Tell me why catteries are a good idea

[walkingtheplank]

Our lovely girl is going to have to go to a cattery 3 times in 3 months for 3, 10 and 5 nights. I feel terribly guilty.

She has been before. She's upset as soon as she's in the carrier but I'm not sure how happy she is when there. She was a stray so it's important for her to get out and about.

We take her to the cattery as we worry that if we left her at home she could get run over or would be lonely.

Are we doing the right thing?

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Harry always stays at home and we use a cat sitter. She's a vet nurse so I know he's in good hands. He did go missing once but our garden is cat proofed now so that's not a worry any more.

[myrtleWilson]

We use a cat sitter now with two visits per day - we used to use a cattery but one year the cats got so freaked out when the carriers came out we didn't have the heart to force them (luckily friends were staying at home for Christmas and were happy to step in) Ours are indoor cats (I know that raises some issues for some owners) so we don't have the worry about escaping or not returning. If your cat is reacting well to the cattery theres no reason to be worried about it - ours just didn't like it after a while..

[halcyondays]

To be fair cats never like being put in carriers. I think you do have more peace of mind when they're at a cattery.

[walkingtheplank]

Having just been watching my cat trying to get herself killed on the road, I feel more confident that the cattery is the right idea.

Now, what can I take with her to keep her entertained?

[BubbleBed]

My two go to the cattery, and they're fine. But they are in together, which probably helps. I know they're happy from their temperament and coats etc. The cattery also have some lovely students in the summer who come to solely sit in the pens and play and pet the cats, so they're spoilt with love as well daily.

My two are fairly adaptable though. I can leave them 24 hours at home with dry food and water and they're happy as, as they're used to it. Every cat is different.

[Mermaidinthesea123]

I have a catsitter as my cats would be a total neurotic mess of they had to go into a cattery.
The catsitter is so much cheaper than a cattery, cats are fine being on their own in the day and if you are worried about the cat being run over keep the cat flap closed while you are away.
I'm sure kitty will be much happier at home.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I couldn't deal with the stress of leaving mine at home, he'd be miserable.

At the cattery he's checked twice a day, the owners are on site & he can watch the horses being groomed.

[Sparklingbrook]

Some cats are a bit nervous for the first time in a cattery. But they get to know the routine.

Some of them do the thing that DC do when dropped at Nursery then settle in just fine after a little while.

[EachandEveryone]

Are you happy with the cattery itself? If not look for another one. Depends how big her pen is I take her blanket a tshirt I've been wearing and done toys she hasn't seen for a long time. She loves her sparkly wand that the staff are happy to waggle for her. I love that cattery.

So, I'm at the train station and for the first time ever I've left her with a cat sitter twice a day it's cost me a bomb and I've had to pay my neighbour to go in and talk to her every afternoon I bloody hate the thought of her without company and this has been a last resort.

[walkingtheplank]

I'm not sure if I'm happy with the cattery as she's our first cat and I don't know what makes a good cattery.

Our cat was a pregnant stray who was taken in by Cats Protection League and she was cared for at this cattery so my thinking was that this was a place she'd been cared for before and would therefore be less stressed. The owners aren't very talkative but I assume they are animal-people not people-people. The space seems small to me but looking at other local places, this space seems largest and on local forums when people ask for recommendations this is the one that is always suggested.

Our cat doesn't seem stressed to be honest, other than being in carrier.

[pilates]

Cattery, I wouldn't be able to relax and enjoy my holiday if I didn't. We only have one holiday a year so she doesn't go very often. At least they are safe in a cattery. Mine is a particularly good one though.

[EachandEveryone]

Oh that sounds fine then. It was the vets the recommended my cattery. If it's just the carrier I tend to use the Feliway plug in for a couple of days before get the spray for the inside of the box I have a bendy toy that I attach to the handle and leave it out all the time with the door open. There's loads of YouTube videos showing you how to put them into the box. I've never had a cat before either so I'm still learning but that's what I do.

[Kokusai]

Eeeeek I am not sure what to do - cat sitter or cattery.

I'm going away for a weekend and my parents can't come and be 24h cat and house sitters like they have done for my last holiday.

It would be for 4 days - should I get a 2x a day cat sitter or try and find a nice cattery in East London?

4 days seems like a long time to only have a bit of company 2x a day, especially as he sleeps on my bed with me.

[EachandEveryone]

Exactly. Mine does too. I'm away for four days now and have done the catsitter thing but I'm not happy about it. Even though she's lovely.

Can you ring your vet up and ask them to recommend a cattery? If you have a car I use an amazing one in Borehamwood.

[takethree]

Oh, it's such a difficult one.
Our old boy went missing when we had a neighbour popping in, he was gone for 6 weeks and the angst was awful.
Our latest girl goes to a Cattery. We asked the vet to recommend one and the owners definitely prefer cats to humans. She doesn't like it, especially the car journey, but we know she's safe. She was ill once and was taken promptly to the vet.
My argument is that she has the best quality of life for 48 weeks a year and that for 4 weeks she has to put up with the Savoy for Cats.

[ozymandiusking]

Everything Sparkling said, She is really sensible.

[EachandEveryone]

we've all said the same thing!

[Sparklingbrook]

But I am very sensible. And so is Sparklingcat.

[MissHavishamsleftdaffodil]

Love my local cattery. One of my three is an escapologist (they're an indoor breed with an outside run he is a genius at breaking out of at 3am) and I would worry constantly about them left alone more than a couple of nights. When I moved, a few years ago, the new house was gutted inside and they were in the cattery for almost a month which I felt terrible about, but was much better for them than dealing with the stress of workmen and painting and carpets and flooring being put down. They left their calm, usual home and came back into a calm new home with all the familiar furniture etc out. They were fine.

My lot eat fine while they're there, they are safe, they are warm, a good eye is on them and they walk out of their carriers at home and are back to normal in an hour or two. There are varying standards of cattery, you can always look for a posher one if you would feel happier (I admit to being a cattery snob for my pfb cats) but this sounds mostly like your guilt speaking.

[EachandEveryone]

They are opening one of these not far from me. I can't bloody wait for her to try it for a couple of nights (that's all I can afford) www.longcroftcathotel.co.uk/hotel/longcroft-welwyn-hertfordshire/

[Kokusai]

@EachandEveryone OMG the a-la-cat menu!

[EachandEveryone]

I know! I can't work out if the basic price includes them getting fed or not cos the basic price isn't bad or would you feel mean not booking them in for a spa day!

[EachandEveryone]

www.longcroftcathotel.co.uk/cat-hotel-tariff/longcroft-spa-and-a-la-cat-menus/