me...and I think maybe I should not have made him that way....I treat him like a little baby at times and let him get away with murder.....I keep thnking I have got it wrong with not allowing him out.......I feel so guilty ......

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

Hi Julie

Your FIL will know that his personal safety is at stake should anything happen to your boy so he will be on full alert I'm sure but the suggestion of big notices is a sound one. Litter the place with them if necessary so there can be no mistake. Make sure your hubby tells his dad what the implications for everyone will be if Barney is not supervised properly!!

I treat all my furbabes as my babies but they still know their own minds and Barney will be fine! We gave ourselves a much needed weekend away this weekend and came back to three furbabes who were so unbothered they barely acknowledged us till bed time!

[Jacks]

Barney will be fine, Julie - a like the idea of the notice by the front door - I think that's a great idea, your FL will be grateful for the reminder. Barney will be in his own home, with your smells around and all his familiar favourite places - he will be so happy when you return to make it complete Enjoy your break - you really need it - and try not to worry. He knows his mum loves him. x

[misspaws]

Well you are not alone! Whenever I take Ziva (or my past cats) to my excellent cattery when we go away, I take a detailed list of what she needs and it is as if the cattery owner has never even seen a cat before! Luckily she understands and even has a box of tissues on the desk at reception. Have a good break and try not to worry, although my husband would say this a case of the pot calling the kettle black!

Judy
xx

[JulieandBarney]

Thank you all for you lovely thoughts yet again....what would I do without you ? ....Well the day is drawing near when I have to leave Barney in the hands of my Father in law as we go away Saturday.........I feel so worried, he absolutely adores cats but I am worrying like a Mother Hen.....I know I will be in tears saying goodbye Saturday early hours......how stupid am I ?......

[HRHFluffy]

Oh Julie you are not stupid at all. I would be exactly the same. If only I lived nearer I would love to come over and look after your gorgeous boy. Any excuse to pick him up for a cuddle. He will be fine though I am sure of it. I know that this will not be much of a reassurance and you will only feel confident once you are back home. But you may as well enjoy yourself best you can otherwise Barney will have been left behind for nothing. He would want you to have this much needed break and to benefit from it. Maybe leave a jumper of yours on the bed so he can go and have a lie down on it.

I'll be thinking of you. Have a brilliant time. You definitely deserve it xxx

[Shelly and Dora]

I don't think that's stupid at all. I worry all the time about Dora. As you know she's an indoor girl. I have a fantastic odd job man/gardener that comes round once a week and does a list of jobs for me. He's a massive animal lover and if im here when he visits makes a fuss of Dora who being the Princess that she is invariably comes and has a sniff but if he DARES to touch her she reacts like she's been touched by a red hot poker and does the whole 'I am a champion limbo dancer' thing!!

Anyway, I have given John the gardener/odd job chap a conservatory key but oh my goodness, I check & recheck the indoor conservatory door is locked at least 50 times in the 24 hours before his regular 'day'.

I think you are really lucky to have someone you trust enough to come in and look after Barney while you are away. I recently received the annual conference invite for work and had to once again dream up a reason why I am unable to go to Telford for 2 nights..... I'd genuinely rather be at home with my girl but I know one year I will be questioned by the bosses in the ivory tower about my continual non attendance. ''Sorry but I simply don't leave my cat'' probably won't cut the mustard.....

I'm sure FIL will be fine Julie & its better that its someone familiar to Barney x

[JulieandBarney]

Thank you all for your great advice and thoughts once again ......it has really helped, as you all know the worry I have with Mom and Dad is probably adding to my heightened sense of dread !!....I will let you know when i am in sunny Devon how things are going ...wish me luck !!!......xxx

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

Carol's right, Julie. There's absolutely no point in wasting the holiday and leaving Barney if you are going to be worried all the time. I am sure you FIL has taken on board how seriously he needs to approach it all and the various instructions he has to follow. How could he face you on return if he fouled up? There's a lot at stake for him!! Your boy will be in his home with familiar smells and surroundings and as folk have often wisely said on here, cat's perception of time is not the same as ours and he won't be thinking 'How long till they come back, it's been ages already.' You boy will be happy to see you when you return, but he won't be stressing half as much as we tend to think they do, I'm sure. Have a lovely holiday!!

[misspaws]

Go and have a lovely holiday. I am the same but I do enjoy my holidays once Ziva is in her holiday accommodation! Of course, at the end of the holiday I am not sad like the other people but delighted at the thought of seeing my girl again.

Take care

Judy
xx

Ps I have to go through it in two weeks!

[JulieandBarney]

Thank you all . . such positive comments keep me thinking straight ! . .I'll keep you updated next week I will need to talk to you lovely people as I will be fretting no doubt !

Judy I feel for you too going through same soon !

Love to all of you who have been kind enough to comment . . X

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

No fretting allowed Julie! Ha ha - easier said than done. Lou Lou and Edgar are going to cat hotel for a week in August and parents looking after Pepsi in our home where they will be staying. I didn't want to split them up but parents desperate to look after her and talked me into the fact that at coming up 18 she'd rather be in her own home. She'll go mad when the others come back after a week of lone cat indulgence! Edgar is the one I will worry about, gentle loving boy. But OH will not pander to too much 'Are they alright?' when we're away so will have to be sensible!! Have a great time. Xx

[JulieandBarney]

Thanks Sarah and all of you too . . We'll we are here in hot sunny Devon and apparently Barney is being spoilt rotten and in laws have totally fell in love with him ! . . He is f ed twice a day and loved and fussed many mor e ! . . . I had been worried sick too ! X

[Crewella]

Glad he's doing well, enjoy!

[HRHFluffy]

Julie that is great news. I was thinking about you today and wondering how Barney is coping but it's looking like there is absolutely no need to worry. Our cats are full of surprises aren't they! He's adapted really well. What a good boy he is. He'll still be overjoyed to see you when you get back. Enjoy rest of your holiday.

[JulieandBarney]

Thank you Crewella and Carol....well we are back now.......

Barney went out for the first time properly today ....and dissapeared !!!....After an hour I was in pieces saying " That's it ! He's gone .." My hubby searched the garden and couldn't find him......hour later, me in tears.....he strolls in slowly, meowing loudly !!!!! I still had my head in my hands !......little wotsit had been on a wander.......he's sleeping on sofa now....hopefully it will be ok for him to go out in the future, as he came back today ?....x

[mollers]

Julie - I am sure he will be fine, he knew where he was going and how to get back and had a lovely time I am sure. I have just posted about my cat having been out for 13 hours with a sore paw.....and he sauntered back like 13 hours was nothing If Barney is anything like my other cat Buddy, a quick rattle of his biscuits and he's back like a shot! xx

[JulieandBarney]

Thanks Mollers, I was reading your post at the time !!......He looked at me as I picked him up, as though to say "What's your problem ?!".........then slowly saunters into the house to fill his stomach again....in the meantime I was sitting crying like a baby !!!.....Typical !........

[notjustacat]

Hi Julie. It was good to hear Barney returned. Cheyenne, my most of the time wanderer always returns. It knows where it's best off. Unlike Barney affection is not on her priority list. When not wandering I can normally find her in an upstairs cupboard or in the garden shed. I think Barney will be o k in the great outdoors.