Any top tips for first time in a cattery ?

[hendricksy]

Just that really.

Blankets from your home, a couple of favourite toys, somewhere to hide (igloo) and some favourite brand of food. Oh and vaccinations records.
The cattery where our boy has stayed has toys, pods etc but we felt better with him having some familiar things there.
Also dont worry if cry on leaving your boy/girl there; lots of people do (me) 😊

Ah thanks , yep I'm going to do all that. I have 3 and will no doubt cry 🙈🙈

Ask if they take photos/post on Facebook. Mine does. I love it.

Also worth writing a list in advance if they have any specific likes or habits (e.g. prefer fresh chicken, fish, food chopped up in small pieces, treats crumbled on top etc) as you might forget details once you get caught up in dropping them off. If any of your cats are nervous you could also consider doing a little mini stay before their proper stay so its not so much of a shock for them.

Thank you , I did ask about a mini stay but the owner said it takes cats a few days to calm down so it wouldn't be the best idea as they wouldn't get over the hump as it were . Fingers crossed they are ok 😬😬

I've done a list as one is on medication and the cattery has quite a long form to fill in .

I really didn't write two pages of instructions on how to tell the toddler girls apart!

Be prepared to be ignored on your return

Lol@Toddlerteaplease ... I'm worried they will all hate me when they get back 😥...
also do you let them out straight away when you get home or will they have lost their smell . They were only just 1 so haven't lived here that long .

I let mine straight out. But they are indoor cats and only go into my enclosed back garden.

Our young lad came home from his first cattery stay this morning and he was fine-they said he was really good and pretty laid back (he isn't that laid back at home).
He was straight out the carrier at home tail in the air purring away. I was a bit worried how he'd take it but he doesn't seem traumatised by it!
I did let him out for a supervised sniff around the garden-he's itching to get out now but it's past kitty curfew. I have a feeling there may be a protest poo in the bath in the morning.....

Ah that's good to hear , I hope they don't hate me after 😬

Mine are the complete opposite and are all about the affection when we get back I can't move for falling over one of them!- and they love it at the cattery they go to and have a lovely relationship with the owner.

Trust me, if I could put Fatty and Snorg in a cattery. You can do the same!

Its a shame the cattery doesnt support a mini stay. I guess the benefit depends on your cats temperament, our younger cat is really timid around new people and I do think building her stay up helped her over the inital shock of the strange surroundings.

Even though its never nice leaving them (and our little one cries loudly all the way there in the car, just to pile on the guilt), as long as you are happy they are in good hands just keep reminding yourself they are at least safe and secure while you are away. Good luck!

I felt terrible every time I dropped my cat at the cattery but at least I knew he was safe and looked after. One year one cat ended up in an emergency cattery after an eye issue and the other disappeared for 3 days. I never left them in the care of a neighbour again!

(Our previous cats were fine with our previous neighbour though)

I wanted to try my girls for a mini stay, but it also wasn't allowed, for the same reason. But the difference in the photos from last year and this year was amazing.

To be honest, if my lovely cattery lady hadn't allowed the inital short stays I dont think I would have booked with her at all. Part of her being able to understand our worries showed she was the right one for us.

Mind you, if she'd have known then what a mini drama queen our youngest cat is, she'd probably have refused us too!

They went and it was fine and are now home . After a bumpy first few hours they have been super affectionate so it's a win !!
It's nice to go on holiday and not worry they aren't safe so it's great to know we can pop them in there and go away again.