Cats and Holidays
Discussion
I am in a bit of a dilema about what we should do with our cat when we go on holiday and would appreciate some opinions from others.
We are going away for 2 weeks in April. The last time we went away was at Christmas for 5 days, and as we were going to my parents we took Molly with us. She did not enjoy the journey at all (4 hours each way), it stressed her out so much that she pooed both times (though she did settle a bit after that). At my parents she had free reign of the house, but basically slept on the landing for the majority of the time. She wasn't herself and didn't eat particularly well (apart from Chistmas Turkey!).
As she didn't seem too happy at my parents, (I think the majority of the problem was that there was too many people around and she doesn't like crowds or strangers), I am reluctant to take her there again - even though they have offered to have her for the two weeks.
The only other option I have is putting her in a local cattery. I have had no experience of catteries so I am unsure about this. Have any of you that have used catteries got positive experiences to share? My reluctance about catteries is that Molly is a rescue cat and I don't want her thinking she has been abandoned again.
I know people will ask if there are any neighbours that could help, but our three neighbours are very very elderly and not 100% with it, so I wouldn't be comfortable that she would be properly looked after.
The cattery that is quite near us (30min away) is this:
http://www.thepurrfectholidayhome.co.uk/our_catter...
I appreciate any suggestions/comments people may have. I am already feeling incredibly guilty about the prospect of leaving Molly - so much that I don't really want to go - so please don't make me feel worse! Not going isn't really an option as we are going to the in-laws who we haven't seen for a long while, and also to see our neice and nephew (only met nephew once) and my grandparents who are very elderly so I dont know if and when I will see them again.
Thanks
We are going away for 2 weeks in April. The last time we went away was at Christmas for 5 days, and as we were going to my parents we took Molly with us. She did not enjoy the journey at all (4 hours each way), it stressed her out so much that she pooed both times (though she did settle a bit after that). At my parents she had free reign of the house, but basically slept on the landing for the majority of the time. She wasn't herself and didn't eat particularly well (apart from Chistmas Turkey!).
As she didn't seem too happy at my parents, (I think the majority of the problem was that there was too many people around and she doesn't like crowds or strangers), I am reluctant to take her there again - even though they have offered to have her for the two weeks.
The only other option I have is putting her in a local cattery. I have had no experience of catteries so I am unsure about this. Have any of you that have used catteries got positive experiences to share? My reluctance about catteries is that Molly is a rescue cat and I don't want her thinking she has been abandoned again.
I know people will ask if there are any neighbours that could help, but our three neighbours are very very elderly and not 100% with it, so I wouldn't be comfortable that she would be properly looked after.
The cattery that is quite near us (30min away) is this:
http://www.thepurrfectholidayhome.co.uk/our_catter...
I appreciate any suggestions/comments people may have. I am already feeling incredibly guilty about the prospect of leaving Molly - so much that I don't really want to go - so please don't make me feel worse! Not going isn't really an option as we are going to the in-laws who we haven't seen for a long while, and also to see our neice and nephew (only met nephew once) and my grandparents who are very elderly so I dont know if and when I will see them again.
Thanks
We use a cat sitter - our Bengals aren't keen on the cattery and, after one of ours had to stay there on his own when is brother went awol, and kept the whole cattery awake 24/7 yowling they're not even welcome!
Our cats seem much happier to stay in their own environment.
You could always offer to compensate your closest sitting service for the added hassle if they were to cover you?
Our cats seem much happier to stay in their own environment.
You could always offer to compensate your closest sitting service for the added hassle if they were to cover you?
AMLK said:
IThe only other option I have is putting her in a local cattery. I have had no experience of catteries so I am unsure about this. Have any of you that have used catteries got positive experiences to share? My reluctance about catteries is that Molly is a rescue cat and I don't want her thinking she has been abandoned again.
When we did use local catteries our two were fine. Molly would probably be fine but you can't tell until you've tried it. Use this holiday as a trial and go from there.IainT said:
When we did use local catteries our two were fine. Molly would probably be fine but you can't tell until you've tried it. Use this holiday as a trial and go from there.
Thanks. We will probably have a trip out to the cattery next weekend to scope it out (added bonus is 10mins up the road from the cattery is Anstruther Fish and Chips shop - best in the UK- so we may have to visit there too!).Will ring up the sitters too, just in case - no harm in trying!
The cattery should be happy for you to drop in and be shown around, tell them your concerns and see how they respond. Make sure it is cattery only (not kennels and cattery and not too many cats housed, this would suggest less one to one time with staff. They should be willing to feed a diet your cat is used to (even if they ask you to provide it) They should ask who your vets are, medical history and of course that your cat is vaccinated.
