Cat homestay - does it exist?

[Jennyfi]

We're going to have to go away a few times for the odd night or so, and can't decide what to do with the DestructoKitten. He's a year old and incredibly people-centric. He doesn't really mind who the people are and is just as happy with strangers as with us (disloyal little beggar)

He's ok with catteries, but really wants more one-on-one attention. Is there such a thing as a cat homestay (I know it sounds ridiculous), where he could stay in someone's home as the only cat? Kind of like BorrowMyDoggy, but for cats?

(For info: we've done this once already with DestructoKitten staying with a friend of ours. The cat loved it - not sure about the friend! - but has anyone heard of it being a service actually offered by someone?)

What a fab idea, never heard of such a scheme but it would be great. How about a cat sitter to stay at your house when you're away. Have a look at PetSitters site.

No, you can't be a licensed home boarder for cats.
Anybody operating such a setup would not be insured.

How about somebody who lives in your house?

Why cant someone be a cat boarder, cat protection look for people to foster cats in their own homes and a cattery is just home boarding.

A cat-sitter in our home would be the answer, but I'm a bit too paranoid to be comfortable with that. I don't like the thought of someone having keys and access to the house with us gone, though I'm not sure what I think they're going to do!

I'd love it if somebody actually did cat homestay. I wonder whether other cats are a lot more attached to their territory than DestructoKitten, though. He doesn't care, as long as he's getting fussed

Short term stays in some else's home would be very stressful for most cats. They are very bonded to their home territory and if they escaped they wouldn't know their way back.
A catsitter who comes to your home is a much better option. We always do this, our catsitter comes twice a day to see them if we go away.

You can set up a camera if you're worried about security, we had a live in cat carer when we went away through House Sitters, they are all insured, licensed and checked.

I have visions of seeing the house sitter busily moving all the furniture out into a removal van, while I watch from 100 miles away on the webcam! I think this might be something I'm just going to have to give my head a wobble over, though...

They wont do that, serious wobble time.

Can you take kitty with you, some hotels are cat friendly.

It's not a great idea, the escape risk is always there and most cats don't like to move to a new house for a few days.

Get a trusted catsitter to visit twice a day, unless you're going away for several weeks this will be more than enough. Choose one based on recommendations or from a website like Cat in a Flat; most reputable catsitters are DBS checked and insured etc., and will have reviews from previous customers.

You meet your catsitter first, just make sure you hire someone suitable.
Mine is a qualified veterinary nurse who now works in a nonclinical role and cat-sits on the side. She's insured through Cat in a Flat, who I book through, and I have her full name, photo and phone number. She'd be mad to rob me, even our local police couldn't get that case wrong