Sometimes, it’s not possible or practical to take pet along

DEAR PAWS CORNER: I really could not believe your response to the person who wanted to leave their pet cat alone while they went away for a vacation! Have you not realized that cats that are left to “fend” for themselves are prey to irate neighbors when they find cat poo in their yard or dead wildlife left behind by wandering cats? And justifiably so! Encouraging people to be even more irresponsible is irresponsible of you. Sign me “Not a Fan of Yours” — Marie in Merritt Island, Fla.

DEAR MARIE: Hmm, perhaps you didn’t read the entire article. The pet owners in “Cat Won’t Use Pet Door” are hiring a cat sitter to visit their home daily. The cat door is located between the home’s interior and the garage, and does not lead outside.

While I understand your concern with pets that are allowed to wander the neighborhood, the plain fact is, pet owners can’t always take their dog or cat with them on vacation. It’s not just travel restrictions: many cats, birds and “pocket pets” like hamsters don’t deal with traveling very well. Snakes really hate car trips, and fish — I don’t even need to explain. So what is a pet owner to do?

Hiring a pet sitter is a very wise and responsible thing to do, even if an owner is going to be away for just a day. Professional pet sitters make sure a pet has food and water, clean the litter box, and spend at least one hour of quality time with the pet — be that playing, walking or just talking and being a presence in the house. The National Association of Pet Sitters has a Web site with more information on this service at www.petsitters.org.