[svandamme]

That's unavoidable... Especially if there are no kids or pet's at home...

It's not a great comparison, but when i lived in Rotterdam, my cat had gotten sick while he was in a cat hotel, while i was out skying.. when i came home, went to pick him up, he was so sick he stayed at the vet for treatment.

2 weeks, drove me nuts to come home, and not be greeted by him..
coming home to an empty house is no fun.. and if it lasts a long time it can be depressing.

Keep doing what you do, be available for your pal.. do checkup on him and get him out of the house ... If there is no pet, then maybe not now, but after a while, suggest it to him to get one. Even if it's just a gold fish.. it's something to take care off, some thing to come home to, and something to talk to even if it doesn't talk back.