What is the drill when you take cat to cattery

[WalkingThePlank]

Our cat is going to the cattery tomorrow for 8 nights. I feel very guilty about it :-(

What do find works best when you drop your cat off? I have the choice of just handing her over or taking her to her pen. I am not sure that I can bear the thought of her looking at me as the door is closed on her.

Any tips?

I tend to take mine into their pen. Honestly your cat will be fine - sure she'll pull the guilt trip and you should fully expect to be shunned when you pick her up but that's just her letting you know you've failed in your cat slave duties! If it helps I've just picked mine up from a month long stay....one is still ignoring me except for food while the other is currently attached to me like Velcro. They'll both be ignoring me as usual by tomorrow

I'd take her to the pen and put all her toys, scratch post etc out and her bedding.

Quick kiss on the head and walk out.

Dont worry about looking crazy cat lady, they are used to us.

We are not given a choice so we have to take the carrier to the pen. but she likes it there so jumps out and makes a big fuss of the cattery lady.

If I were you and they don't mind just hand her over and get in the car very quickly after.

Such quick responses. Thank you! I could cry thinking about it and she's not even an emotionally warm cat. Today she was rolling around on her bag just having a lovely time. I hate to think of her cooped up.

She doesn't have any toys as such. We have bought some but she ignores them so am taking her carrier with a blanket from home in it - do the carriers stay in the pen(?) and her bed. The pen will have a scratching post in it already.

Carriers stay in the pen with them yes.

YY carriers stay in the pen. Except when DH brings it back with him for no reason.
Then a week later he drives to pick her up forgetting to take the carrier with him.

Also take a brush, and don't forget the vaccination certificate if they haven't already got a copy

A brush? I hadn't thought of that. She is a short-hair tabby so won't 'need' a brush as such if staying in a pen but she'd probably appreciate the attention.

I think it gives the cattery people and the cata nice bit of interaction when they brush them. And it's a nice association with the cattery. Sparklingcat comes back all groomed and sleek.

Actually the website says, "We provide regular attention, playing and grooming..."

You could get some Feliway spray to spray the carrier and bedding for the trip there. Sadly, Feliway has no effect on humans ( other than on your wallet!).

People who own catteries (not catteries and kennels) are crazy cat people, the other type are dog people who take in cats. My babies always go to the crazy cat people. At the cattery use the carrier goes on top of the pen for storage ( I can stand in pen, but it is not full height of building).
My babies are so spoilt they generally don't want to come home.

Dropped our cat off earlier. She meowed forcefully all the way there (15 minute drive). When the man opened the gate I almost cried. The pen was very nice, if small. She was out of her carrier within seconds and checking out the accommodation.

The cattery is run by the Cats Protection League lady who looked after her before we had her. She said something to the effect of, "She's as much mine as she is yours because we had her for a few months". I'm hoping that this means that she will get special treatment.

I feel quite bereft and guilty. My poor little cat . Wish I'd had more to leave her to play with.

She will be absolutely fine. She will sleep a lot and get special treatment.

Our cattery post pictures on their FB if you want and you can see how much the cat really doesn't care, and is having a nice time.

This has made me smile, especially re the crazy cat ladies and them running the catteries. Feel better about boarding our cat next week now