Or call your local SPCA & see what they have for you.
As long as you’re sure it has plenty of food, water and a place to relieve itself you’re ok. Cats will kind of “shut down” when left alone. They don’t need company or something to do. Make sure the temperature etc. will be OK. (don’t leave it locked in an old car in the summer heat.) The fewer distractions, the better. Garage worked well for me one time for a week or so. Cat was very loving when I returned.
I think it’s pushing it a bit to leave the cat alone for nine days, but it could be pulled off. If there’s any chance you could be delayed in getting home, you’d better make extingency plans now. If the chances of this happening are too high, I’d probably go ahead and kennel the cat.
I’d consider leaving a radio on for “company” for the cat though. Not too loud, and not classical or country. (Those genres have violins, which hurt kitty ears with their high undertones.) Probably a talk radio station would work. It seems to work, from my personal experience.
Definitely, you need someone to check in to make sure kitty is doing ok. Things should be ok, as long as you make certain there will be enough food, and water for several days past the time you will be gone. Cleaning up cat shit isn’t that bad a thing, if kitty isn’t starved or dehydrated.
Now for a cautionary tale:
My mother’s kitty was very timid, and they had to leave for a few days. They thought she would be ok, and even though they hired someone to check on her, things went horribly awry. My brother’s friend told us she refused to eat, or drink, and that she did nothing but sleep. He said she seemed lost, and sad. As far as we can understand, she died of a broken heart, thinking she had been abandoned. 
The moral of the story is, make certain kitty’s temperment can handle being alone. Some cats just can’t. My mom’s kitty was a waif that she took in. I guess she just could not cope with solitude.
Good Luck to you and kitty.