What are
the options of care for my cat when I go on holidays?
There are several
options for your cat when you go on holiday. Each option has
it's pros & cons & needs to be weighed up carefully.
There are many factors involved, including the length of time
you are going away, cost, your cat's personality & your own
comfort level. Listed below are several options cat owners can
investigate.
Boarding
Cattery:
Pros: You
will have a professional to watch your cat while you are away.
There are some wonderful boarding catteries available. Some of
which start out fairly basic, others are the equivalent of a
feline 5 star hotel. Many boarding catteries have an enclosed
outdoor play area so your cat can enjoy the sunshine in the
safety of an enclosure. As boarding catteries usually have other
pets in their care, time in an outdoor play area is usually limited
so each of their guests can enjoy time outside.
You will have somebody keeping a watch
over your cat's health & well being. As well as providing
the basic requirements such as feeding many boarding catteries
will spend time playing, grooming & petting your cat.
Cons: Some
cats don't take well to being taken outside of the comfort of
their home, and will become stressed. The majority of cats will
settle in quickly, but some will find it an upsetting
experience.
To
summarise:
Your cat will have
to be up to date on it's vaccinations prior to arrival, and if
fleas or parasites are found on the cat, most boarding cattery
owners will treat your cat, but at your expense. If you are
going away for an extended period of time or have several cats
this can be quite expensive.
Friend or
family member staying at your house:
Pros: Your cat will be able to stay in the comfort &
familiar surroundings of it's own home. It will have human
companionship.
This is a cheap option. You will have somebody to check your
mail, water the plants etc., keep the house secure.
Cons: Finding a family member or friend to stay over may
be difficult.
Pet Sitter
visiting daily:
Pros: Your
cat will be able to stay in the comfort of it's own home &
familiar surroundings. It will have some human
companionship.
A pet sitter is
usually happy to bring your mail inside, turn lights on &
off to give the appearance that somebody is home.
It is often
cheaper than a boarding cattery.
Cons: Your
cat won't have as much companionship as it would in a boarding
cattery & becoming lonely. There is a risk of it becoming
unwell between visits.
House
Sitter:
Pros: The
pros are the same as with having a friend or family member
staying at your house.
Cons: You
will probably have to pay for this service.
Not everybody is
comfortable having a stranger in their home.
Cat Friendly
Hotel:
Pros: You
get to take your cat on holiday with you. Your cat is with
familiar people. You don't have to pay somebody to mind your
cat.
Cons: Finding
a hotel which will allow you to bring your cat with you.
Not practical if
you have a lot of cats.
Not all cats adapt
well to being taken out of the home environment.
Boarding at the vet's:
Pros: Your
cat is being cared for by experienced medical staff and should
it become sick, they will be able to treat it immediately.
Cons: This
may not be the case with all vets, but the ones I've seen have
only offered fairly limited sized cages, so it may be okay for a
very short time, but I personally wouldn't board my cats in a
confined space for any longer than a day or so. Boarding
catteries tend to be more geared up for longer stays & have
larger enclosures for cats.
How
to find a pet sitter/boarding cattery etc:
Word of mouth is always the best bet. Your veterinarian may be
able to recommend somebody suitable. Friends & relatives who
have pets may also know of somewhere/somebody who can care for
your cat. The vet nurse at our local veterinarian's office used
to do pet sitting. It was always reassuring knowing that she was
caring for the animals as she had the medical knowledge to spot
a problem in the cats & would be able to take them
immediately to the vet in our absence.
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