My parents use a small cattery, the homes (cages) aren't huge but what they lack in space they make up for in the love and attention the owners give to the cats they have stay, my parents cat is a nervous girl who likes the quiet life but she always comes back from this cattery a happy little cat.
Usually, even if not experienced in these areas your gut instinct will tell you if you like the sound of the cattery.
Might be worth asking your local vets, sometimes nurses will be happy to do some housesitting.
These are a couple in our area. I have visited the second one when I thought I may have to consider a cattery for my cats and I really liked the look of it. The first one a colleague suggested, we don't recommend but I class these two as places to compare to when looking around.
http://www.gwnt00030.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/chezmoi/
http://www.cleeve-country-cattery.com/
Hope this helps. It is understandable to be nervous, I have been lucky enough not to need a cattery but I think this is less stressful to a cat than the journey you described, I wouldn't recommend that again, some cats cope but many don't.
My parents use a small cattery, the homes (cages) aren't huge but what they lack in space they make up for in the love and attention the owners give to the cats they have stay, my parents cat is a nervous girl who likes the quiet life but she always comes back from this cattery a happy little cat.
Usually, even if not experienced in these areas your gut instinct will tell you if you like the sound of the cattery.
Might be worth asking your local vets, sometimes nurses will be happy to do some housesitting.
These are a couple in our area. I have visited the second one when I thought I may have to consider a cattery for my cats and I really liked the look of it. The first one a colleague suggested, we don't recommend but I class these two as places to compare to when looking around.
http://www.gwnt00030.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/chezmoi/
http://www.cleeve-country-cattery.com/
Hope this helps. It is understandable to be nervous, I have been lucky enough not to need a cattery but I think this is less stressful to a cat than the journey you described, I wouldn't recommend that again, some cats cope but many don't.
Our local cattery is about ten minutes away, which is fine because Guzzi gets in a state if he's in the car for more than 20 minutes. They have a selection of different sized runs, some with outside runs as well. Guz' hates it because he doesn't like strangers, no matter how nice they are!
We haven't taken him since Black Cat and Peep have turned up, Black Cat has FIV, so we may not be able to take him there anyway. I'm sure Peep would be fine, in fact if they all went together they'd probably be OK, but we'd have to check about Black Cat with his FIV.
There are a couple of other catteries, but the other one we looked at wasn't as nice as the one we ended up using.
We haven't taken him since Black Cat and Peep have turned up, Black Cat has FIV, so we may not be able to take him there anyway. I'm sure Peep would be fine, in fact if they all went together they'd probably be OK, but we'd have to check about Black Cat with his FIV.
There are a couple of other catteries, but the other one we looked at wasn't as nice as the one we ended up using.
I used to work in a cattery and the general rule was that most of the guests would be off their food for the first day but after that they would pick up. I can only think of one single cat who striked me as being completely unsuitable for a cattery for all the time I was there, and even she did eat her meals.
On a personal note, I have five rescue cats, two of whom were adult rescues. After being in a cattery they have all been fine.
On a personal note, I have five rescue cats, two of whom were adult rescues. After being in a cattery they have all been fine.
We looked through the catteries before we chose one. Actually use a few depending on availability. Benefits are the cat is inside and safe (though one of ours did escape once but that was incredible and not the caterries fault, I think).
Anyway, we are loth to leave our cats at home whilst someone feeds them, both rescue cats. Rational is we know them (the cats) and the person feeding might not see the cat so be unaware if it is unusual for it to be absent. The person feeding will not be aware of the normal actions of puss so may not be aware of injuries or something wrong. Keeping them in and feeding them means litter trays and the chance of the cat doing a great escape and causing the feeder grief as they may not be able to tease the truculent moggie back in. So whilst they do not like the trip up to the cattery, they seem happy enough when we pick them up and christen the cat box for us on the way back. But at least we know they are safe and fed and out of fights and not being run over and causing other great hassle when the escape.
Anyway, we are loth to leave our cats at home whilst someone feeds them, both rescue cats. Rational is we know them (the cats) and the person feeding might not see the cat so be unaware if it is unusual for it to be absent. The person feeding will not be aware of the normal actions of puss so may not be aware of injuries or something wrong. Keeping them in and feeding them means litter trays and the chance of the cat doing a great escape and causing the feeder grief as they may not be able to tease the truculent moggie back in. So whilst they do not like the trip up to the cattery, they seem happy enough when we pick them up and christen the cat box for us on the way back. But at least we know they are safe and fed and out of fights and not being run over and causing other great hassle when the escape.
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