outdoor cat care while away 2 days

[Mosey]

Believe it or not, we still have our 2 outdoor cats (see the post Cats, I'm trying to make this work out, but). We're planning to be gone for 2 nights in about a week. If I just set out a pan of 2 days worth of food, will they be OK or will they just gorge themselves the fist day until they get sick and then be hungry for the rest of the time?

I realize no one will probably have an answer for this since cats are totally unpredictable (among other things which I don't care to get into right now), but I thought I'd ask anyway!

[Inspector507]

Danny,
Cats are not like dogs(puppies). Puppies will gorge until they seemingly should explode. The cats will be fine if, something else doesn't come along and eat their food for them.

Jerry

[Hayseed]

And if something does come along and eat all their food they won't starve before you get back home. Who knows, worst case scenario is that they might get hungry enough to catch a mouse or rat for lunch and maybe that would redeem them a little bit in your eyes. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Mosey]

Thanks for the replies. I found a dead mouse next to the house, it was behind a trash can in an area the cats are too big to get to. I've been wondering if one of the cats wounded it and it crawled in there and died. I moved the trash can out so the cats can get in there now if they need to finish one off. I would tolerate the cats much more if they would start catching mice.

[Mosey]

We set out 2 days worth of food and water and they were fine when we got back. They were obviously hungry, but not starved.

[Ranchman]

We've set out as much as a weeks worth at a time, although we had a neighbor stop by once during the week just to double check. That's one nice thing about cats - they can be pretty low maintenance if you choose. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[EJB]

>>Puppies will gorge until they seemingly should explode

I have heard that about some dogs, but mine, I can set out a 50lb bag of food for him and he eats just as much as he needs too...never too much, never starves himself...had him close to ten years and he has stayed at the same weight the entire time...if only I could be so lucky [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

[Hank]

<font color="purple"> set out a 50lb bag of food for him and he eats just as much as he needs too. </font color>

We have always trained our dogs for free feeding. All four eat from the same bowl [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] and you're right, they just somehow seem to maintain their weight at what they need.

[rabbitrae90]

I would put the cats inside of your garage if you have one you know better to be safe than sorry. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[utahmule]

Our 2 Australian Cattle Dogs have both been free fed for years and are very healthy. Their weight maintenance is great, the vet even complimented us.