Comments on: My cat was locked in a closet for four days. Should I be worried about her health as a result? http://www.paws-and-effect.com/2009/07/05/my-cat-was-locked-in-a-closet-for-four-days-should-i-be-worried-about-her-health-as-a-result/ Advice by cats, for cats and their people Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:22:27 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Dave http://www.paws-and-effect.com/2009/07/05/my-cat-was-locked-in-a-closet-for-four-days-should-i-be-worried-about-her-health-as-a-result/comment-page-1/#comment-7603 Dave Sat, 10 Apr 2010 15:19:45 +0000 http://www.paws-and-effect.com/?p=425#comment-7603 Watch out for Liver disease Watch out for Liver disease

]]> By: Patti Gartland http://www.paws-and-effect.com/2009/07/05/my-cat-was-locked-in-a-closet-for-four-days-should-i-be-worried-about-her-health-as-a-result/comment-page-1/#comment-5876 Patti Gartland Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:18:49 +0000 http://www.paws-and-effect.com/?p=425#comment-5876 We place cat toys in the door jams to prevent them from closing completely. Its so sad to hear the pitiful "mewing" from behind a closed door. We hope never to hear that again in our home. We place cat toys in the door jams to prevent them from closing completely. Its so sad to hear the pitiful “mewing” from behind a closed door. We hope never to hear that again in our home.

]]> By: Adrianna Culver http://www.paws-and-effect.com/2009/07/05/my-cat-was-locked-in-a-closet-for-four-days-should-i-be-worried-about-her-health-as-a-result/comment-page-1/#comment-5871 Adrianna Culver Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:02:32 +0000 http://www.paws-and-effect.com/?p=425#comment-5871 Dear Sousie, Thomas and Dahlia, As a cat sitter, I am disappointed to hear the above story. When I Cat sit I check the house over completely every day and *always* check out the cat as well. If I can not find the Cat I keep looking until I do. I make sure to inspect the Cat for physical and emotional well being. Even if the Cat is not to crazy about strangers I find a way to satisfy myself that the Cat is doing as well as expected. I must not only see the cat. I will give them a nice rub down from nose to tail. I also see that they are moving around normally by playing with them. I inspect the home to see if there are any signs of illness or stress in the cat. also check for hazards. Has something fallen over or has kitty gotten into anything like the cleaning products cabinet? Are there newly chewed items that are hazardous like plastic bags or electrical cords? Is the home secure from intruders? Are all the appropriate doors and windows shut to keep kitty in where it is safe? Are there puddles of puke anywhere? I also check the litter box to make sure there is the right amount of waste and it all looks normal. The cat food not being eaten and the water dish being untouched when I come back the next day would be an immediate cause for me to investigate further. Your normally well behaved cat may engage in all sorts of not normal behaviors while you are away. One of the Cat sitter's jobs id to make sure these new behaviors are not warning signs or something more than missing you. There is much more to cat sitting than just supplying food and water daily. Also if your cat is going to get sick it will inevitably be while you are gone and kitty is under stress. Dear Sousie, Thomas and Dahlia,
As a cat sitter, I am disappointed to hear the above story. When I Cat sit I check the house over completely every day and *always* check out the cat as well. If I can not find the Cat I keep looking until I do. I make sure to inspect the Cat for physical and emotional well being. Even if the Cat is not to crazy about strangers I find a way to satisfy myself that the Cat is doing as well as expected.

I must not only see the cat. I will give them a nice rub down from nose to tail. I also see that they are moving around normally by playing with them.

I inspect the home to see if there are any signs of illness or stress in the cat. also check for hazards. Has something fallen over or has kitty gotten into anything like the cleaning products cabinet? Are there newly chewed items that are hazardous like plastic bags or electrical cords? Is the home secure from intruders? Are all the appropriate doors and windows shut to keep kitty in where it is safe? Are there puddles of puke anywhere?

I also check the litter box to make sure there is the right amount of waste and it all looks normal. The cat food not being eaten and the water dish being untouched when I come back the next day would be an immediate cause for me to investigate further.

Your normally well behaved cat may engage in all sorts of not normal behaviors while you are away. One of the Cat sitter’s jobs id to make sure these new behaviors are not warning signs or something more than missing you. There is much more to cat sitting than just supplying food and water daily.

Also if your cat is going to get sick it will inevitably be while you are gone and kitty is under stress.

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