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2 week vacation, SO worried about my naked baby

rucaruca

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Hello everyone! I currently live alone and have one sphynx, Ruca. He is the sweetest kitty! I feel bad that I'm gone a lot because I work two jobs as an RN. He is used to being home alone, but every time I come home he is SO excited to see me and won't leave my side. I'm considered getting another sphynx so he could have a buddy, but I've had him for 3 1/2 years now so I feel like he would get jealous. But this is the bigger issue at the moment: My boyfriend and I are going to Europe for 2 weeks in June. I am so worried about Ruca that it is making me sick! I don't know if I should leave him home and just have friends and family check on him or if I should board him somewhere. I had to leave him at the vet all day once and when I picked him up he was so nervous and had diarrhea for a week. I feel like it would be less stressful for him to stay at home but I won't be able to find someone to check on him every single day. I've left him at home for a weekend before when I had to leave town and he did just fine. I'm just so worried that he will get depressed since there won't be anyone here to spend a lot of time with him for 2 weeks. I'm also worried that when I get back he will act different toward me. I've never been to Europe so I'm really excited, but Ruca is very special and important to me so it almost makes me not want to go. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
 

andreanar

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Can you ask at your vet office, maybe they know of someone trustworthy to come and visit/feed/play with him once a day. I can imagine how hard it is, these nakeds become our babies.
 

admin

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Hello everyone! I currently live alone and have one sphynx, Ruca. He is the sweetest kitty! I feel bad that I'm gone a lot because I work two jobs as an RN. He is used to being home alone, but every time I come home he is SO excited to see me and won't leave my side. I'm considered getting another sphynx so he could have a buddy, but I've had him for 3 1/2 years now so I feel like he would get jealous. But this is the bigger issue at the moment: My boyfriend and I are going to Europe for 2 weeks in June. I am so worried about Ruca that it is making me sick! I don't know if I should leave him home and just have friends and family check on him or if I should board him somewhere. I had to leave him at the vet all day once and when I picked him up he was so nervous and had diarrhea for a week. I feel like it would be less stressful for him to stay at home but I won't be able to find someone to check on him every single day. I've left him at home for a weekend before when I had to leave town and he did just fine. I'm just so worried that he will get depressed since there won't be anyone here to spend a lot of time with him for 2 weeks. I'm also worried that when I get back he will act different toward me. I've never been to Europe so I'm really excited, but Ruca is very special and important to me so it almost makes me not want to go. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
Hello - I would not recommend boarding, unless absolutely necessary. If you take the right precautions and have friends and family to check in and care for him he should do just fine. A few things to consider:

  • Will anyone be willing to stay at the home for an hour or two a day to entertain Ruca?
  • Pay a few bucks to a responsible younger family member to hang out with Ruca a few hours a day?
  • Safeguard all windows, doors, sliding doors, attic and basement areasfrom any possible escape routes to the outdoors.
  • Make your visitors aware of all escape routes and how to handle window opening etc. if need be due to it becoming hot/ stuffy.
  • Leave specific instructions for feeding, medications (with instructions), cleaning the litter box and general care.
  • Have your vets number posted on the fridge or any other important numbers for emergencies they may need.
 

BluesMummy

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Theres a lady @Xandria on here whos desperatley looking forward to getting her own baby but is in the process of testing her husbands allergies, i know the USA is a massive country but if she lives close maybe your Ruca could go & stay with her, it could help both of you out, just a suggestion.....
 

Nicolemorgan

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I'm actually in Canada, and in Vancouver, so a bit of a distance for travel. Otherwise I would have happily looked after Ruca. Maybe I should start a business traveling the world and Sphynx sitting for room & board ;-) ... you know... that would be a great job!!!

If you are ever in Edmonton, AB you and your husband are more then welcome to come hang out for a few hours and spend some time with the kitties! We pick up little man [HASHTAG]#2[/HASHTAG] (to be named still) in two weeks! I know it's not local but I just thought I would throw it out there in the case that you guys do travel this way! :)
 

BusterTheCat

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Enjoy your lovely trip to Europe with your boyfriend. I would recommend trying to find someone to check on him at home because he will be more comfortable in his own home. He will love you just the same when you are back!! I'm away at school and I only see Buster on vacations. When I first left I was worried he would forget about me or think I left him but every time I'm back he just wants to cuddle!
 

