Rescue cat seems upset on return from cattery

[Cleanmean]

Our rescue cat has been with us about 6 months now, we were on holiday recently and put him in a cattery. All seemed well, the cattery owner said he was absolutely fine. Since coming home he seems confused and on edge. When he first came to us it took him some time to feel safe and not be jumpy all the time, but he seems to have regressed a bit. He's had lots of attention and strokes (he's told us to stop a few times!) And he's had treats and we've left his fave spot by the fire free for him to use. He's been around the house smelling everything but is very jumpy and unable to relax - he used to sleep at least 20 hours a day. Is there anything else we can do to get him to forgive us for going away?

Kitty has abandonment issues I have one like this sold from original owner as a kitten to his forever home she put him up for free on Facebook at 5/6 months old came to my house reunited with his litter brothers who smelt different as they had been castrated within a week he was stabbed and snipped the poor thing hyperventilated every time I had to bring him to the vets so we condensed visits and he gave him longer examined him on the desk as opposed to the actual exam table etc 🤣 he gets super anxious if I go out I get greeted with many many tail jiggles and then he hides for a few hours traumatised because I've been out and come back

It's sad for them

When we put our request into a cattery we chose a highly recommended one. We sent a blanket from home (and more importantly her younger un-rescued brother :-) )
Then when we got home we kept the blanket and the cat carrier out a day before we washed it/put it away. We made sure she had the same food as at home too.
We have a felliway for her brother (covid kitten) which I assume that helped her too. We also fussed her but gave her her own space. After a day she had settled back at home. For us having a stranger in her house would stress her out more.
I'm glad lovely cat is calmer today x

@dancemom

There's websites where people actually come and stay in your home while you're away so your pets have company.

This is what we do, because I'm pretty sure our lad wouldn't cope with a cattery - he's also ex-rescue. The first few years we got someone in to feed him twice a day, but he was clearly bored silly as an only cat who's used to having people around (I wfh even before the pandemic). So we joined Trusted Housesitters and the experience has been pretty good. It's not the cheapest, but the higher price does tend to deter less experienced sitters. DCat spends the first day a bit freaked by the new can opener, then works out they must be ok if they give him food and by the end of the holiday he's best friends with them all. We still get ignored when we come back though - it's like he has to punish us for being such bad cat slaves.

My two don't do Leaving the House.

Whenever we came back from holiday, they were more pissed off that they didn't have their 'friends' visiting again. As soon as our friends came round again, as soon as they were outside the front door, both cats were waiting - to lead them back to the cat food cupboard.

Treacherous beasts.

Another vote for a housesitter - After a couple of times using an excellent cattery and coming home to a depressed cat, we started getting live-in housesitters.

I use trustedhousesitters.co.uk - the yearly membership costs what a week in a cattery would cost, and we've had brilliant housesitters - they stay for free!

Each time we have come home to a clean home and a happy cat!! We have a big garden that needs watering as well, there is someone to make the premises look occupied, it's a win-win.

Cattery always a traumatic experience for animals especially if they’ve been on similar surroundings like a rescue shelter

My dog is always stressed going to and from kennels - they get walks and stuff but are basically imprisoned. We get dog sitters now. I think that route would be far nicer nor cats who are less needy anyway.

My cats were rescued and I always left thin with a seven day feeder and a neighbour to poo their head around every couple of days