Need some advice, missing cat, catteries...

[Karbea]

I've an 11 year old cat who every summer becomes a terrible wanderer (in the winter he doesn't move from the sofa), he is currently missing, I picked him up from my beauticians last Thursday, the Monday before that I picked him up from the local vet, the Sunday before I had calls from the local sainsburys but by the time I got there he'd left, the list goes on, he comes home on average every four or five days.
I'm due to go on hols soon and the likelihood is he won't be around when I take my other cat to the cattery.
What should I do?
He might get taken to a local vet or rescue centre. Normally I obviously go and pick him up, but clearly if I'm not here I won't be able to, will they keep him till I'm back or put him in a cab to my cattery?
Should I get a friend to put down food? How often? Even though, he may not come home?

I really don't know what to do. I'm not overly worried about him, as he does this a lot and is famous where we live, but I'm at a loss as to how to handle this...

[cozietoesie]

He sounds like a well known local character - do you have any friends or neighbours that could act as the contact point if he turns up when you're not around?

Oh - and how soon is soon? (The hols.)