What to do with cat when on holiday?

[bandito]

We have a lovely rescue - had him since November last yr and he is just perfect. In at night, allowed out at day, toilets in the garden, sleeps on our beds, only eats dried food, comes to greet us when we get in from work, really playful and no trouble.

However, aside from the stealth boast I have a problem in that we are going away for a week in the August holidays and I don't know what would be best for him. Ideally someone would come to stay here, let him sleep with them, let him out in the morning and call him in safe at dusk. But I think this is too much to ask - none of my friends or family fancy a free week at my house to pander to the cat. We could send him to a cattery but I am really worried that if he got stressed, his habits might change when we got home, might he start spraying or something unsociable or just do a runner when we got him home?

What do you do with your much loved cats when you go away? We are only going for a week!

Fill up a massive bowl of dried food, a massive bowl of water, leave the cat flap open. Don’t have anyone come in. She eats a live mouse every morning and drinks from the pond anyway.

She’s always pissed off for about an hour when we come back but is then fine!

I've always closed the cat flap when I'm away and pay for a cat sitter to come in twice a day. They get annoyed about being locked in, but it gives me peace of mind. I think they would find a cattery much too stressful and I read it's much better to keep them in familiar environments.

Oh and ask your pet sitter to send photos of your cat during every visit. That way you know they are happy and safe and fed.

If I go away and a member of my family can’t come and stay I use a ‘pet sitter’- by that I mean someone who comes in to feed him twice a day. For me it is much less expensive than a cattery. I’m lucky in that the local pet sitter is one of my neighbours, has a dog walking business and is therefor used to looking after other people’s animals . She is also insured for the fact her business is looking after other people’s house keys.
Before she started looking after my cat she came round to meet him and took notes about his normal behaviour/ eating habits etc. She also checked with me that he was chipped and vaccinated, checked I had insurance for him and also which vet he was registered with. She has contact details for myself and also who to contact in an emergency (although I’ve said just go straight to the vet if needed and I’ll sort it out later if she can’t get in touch with me). She also sends photos of Dcat whilst I’m away.
The longest I’ve left him is 8 days and he was absolutely fine. I didn’t lock the cat flap as he is used to coming in and out as he pleases 24 hrs a day ( another story in itself 😬 ) but the only reason I could do this is because she is so professional and I knew he would be well looked after.
So, in my experience I would choose a cat sitter over a cattery every time but I know it is different for every home/ every cat.

My cat hates being left alone for long periods of time. She goes to stay at my mum's when I am away. She hates the car journey but loves the attention she gets from my mum. I don't know what I would do if she couldn't go to my mum's. She would probably have to go to a cattery.

We are really lucky that DM adores 'the grandkittens' and is always happy to come and stay at ours the whole time we're away.
PIL are also happy to do it if she's unavailable.

If it's only 1-3 nights we leave them with autofeeders, multiple water bowls, and cameras around the house.

My cats (one boy, one girl, both neutered) have been going to the cattery for years and it doesn't seem to have affected them adversely. They seem to fall back into their normal routine as soon as they get home. Much to my chagrin, although they are both very affectionate cats, they never show particular signs of having missed me.

I send our cat to a place with a name along the lines of ‘Sunshine Hillside Cat Spa’. It’s not unreasonable re cost and I know he’s safe there. He is spoilt rotten and the owner updates me via Facebook that he is well.

In answer to your post, it depends what you want really. I send el cato to a cattery because I don’t want him to go missing and I know that I would be on the phone asking for updates, and constantly on edge because he may not come home each night. I collect him from the cattery and then give him enough treats to satisfy my guilt and to buy his love again.

Also.......He hated the cat carrier at first but since we started leaving it open 24/7 he has started spending time in there and doesn’t mind journeys anymore. Husband swears blind that he once saw the cat trying to close the hatch of the carrier voluntarily.