Cat advice please
Discussion
Serious answers only please!
I'm away for a month over Christmas and need to make plans for my cat. I can stick her in a decent cattery but being a rescue cat and rather highly strung she will absolutely *hate* it; it will be like a prison sentence. It will also cost around £150, but the one plus point is that she'll still be there when I get back.
The other plan is to let her stay here, in the home and garden she knows, and organise friends/neighbours to feed her (I've fed their cats many times so that's no problem). The slight downside is that she might miss me and runaway.
So, for all PHers who are cat owners and/or have faced the same problem, I'd be very pleased to hear your advice.
I'm away for a month over Christmas and need to make plans for my cat. I can stick her in a decent cattery but being a rescue cat and rather highly strung she will absolutely *hate* it; it will be like a prison sentence. It will also cost around £150, but the one plus point is that she'll still be there when I get back.
The other plan is to let her stay here, in the home and garden she knows, and organise friends/neighbours to feed her (I've fed their cats many times so that's no problem). The slight downside is that she might miss me and runaway.
So, for all PHers who are cat owners and/or have faced the same problem, I'd be very pleased to hear your advice.
simpo two said:
The slight downside is that she might miss me and runaway.
That won't happen, simpo. Well, its very unlikely anyway.
If you are having friends/family to come round, providing they visit fairly regularly anyway, your cat should recognise them. It'll be fine.
The cattery is possibly less suitable for a nervy cat.
>> Edited by lazyitus on Thursday 29th September 11:29
Same situation as you, we have a rescue cat and the cattery option was both expensive and not good for the cat.
We pay a cat sitter to pop in once a day and feed/water the moggie, costs £5 a day, but it's also good as the women also keeps a general eye on the place and we don't have to worry about having left a tap on etc.
We pay a cat sitter to pop in once a day and feed/water the moggie, costs £5 a day, but it's also good as the women also keeps a general eye on the place and we don't have to worry about having left a tap on etc.
I left my cats at home for three weeks, with one neighbour feeding them twice a day - hey, she volunteered!! 
. However, I did ask that she spent a little bit of time with the cats and left a few bottles of wine and some DVD's for her to enjoy at my place. She tells me that on occasion she left the radio or television on, so the cat would feel more at home... 
Happy cats, still in residence when I returned. 
. However, I did ask that she spent a little bit of time with the cats and left a few bottles of wine and some DVD's for her to enjoy at my place. She tells me that on occasion she left the radio or television on, so the cat would feel more at home... Happy cats, still in residence when I returned. While I am back in the UK, Ferocious Monster is back in the US, with the patio door wedged open a few inches. My sister goes back there every day to check his food, and water, and to give him a tickle! He is fine! he can come and go as he p[leases into his apartment, (I am merely a tennant), and can do what he wants. Litter tray is stocked up, and cleaned everyday, and all is good with the world!
Ferocious Monster outside said apartment...
Ferocious Monster outside said apartment...
I'd definitely not recommend the cattery route.
My cat is very highly strung, and in the past when we've gone away, we asked one of the neighbour to pop in, but she doesn't really like cats, so last year, we put Dino (the cat) in a cattery (which cost £5 a day). Never again. He was in a terrible state when he came home - very nervous, following us around everywhere and wanting to be picked up (not like him AT ALL) and he had two big bald patches, one on the top of his head and the other on the back of his neck where he'd rubbed all his fur off in the cage. The lady at the cattery said he'd stayed up on the top of his hutch for the full week that we were away, wouldn't let anyone near him and had hardly eaten.
If it were me, I'd get friends and family to come and feed the cat, and do as someone else said, leave goodies and DVDs so the cat gets some company and a cuddle once or twice a week (my mum stayed at my house last time we were away, but she was looking after our daughter too). If you have any rellies that still live at home coz they can't afford to move out, they might like to take advantage of some free accommodation and a taste of independence for a couple of weeks.
My cat is very highly strung, and in the past when we've gone away, we asked one of the neighbour to pop in, but she doesn't really like cats, so last year, we put Dino (the cat) in a cattery (which cost £5 a day). Never again. He was in a terrible state when he came home - very nervous, following us around everywhere and wanting to be picked up (not like him AT ALL) and he had two big bald patches, one on the top of his head and the other on the back of his neck where he'd rubbed all his fur off in the cage. The lady at the cattery said he'd stayed up on the top of his hutch for the full week that we were away, wouldn't let anyone near him and had hardly eaten.
If it were me, I'd get friends and family to come and feed the cat, and do as someone else said, leave goodies and DVDs so the cat gets some company and a cuddle once or twice a week (my mum stayed at my house last time we were away, but she was looking after our daughter too). If you have any rellies that still live at home coz they can't afford to move out, they might like to take advantage of some free accommodation and a taste of independence for a couple of weeks.
lazyitus said:
The slight downside is that she might miss me and runaway.
That won't happen, simpo. Well, its very unlikely anyway.
Wouldn't be so sure about this. On the second day of our hols this year we got a call from MrV's old neighbour saying his tenant had moved out, part of the deal was that she looked after his 4 cats! His parents went in every day to feed the cats until we got back. Bearing in mind that was only 10 days later one of the cats had wandered and we very rarely saw her. Took over a week after we found her a home to see and catch her
Have you got any friends that could come and stay for the odd few days, so the cat gets some real attention? Failing that what about keeping the house locked and having a litter tray.
Not a fan of catteries if we can avoid them.
chim girl said:
I left my cats at home for three weeks, with one neighbour feeding them twice a day - hey, she volunteered!!
Or have someone you know and trust house sit while you're away. In addition to kitty having company, your house will continue to look like it's lived in.
Keeps the nasty cat-burglers away
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