Not to go on holiday because of cats ...

[wintersherenow]

Basically that.
We are due (me and partner ) to go away on Wednesday.
We have 3 cats and the woman who was meant to pop in and check on them every day has said she's double booked.
So we have nobody to check on them.
None of our friends like cats so have refused.

If we don't go we loose £3,000 as tui won't refund.
It's for a week and a really nice hotel I'm so sad I was really looking forward to it.
Aibu not to go on This holiday?
We have a few other sitters to ask tomorrow but if not I'm not going.
Partner is fuming with me

You can't go on holiday for a week and leave the cats to starve. Seriously not an option. Therefore you need to make other arrangements for cat feeding.

Also, the woman who was meant to come saying she's double booked sounds like bullshit. Whatever else she's doing doesn't take up an entire day.

Cat in a flat as others have said are meant to be really good
I'm planning to use them when I go into hospital as I don't want to put too much on my neighbour!

Do you have a cleaner? We get our cleaner to pop in to do ours and obviously pay her.

Find a cattery that doesn't take dogs. Our nervous cat hated the first cattery we used but the next time we found a cats-only place and came back to see her sunbathing happily in her pen. They may not love it but they will at least be safe.

I second the poster suggesting asking a neighbour with a teenager. Both of my teenagers do pet visits and pet sitting for neighbours and they don’t charge extra for playing with your pets if you want them to, they love it!

They also take in newspapers, parcels and post.

I would think over a week you are going to need litter trays cleaned, unless your cats have access to outside and don't use the trays much? I can understand why friends who don't like cats might not want to volunteer. I like cats, have had cats most of my life, but have always found looking after other people's pets is more work and time than expected.

Try cat in a flat to find a new sitter. Or find a cattery that has space at short notice.

I use catinaflat when I go away. Two visits a day and i pay £22 a day.

I am shocked you think that a visit every other day is okay? Do you only feed dry food?

Off topic, but please do a bit of reading on how an exclusively dry diet causes chronic dehydration and urinary and kidney issues, especially in male cats.

My boy nearly died on dry food and the Vet hospital told me to get all mine off it immedietly.
A grain free wet diet is best. Zooplus is a great site for getting large tins so it is more cost effective.
I feed Feringa, Wild Freedom and Macs.

Thankyou everyone I am sorted
Found a lady with 5 star reviews
Pics of her with animals
She's coming over tonight to meet them
I'm a bit nervous about letting strangers in my house but I'm sure it will be okay

That's great news OP.

It will be absolutely fine, don't worry.

Stupid question but would you leave the heating on ?
I don't want them to be cold
And my male cat loves his radiator bed when the heating is on

When I go away we put heating and lights on and off with a timer. Can you do that? I would give them some heating and light, yes.

I don’t think its necessary at this time of year. Do you have a timer? If so you could set it to come on for half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the evening.

Great news, OP. If you can find a couple of reliable sitters, you’ll be sorted going forward. That’s what we’ve done with our dog, he absolutely loves them!

I haven’t read through full thread so someone may have already suggested this, but I use Cat in a Flat, irs brilliant. Like online dating but finding a cat sitter! Very easy to use! Also try a local Facebook group? Don’t cancel your holiday!

I turned down the heating in rooms they wouldn't use.

Wonderful news. Happy cat, happy hols.

We leave ours on low for the cats. You could ask the sitter to turn it up if necessary.

This is a good idea, i work in a vets ,if this were one of our clients ,I'm sure one of us would help them out.

Sorry just realised you are sorted , that's good news.

Cat in a flat was great for us. Really easy.

Could you book them into a cattery? Or find another pet sitter? Surely there will be some availability.