Inflamed

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If you really can't find a family member or friend that you trust to care for him I suggest looking into a pet sitting service. I wouldn't like to board my boys either and I'm lucky my mother in law is happy to stay with us whenever we leave but that's probably what I would do if that wasn't an option.
Good luck!
 

MollysMom

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I would try everything you can to have him be at home and have someone check on him. When we left last summer for 9 days it was a team of 3 people that looked after the kitties at our place.

I made up a chart of feeding times and litter scooping. Each person had to mark down when they were there and what they had done so the others knew.

If you choose to hire a pet sitting service be careful who you choose. I saw a thing that a local woman left her pets with someone she found on kijiji. The "sitter" had stolen all of their pets when they returned home, including their sphynx :(
 

BluesMummy

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I'm actually in Canada, and in Vancouver, so a bit of a distance for travel. Otherwise I would have happily looked after Ruca. Maybe I should start a business traveling the world and Sphynx sitting for room & board ;-) ... you know... that would be a great job!!!
That would be a perfect job, i'll come & work for u lol xxxx
 

Xandria

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If you are ever in Edmonton, AB you and your husband are more then welcome to come hang out for a few hours and spend some time with the kitties! We pick up little man [HASHTAG]#2[/HASHTAG] (to be named still) in two weeks! I know it's not local but I just thought I would throw it out there in the case that you guys do travel this way! :)

Thank you! Actually this weekend we will be visiting meg on Vancouver island to spend time with her, mr. Vito and Odin. That will be the final test regarding hubby's allergies. I'm so excited.
 

Sfuller

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My Vets office does boarding , but its more like they are spoiled and held(at least my kitty, sense they are enamored by him) He is the only kitten bambino in their practice. Am I missing why you shouldn't board them? I have a three day cruise coming up and I have no one who would really take good care of my Kitty?
 

Nicolemorgan

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Thank you! Actually this weekend we will be visiting meg on Vancouver island to spend time with her, mr. Vito and Odin. That will be the final test regarding hubby's allergies. I'm so excited.

No worries at all and that's awesome, I hope it goes well! :)
 

Hairless Blessing

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I would stay home and never go anywhere, before I put Izmae at a boarding
facility, Vet or not.
If you know someone you can trust, that, would stay at your house.
That would be the best. If not, I, would ask my family, friends, or friends kids,
to come by everyday for a few hours do the duties, play, and spend time.
 

MollysMom

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My Vets office does boarding , but its more like they are spoiled and held(at least my kitty, sense they are enamored by him) He is the only kitten bambino in their practice. Am I missing why you shouldn't board them? I have a three day cruise coming up and I have no one who would really take good care of my Kitty?
I think it is way less stressful for them to be at home. I am also paranoid about them getting germs from other places (like a boarding facility). They can't sanitize things like climbing trees covered in carpet.

At the vet I have only ever seen those small metal cages that they leave them in... reminds me of a prison cell. I would worry they would be too stressed. And again, the germs thing worries me.
 

Catzzzmeow

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@Sfuller ohhhhh, no one thinks of you as a crappy kitty mom...lol some people just do not have the ability to have a sitter or do not know how to really connect with someone who might be a possible sitter. But having a place filled with many experienced members we all try to be as honest as possible about what will be best for the cats especially health wise and emotionally.

Heck I spoke with a member who said they had no one to watch theirs and I said what about someone who expressed interested in buying one of their kittens in the future. She said she never thought of that...bingo! The person was more than happy to help and excited to be given the opportunity.

So....please know the advice came from experience not a mean place as I am sure you know...lol...or you wouldn't have been posting a smiley face. So are you feeling better about it? You can now ask for daily emails and pics so you know all is well :). I bet you will enjoy yourself more knowing less stress for your baby.

My sitter just Skyped me and I got to see all 4 doing things they normally do. I got to do my crazy talk and watch them react. Jouët seems to miss me the most...lol.

Patti
 
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