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Is it ok to leave my dog and my cats alone for a week?

2K views 13 replies 12 participants last post by  Beebz03 
#1 ·
I have someone coming over 3 times a day to let the dog out and feed her as well as my cats. I am just worried my dog won't do anything weird like attack my cats will she? She doesn't do it now at all I can be at work for 10 hours and all of my pets have free roam of the house while I am gone, and they will while I"m on vacation.

She is VERY well behaved in home as a dog she never chews anything up at all even with being able to go anywhere, the cats are always fine, the dog will chase them a bit once in awhile but nothing too crazy. I am just worried because it's the first dog I have ever owned and left at home with cats. Does anyone have any experiences with this?
 
#4 ·
Personally, if I'm gone that long, I hire a young adult, usually who's still living with mom and dad to come house sit for me. I like to have someone there with my animals and monitor the house. They typically like the break from mom and dad, too, and I'm more comfortable all around.

I admit I waited to leave the dog until he was almost 3, and I did make sure it was someone that could handle a GSD. But I also had a labrador that I trusted implicitly with the cats. I know Rocket wouldn't hurt the cats if I were gone that long, but I wouldn't want him alone without any human there for a week.

How is their relationship? Do they sleep together at night? Lay together during the day? Or do the cats only tolerate or even dislike the dog?
 
#5 ·
A coworker did something similar to what you are asking, it was with a JRT and cats that had been living together for years, it did not turn out well for one of the cats. I personally would not give them free run together and would try to find somebody to stay over.
 
#13 ·
I agree. Never, never, never. I've had GSDs and cats for 28 years, but have never left them loose together when we're not home. If you insist on leaving your cats and dog at home while you're out of town, please separate them in different rooms.
 
#10 ·
I wouldn't worry about the cats so much if there had never been an issue before.

I would NOT like to leave my dogs with out a ton more 'supervision' and the social aspect of being with people.

I know that I work out deals with my friends with dogs. And why I PURPOSELY socialize my dogs and have them out with lots of dogs making friends.

Because when I DO have to go (and I also have cats that I easily can leave at the house) I take my dogs OVER TO MY FRIENDS and they have a blast with a week long trip to stay with their best doggy friends!

I take my friends dogs when they have to leave, they take mine when I have to leave. We are all happy, dogs are all safe, we don't have to add a $$$$ for a kennel. And, frankly, my dogs have a vacation too!
 
#12 ·
I have no issues leaving my cat alone. The longest has been 10 days. She has an automatic feeder and a huge water bowl. We just put out extra littler boxes.

Dogs are another story. I would not even leave them overnight alone. They go with me or I take them to my parents house.
 
#14 ·
Well I left yesterday and locked the cats in my bedroom with a bunch of toys and a make shift tower they could climb to see out the window. I have been living with cats since the day I was born, all 29 years so I'm not worried about them. I talked to the girl who's checking on them and she will be walking my dog every day as well.

I am lucky my dog has good temperament I didn't realize it could be so dangerous, I have been leaving them home alone together every day I go to work for 8-10 hours for the year I have had the dog and no problems.
 
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