Four Reasons To Consider Pet Boarding Over Leaving Your Kitties Home Alone

Cats are independent creatures. Many pet owners assume that their cats can be left alone for long periods of time -- sometimes even weeks -- by just providing them with enough food and water. There are even timed feeders available that will feed pets while they're on their own at scheduled intervals. But this is never a good idea, for a few very important reasons.

1. Illness Can Be Sudden

A cat can go from being seemingly healthy to very ill rather shortly. Part of this is because a cat will hide its illness until it is too weak to do so. Your cat may seem healthy on Friday but have a seizure on Saturday -- and if you aren't home until the following day, you may not be home in time to take your cat to the vet. At a boarding facility, your cat will be constantly monitored. 

2. Things Can Malfunction

Though you might have left your cat with an auto-feeder, what happens if it jams up and leaves your cat without food? What happens if the pet water fountain springs a leak, and your cat is left without water? There would be no way of you knowing that your kitty is in such dire straits until you return home.

3. Accidents Can Happen

Cats may seem elegant, but if you've been a cat owner for long, you probably know that they can be clumsy at times. Your cat could fall off a staircase and injure itself, or even get its collar stuck on something. These are all small accidents that would be easily dealt with if you're at home, but could become more serious injuries if you're away for a long time. A pet boarding facility will monitor your kitties and keep them in a safe place.

4. Escapes Can Occur

What happens if your cat decides you're not coming back? Or, if as mentioned above, they run out of food or water? They're likely to escape. It's very easy for a cat to escape if they really want to; they can wedge themselves into very small areas. And you won't know that they're gone until you come back, which could be when they've already gotten quite a distance away.

If you're going to be gone overnight -- or even a couple of days -- your kitties are probably going to be fine. But staying away over 72 hours without boarding your cats is a very dangerous gamble. Most pet boarding is fairly inexpensive and will give you the peace of mind you need to truly enjoy your time away from home.