I am going on vacation for 3 or 4 days. I have two cats. I have plenty of food that I can leave out for them. Normally I have a friend to watch them when i’m out but she’s on vacation too.
My question is: Since I can leave enough food for them via auto feeder or a few extra bowls, could I leave the kitchen water faucet running at a slight trickle for a few days in addition to water in their bowls? This will ensure some more fresh water.
My cats aren’t the type to get mad at me if I’m on vacation. They always greet me nicely. This time though my friend can’t check on them. If you guys think it’s a bad idea, I’ll make the 40 mile trip each day to change food, litter, and water.
I’ve left out a few extra litter boxes, food, and lots of water.
let me know your opinions and i’ll make a decesion.
thanks
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Just leave out the extra bowls of food & water do not leave the tap running even at a trickle. Pet stores sell water feeders, they look like an upside down pop bottle that fits into a dish. As your cat drinks the water it replaces with new in the dish and it stays clean they are under 10 bucks. I have even seen them sold at dollar stores for 2 bucks.
The cats have eachother they will be fine.
Have a great vacation!
I think it’s a good idea, but I would leave out a lot of water bowls, just in case (like you said). Maybe a couple weeks before you leave, you can experiment with your idea just to make sure they know where it is, if they can get to it, and how long the water lasts. . just for safe measures.
I think if the water drips little by little, if won’t overflow or anything. A few bowls of water would probably be better just in case something goes wrong. Of course an actual person would be better, but I understand that you can’t have anyone to take care of them.
I hope this helps, good luck
I would be nervous about leaving water running. What if the cats knocked something into the sink and it made the sink overflow. Not likely, but I don’t think I would want any water left running, even at a trickle. If you leave plenty in dishes, that should be good. Maybe leave the bathroom sink full of water too. That would help.
just get a pet sitter. a neighborhood kid or something. you’ll only have to pay them 20 bucks a day or something. Just in case something goes wrong with your cats someone is there to check up on them, and you house too!
i used to have cats and when i went away for a few days i just left an auto feeder with food and one with water, enough to last the whole time i was gone. so if you think you have left sufficient water in feeders or bowls then i see no reason to leave water running in the sink. i think that would just be a waste.
I don’t think it’s necessary to leave the water running. Maybe just leave them a bigger bowl(s).. like a soup bowl.
I think it would be okay to leave the water running in the sink, and leave them a couple extra bowls of water. You can even get one of those cat water fountains, if you want to spend the money for a good one.
You can leave the leave the tap trickling but you probably don’t need to.
The volume of water that cats drink per day is really quite small. You can place water in a large bowl (think salad or small casserole dish) and they should have more than enough. Unlike leaving water outside, the water left inside is not going to go "bad". It’s not going to have fly larvae or dirt etc. Wild cats and even those who are indoor/outdoor pets drink much less palatable water e.g. puddles, gutters, etc.
If you’re really concerned you can go to the pet store or Walmart and pick up a pet fountain. For about $25 it will hold more than enough water for week and the water is pumped and recirculated through a filter to ensure it’s fresh and clean. Not all cats like fountains, but if yours do it might be a perfect solution.
Oh, and you’d be surprised at how much water is wasted by leaving you tap trickling. It’s not great for the environment or your water bill.
I wouldn’t. Picture this. Your cat’s up on the counter. He knocks something into the sink. The water then fills up the sink, then over the sick and your house is flooded. Three or four days is quite a long time for a cat to be alone. Is there not a single neighbour that you like and trust that could go over there at least every other day to put fresh water down and check in on your cat? What if one of them gets ill or injured? Another option is call a pet sitting service. They’re quite cheap. Not only will they feed and water the cat but they take a little time to visit with the cat and play with it if you want them to.
A professional pet sitter would be best but probably really difficult to get at the last minute unless you already have the service in place.
I recommend getting a water fountain with a reservoir for your kitty. Cats like flowing water more than still water. A running faucet is wasteful if not stoppered but if it overflows it is bad too.