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Dear Cathy,

I have two sibling cats, one male and one female, who have been with me since they were eight weeks old. They are now nine years old. During my recent week-long vacation, my male cat stopped drinking water, leading to dehydration and constipation. He also had a bowel movement outside the litter box and vomited.

My vet prescribed tranquilizers to keep him calm during future absences, and I’ve purchased a cat water fountain to encourage hydration. Do you have additional suggestions for managing his stress while I’m away?

— Mary, Windsor Locks, Connecticut

Dear Mary,

It sounds like you’ve already taken thoughtful steps by consulting your vet and introducing a water fountain. To help reduce stress even further, introduce feline pheromones (diffusers, collars, or sprays), which release scents that promote relaxation and help reduce anxiety.

Keeping him mentally engaged can also help. Interactive toys or puzzle feeders provide stimulation while you’re away. Rotating toys or adding new ones keeps him interested, but this works best if a pet sitter or friend stops by daily. While cats seem independent, prolonged absences without human interaction often disrupt their routine, leading to stress. Daily check-ins provide companionship, monitor their health, and offer them reassurance.

It may also help to condition your cat to your absences gradually. Start with short departures, rewarding calm behavior when you return, and extend the time away in small increments. Leaving an unwashed blanket or shirt with your scent can also help him feel connected to you while you’re gone.

If these strategies don’t ease his anxiety, a cat-specific boarding facility might be a good option. Many offer private rooms or suites designed to reduce stress and the consistent human care and attention may help him.

Overall, I don’t recommend leaving a cat alone for more than 24 to 48 hours. Ideally, someone should check in daily to ensure your cat feels cared for and secure. Cats don’t understand prolonged absences, which can lead to grief. Daily visits or a professional sitter can help.

Dear Cathy,

We live in Colorado and have open fields around our yard. We have an 11-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback inside our fenced yard with a dog door into our house. Recently, we discovered a pocket gopher damaging our yard. We’re considering getting a barn cat for rodent control but have a few concerns.

We don't want the cat using the dog door to get into our house. We’ll build a shelter for the cat, but we want it to stay outside. Also, we’re unsure if the cat will hunt in our yard because of our dog. Any suggestions?

— Sherry, Monument, Colorado

Dear Sherry,

Several electronic doggie doors on the market operate via a transponder on your dog’s collar or microchip. By installing a microchip-activated or collar-sensor pet door, you can ensure that the door opens only for your dog.

As for the gopher issue, I am not a wildlife expert, so I reached out to Dave Pauli, a Montana Master Naturalist, for his expertise. According to Dave, whether a cat could help depends on the specific type of ground-disturbing species you’re dealing with.

If the culprit is a pocket gopher, a cat would likely be ineffective, as pocket gophers spend 99% of their time underground, where cats cannot reach them. However, if the species tends to come above ground more frequently — such as some types of ground squirrels or other burrowing rodents — a cat could potentially act as a deterrent, though it wouldn’t necessarily eliminate the problem.

Dave suggested an alternate, more reliable solution: castor oil-based deterrents. These are eco-friendly and effective at repelling burrowing animals like gophers and moles without causing them harm, he says. They offer a safe way to protect your yard and are non-toxic to humans, pets, and plants.

If the problem persists, however, contact a professional wildlife management service that specializes in humane strategies for dealing with wildlife on private property.

If it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for your pets! Wondering how to tell if it’s too cold for them? Bundle up, grab a scarf, and stay out there with them. When your teeth start chattering, your fingers go numb, or you’re ready to rush back inside for warmth, that’s your sign it’s time for both of you to come inside.

Pets, like people, are susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia when exposed to freezing temperatures. Pets can’t tell us they’re cold in words, but they feel it just like we do. Bringing them inside, even into a garage or enclosed porch, can keep them safe and warm this winter.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)

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