[livecards]

I used to be against declawing but I don't think it is inhumane. If you declaw your cat just don't let it outside. Your cat will have a difficult time defending itself or climbing trees to avoid dogs if it is declawed.

When you buy litter make sure that you buy the clumping litter. It is easy to scoop out and lasts a long time. Just make sure that you scoop around the clump of pee and not cut through it because that becomes messy. Also, make sure you put enough litter in the box so the cat doesn't pee on the bottom because that is a pain to clean out. Some cats will dig deeper to pee then others so you will have to find the right amount through trial and error. Cleaning the box once a day is best because if the litter box is clean the cat will never not use it. When you go away just for the weekend just put an extra litter box out.

The automatic feeders are a few bucks but I understand they work very good. They dispense the food periodically. Of course you could have someone come by the house but if you can't an extra litter box, the auto feeder, and an extra water bowl should do the trick. I don't think you should leave a small kitten alone for a few days but an adult cat will be fine. Good luck with your cat.