Come and give me a virtual slap

[wishingforcrystalball]

Looking for a cattery for my kittens. Haven't been to see any in person yet.

But I can't leave them in a shed for a week.

Everyone else does - so come and tell me I'm being stupid and that cats do not have a problem with staying in a glorified shed, after being hoicked off prime position on the bed.

Oh no, not a virtual kick from me, cos there is no way I could do it!!

Is there anyone you could pay a bit to to come into your house a couple of times a day to feed them? A teenager, or neighbour, friend?
Cats wont understand its only for a week, they will feel abandoned, frightened in a new environment etc.

Ours have never been in a cattery, but we are very lucky in having several sets of neighbours who will pop in and feed them if we are away. We reciprocate by watering their plants/feeding their rabbits etc. Is there anyone near you who could help out? We have a catflap so the cats can come and go so literally only just need their food and water topping up.

Unless your cat needs special medical care, which it might be unfair to offload onto a neighbour or friend, I do think they are happier and better off in their own surroundings if you can possibly manage it.

As PA said, pet sitters might be another way to go. Your local pet shop or vet will probably have a couple of ads up.

I paid my friend to come and feed my cats when we went away last year. She didn't want to accept money but as I have no cat flap and 3 cats who would be kept indoors cleaning out a litter tray for 3 cats every day is not a nice job. She was great, gave one of my cats it's meds, watered the plants and fed my guinea pigs. I had a pet sitter come the year before but could tell from the amount of litter used that she didn't clean out the litter tray every day. Hence lots of cat poos in corners of the sitting room and dining room by the time we got back. When my friend cleaned out the litter tray every day though there wasn't even one stray poo.

My cats weren't that happy about being kept in for a week but they would have been unhappier in a cattery. So I'd say if it invloves litter trays offer someone money to do it, if not I'm sure a friend or neighbour would do it for you.

Google pet sitting services. We found a lovely lady who will, for the same price as a cattery, feed them, change the litter and give them a cuddle. My cats adore her (I suspect they prefer her to me). I did leave them in a cattery once and swore I would never do it again. The look on their wee faces when I went to collect them - all huddled up in the corner of their (tiny) cage - settled that one for me. That said I'm sure lots of cats are quite happy but mine are spoilt buggers a bit sensitive.

I phoned up our local pet sitting service and have been pleasantly surprised.

For the two cats to go and sit in a shed would be £12-£16 pounds a night. Plus £3 for the guinea pigs.

However, the pet sitters will come round 2 a day to feed/check on cats and guinea pigs for £8 a day. Bargain.

However, next problem is - dh is saying can't leave them in the house for a week, and we don't have a cat flap nor can fit one in.

Please tell him me that at a cattery they are never allowed outside as they run away.

And thistlewhistle good to hear that yours weren't too bad about being kept in for a week. Funny thing about my two, is that if they are outside they run in to use the litter tray and then run back out. Most annoying for me - but at least I know they will use the litter tray if stuck in for the week.

They are not allowed outside in a cattery in case they run away.
We use a cattery but always with pangs of guilt as our moggy is from Cats Protection, and I always imagine she thinks we aren't coming back.
In reality, she doesn't care two hoots.
In the cattery she gets wet food ( doesn't here unless I am feeling soft).
Plus they have heated pads and heaters in their runs, and as she is the worlds fattest and laziest cat, ergo loves the cattery.

They are not all awful places.

Pleased about the cat sitter.

We dont have a catflap, but when we go away we leave a window open so they can come and go through that for the duration. OK, that sounds really bad, but where we live it really is not a problem, but I can see it probably isnt possible in most places.
Or maybe the sitter could let them out in the morning and call them in when she returns in the evening, or the other way round. Whichever fits in with your normal pattern.
But if they are normally happy to stay in and use the litter tray, then fine, stick with that.

They normally go out for approx 1hr in the morning, and 2hrs in the evening. They don't want to be out any longer, even when we are at home during the day. So would feel mean shutting them out for the day.

I would definitely opt for the cat sitter, (if you don't have a friend that would do it). At least you will know that they are safe indoors. They might get a bit bored and not speak to you for a day or so when you get back but you'll have peace of mind. And tbh when the litter tray was being cleaned every day there was no problem with wee/poo anywhere else at all. I had 3 cats using 1 tray as well. Just lots of hair to deal with on the sofa!

I agree. Also, when I looked into getting a pet sitter she did say that she could spend an hour or so at our home to allow my cats to go out and be called back in before she went again. Might be worth an ask?

I'll ask then, I don't mind paying a little bit more on top of the £8 a day, they could give the 'pigs a cuddle, so they are not cooped up whole time, and the cats can burn off steam.

Mine never want to come back from the cattery as the owners treat them like a King and Queen.

Be careful in your choice of cat sitters. I used one and came back to find at 5 piles of poo in corners of my sitting room as well as sick up the stairs. The sitter claimed not to have noticed!