Going on vacation - what to do with cat?

Hi everyone!

At the end of November, I will be going on vacation for 2 weeks. I am worried about what to do with my cat while I am gone. She is the sweetest little thing and I want to make sure she is in good care while I am away. The options I have thought of are:

1. Have a good friend of mind stop by twice a day and feed her/check on her.

*My cat is very shy around strangers, so chances are my friend would never see her because she would only be inthe house a short time and Cleo would be leary of her. Using this option, I worry that Cleo would get very lonely.

2. Board her.

*Besides being costly, I don't think I can bear to leave her in a cage for two weeks.

3. Find a reliable cat sitter.

*Does any one know how this typically works? Do they come to your house? How expesive can I expect this to be? I will be gone for two weeks so this could really add up.

4. Take Cleo with me.

*Cleo does not like to travel by car, so I cannot imagine air travel being any better. However, I have heard that you can have your pets sedated for travel. Is this true? How is the sedation done? How long does it last?

Am I worrying too much? Will she be fine on her own?

Any opinions/comments appreciated.

Definitely have the friend check in on her, if it's not an inconvenience to them. A friend is someone you know and hopefully trust. Preferrably have it be a friend who also owns cats.

You should start now by having your friend come over in the evenings and spend some time with Cleo. Then the friend won't be a stranger anymore. Also, if your friend is able to spend some time with her, playing or just talking to her, this is really your best option. When I take care of friends' cats, I usually stop by only once a day, but I usually stay there for an hour or so at least

A friend of mine has a cat that also does not like to travel. They have had him sedated on several trips with no ill affects at all. I am thinking that they said they used pills that their vet gave them. The only side affect they noticed was that he was a little groggy the first day, but it sure beats him getting sick!

Tracy,

I'm leaving for 3 nights, and have several kitties myself. I checked around and was referred to a professional pet sitter by my vet's office. I'm paying $15.00/day, and the sitter will stop by twice daily. For me, boarding is out of the question. My first choice is always a live-in sitter, but that is more expensive, and none of my friends were interested.

Good Luck,