So I'm going to Japan for two weeks in March and I'm super excited. :D However, I'm also super worried about my pets as I hate leaving them. :\ I'm trying to figure out what would be best and was wondering if ya'all had some travel tips to make life less stressful for your critters. I've never left them for longer than a week.

I have a few options and some very fantastic friends who are willing to help so that's a great start. My main question is -

Would you rather leave your pets at someone else's house for two weeks (or a boarding facility) or leave them at your house and have people come over to play with them? I'm concerned about the pets being scared in a new environment, even with people they know. Thoughts?

ETA: To complicate things, my friend who normally watches them would gladly take the boys but is allergic to cats. It isn't a big deal when she watches them at my place, but it would not be a good idea to have my cat at her house for two weeks. So I'd have to split them up. I was referred to a boarding place that seems reasonable and gives each pet a nice little room and stuff. Soooo I'm about to inquire if they would take a suggie and a chinchi and if they could share a single room with Hari. Basically I'm going to write some random person and be like "hey how much extra would it be to stick two rodents in a room with my cat and also please don't let any other cats in there." XD

Temulin,

You do realize each critter is a different species, right? ( Yes, a teeny joke )

IMHO, I would keep them in their environment. It would be less stressful, they may get bored, but they would be home.

I would be concerned that a strange place/smells, might stress them into reverting to their natural instincts due to a strange environment. Especially with their alpha (you) not present.

Separating each from the other would be my second choice. Fevy is getting older, I would be concerned with him the most.

It's difficult for me to give you advise. But you have a unique family and I wanted to give you an outsider opinion and thoughts...

I'm excited you get to visit Japan!!!

I was thinking the same direction as Dawn.

Options I'd suggest would to be:

Most ideally, would be finding someone they know and you trust that can home sit them at your place. Of course they would most likely have to go to work, but could be there for them when not working.

Second ideal choice would be to split them up, leaving each with a caretaker you trust and better if they know them.

I know nothing about chins, I also do not know if you have ever left Hari home before while traveling. If Hari has that experience, it may be okay to leave him home with someone coming in for feeding and visits. I know my suggie shave done fine when traveling and when I have left them in care of another person, once away from their home. But I have more than one, and the trips away were for just a few days. But maybe someone could take your glider and chin into their home for care.

If it were me, I would send the gliders to the friends house along with the chin.

Have the sitter go to the house every other day to check on the cat, refresh the water top off the food and clean the litter box.

Cats are real good at taking care of themselves as long as they have free access to food and water.

First off, thanks for the input everyone! I really appreciate it.

Dawn, but but but - they're all grey! They can never know they're adopted. It would crush them. On a serious note, you bring up some good points. I don't want them to go Lord of the Flies on each other if they're locked in a strange, unfamiliar room. I'm leaning towards sending the boys to stay with my friend and seeing if someone else could watch my cat. Either that or having someone drop in a few times a week to play them in addition to someone just coming to feed them.

Terry, thanks for the input. I have left them alone before but never for longer than a week. I recently left them for 5 days and they did fine. I have a friend come and feed them/check on them/give them some loves every day and this friend said she could take my suggie and chinchi for the two weeks. I just worry a bit about how suggies do in a weird environment, but it sounds like yours did just fine.

Feather, my old cat was fantastic about being home alone, but unfortunately the cat I have now is very weird and gets bad separation anxiety. :\ She pulls her fur out and gets kinda sad. She's gotten way better, so maybe this trip will help her become more independent. XD

I've been boarding my suggies at the vet and they take good care of them, though they might get bored there.

You're welcome. Mine have been in a travel (vacation cage, two different kinds) for short trips in a pop up camper, at someone else's house, and then in several hotel rooms in addition to traveling daytime in RV during one of two major moves across country within a years time (about 10 months). They've adapted to new locations and different cages very nicely.

Thanks, guys! I think I will pick up a travel cage to make Fevy's stay easier if I do decide to leave him with my friend.