I just wanted to get some advice on going on holiday. I will have had my Django for 11 weeks when I go on a 1 week holiday and I'm petrified and stressed about it. Am I going to permanently distress him and affect his behaviour?
My dad will be home during this time but working during the days and probably wont play with him much. I'm thinking of getting a pet sitter to come by but dont know if he will like a stranger either. I'm so worried he will be really distressed by it...
He already waits by the door at 4:15 for when I come home...

Also I wanted to ask, do Bengals (I know they're all different) ever calm down as cats? I feel like I just cant play with/stimulate him enough as much as I try! I feel like he's bored and unhappy. Will he get more relaxed/content/comfortable as he gets older? There's just no way I can get another cat as much as I want to. I feel like going away will make him destructive and angry.

I'm just really worried and stressed about it all....

_________________
Jaz & Django

I don't know if it will help us but what we have done is gotten our neighbor's daughter to come play with the kitties quite a few times so they know her. We're going away for 3 days in November, and thought it may be a bit easier (or not!) if they know the person who is going to look after them.

As for the energy levels, I think it will depend per cat, but some I've seen are still fairly playful and spirited in their older age (Erin of epetmedow's has an older 9+ Bengal who can be seen occasionally giving a run to her little Bengal Mia).

I think going away will confuse them for a few days, but being in their own home rather than at a boarding space should help a bit with their comfort. Is there a reason you think he's bored? Is he destroying things or begging for attention? I know a few people on here have just the one cat and they do fine (Like Pouncy for example). I imagine as long as you are giving him intense play sessions and wearing him out that he will be fine.

We play with ours intensely about an hour a day, with little play sessions in between. We both work long days and the cats sleep most of the time when we aren't here, but even we are home, they wrestle each other for a little while, ask for some cuddles, and then nap the rest of the day.

_________________
Jaz & Django

I know your feeling.
I've always used a pet sitter or my relatives to look after my boys when I'm away.
Today however, I'm away for a long weekend and they are going to a local cattery for the first time ever.
I'm really nervous but I know they will be absolutely fine - to be honest my last cat hated leaving the cattery.

As long as Django has plenty of toys/things to amuse himself (my two like rolled up socks ) with to play with and someone giving him his food and chatting to him I think he will be absolutely fine. Chatting can be 5 mins discussion with him whilst his food is being prepared. That's something my family to so they don't feel left out and alone.

I def know how your feeling, I just got home yesterday late afternoon and picked up my to boys from a friends house, as soon as possible. I know it wasnt ideal for them to go to a house they didnt know, but she has 2 young kids so it made more sense!
Anyhoo the point was, I was away for 6 days and was worried for about a month before going, (i thought they were going to hate me, and be weird because of the change in smells and everything) but im happy to report they were on their best behaviour and they were perfectly delighted to see me and the OH back!

They acted like nothing had happened, running up their tree and giving me plenty of headbutts! Lol,
Your little furbaby will be fine ( just make a big fuss of him when you get home)

x

My dad looks after our cats when we are away and they get on just fine. He doesn't interact with them in the same way i do... neither does my husband So they behave differently around him.

They are always very pleased to see me though.....

_________________
Lollo

Thank you so much guys - feeling a little better :)

_________________
Jaz & Django

I have put my 3 in a cattery twice now (which in my opinion is perhaps a worse option than them being at home with someone they don't know, as it's a different place and different people, whereas your kitty will at least have the comfort of his own home). First time for 3 days and second time for 16 days as we had a two week holiday and left early morning and came back early morning so they had to go in one day before and come out one day after. It terrified me but both times they were fine! Soon settled back into their normal routine and we really pleased to see us. I feel awful i hate doing it to them but you have to have a life too. We go away again for two weeks soon and i'm stressing so much because i just hate putting them in the cattery but it's a lovely place and the people love the cats. And i know they will be just fine! It's understandable that you are worried but i bet your kitty will just be super pleased to see you when you are home :-)

I think he'll be ok with dad.... I dont think he'll like it at all... but I think he'll be ok!!!!! Poor baby!

_________________
Jaz & Django

He will be fine ....he might give your dad a run for his money but I bet he will be fine :)

I usually have a friend of my husbands come stay at the house when we are out of town. He is not a cat person, so pretty much he just feeds them and watches TV (works during the day). I set up toys for them, tunnels, etc...and most of it doesn't look any different then when I left.

You know what they do the whole time? They sleep!

Even when Mia was a kitten (or Asia my prior gal), they still just chilled out for the most part. They got in trouble a couple times, but nothing bad, maybe knocked something off the counter sort of deal. They do the same thing with my husband when I leave town. They seem to associate ME with play time, so when I am not around, they just snooze.

Oh, and regards to him not being happy, I really wouldn't think about that to hard. You may be putting too many human emotions on him. He doesn't know a different life, he may enjoy having another cat to play with but he doesn't sit there during the day thinking about it. Cats live in the NOW, not the past nor dreaming of the future or what could be. Only humans think about what could be. If he knows that if he wanders around looking bored gets you to come try this that and the other with him, well, he will just keep walking around 'looking' bored, lol.

Variety and creativity are great with a bengal, rotating toys, interaction, mental challenges...all positives....but don't get too wrapped up in making sure he is 'happy' all the time :). Your work schedule could change, your time available to him may change, so he needs to learn how to do some entertainment on his own. If he is not showing behavioral signs like inappropriate urinating, up all night meowing, etc...don't question it. (Destroying a screen would be a typical kitten move by the way).

Have fun on your vaca!!

Thank you so much for that!

You are so right, I think I do put too much human emotion into the situation.. I guess I just dived right in, I've never had my OWN pet before and I've dreamed about a bengal for such a long time I just wanted everything to be perfect and am such a worry wort. I also dont want to kill him with love and pander to him so he's needy.

Yea dad says that when i'm at work he's quiet and fine and as soon as I get home he is meow meow meow so I guess he's a smart little cookie!

I think I just worry that he will meow and scratch things to get attention and dad will get frustrated. (he has a short fuse)!

Thank you for your comment anyway it really helped put it in the perspective! I guess sometime's it's hard to look at yourself from the outside!! :)

_________________
Jaz & Django