Cattery or cat sitter

[OkPedro]

Hi all.. I have an 18month old boy. I would like to go on holiday this year with my two children. However I really don't to leave my cat 😓 I know I'm being ridiculous and I can't stop doing things altogether. Anyway has anyone left their young cat in a cattery or had a cat sitter for a week? My boy is a nervous cat and is unsure of new people and surroundings.. we moved house in October and it took him 6 weeks to settle in, he cried a lot!
Any advice for me? Thanks

Definitely cat sitter

I'm planning on booking a cat sitter for our 10 day holiday this year. My girl is 4 and I don't want to put her in a cattery again as I hate leaving her there every time. It's probably much better for them to stay in their own home where they're comfortable even if you're not there. I keep thinking but what if she gets anxious when we're not there.. and then remember how much more anxious she must be when she goes to the cattery, to whole new environment and being confined to a pen.. and that's after a stressful car journey to get there! I don't think I could do it to her again. At least she can just sleep all day in her cat tree like she usually does

And you're definitely not being ridiculous.. I cried the first time I put my cat in a cattery and couldn't stop thinking about her the whole holiday 😂

Thank you Winnie 😸

@deathofastrawberry
Thank you I would be the same worrying all of the holiday about how anxious he'd be in a cattery, with so many strange noises and other cats!
Do you plan on having the sitter stay over night or just a few day time calls?

Cattery. My pair love theirs. And I'm more relaxed knowing that they are safe.

We're going away for 10 days and using a cat sitter. I'm dreading is as I'm with them more or less 24/7 but my sitter loves them and I know they'll be in good hands. Plus I tell myself they sleep most of the day so should be fine! If you do get a cat sitter I suggest you introduce your cat to them before you go. Maybe even a couple of times.

Cat sitter. Cats are very bonded to their environment so it is less unsettling to keep them at home.
I have ours come twice a day, I found them on Cat in a Flat (obviously met them in person before going away).

Cat sitter, I cry if I leave mine in a cattery. We haven't been on holiday for 5 years because we don't want to leave them if you're getting a cat sitter make sure they're really reputable, you hear awful stories of sitters who go in once a day sometimes leaving them 2 days.

We’ve used both and my cat seemed much happier in a cattery. He hated being alone all day (I have worked from home for 4.5 years, since he was a kitten so he isn’t used to be alone for hours) so the cattery suited him better. He we’ed in the house when we organised a cat sitter which he had never done before.

Cat sitter. We visited a couple of catteries when we got our cat and although they were very nice, I thought the whole concept of keeping a cat caged up was awful.
We usually pay a local teenager to pop in a couple of times a day.
The cat is fine.

I genuinely believe catteries are like torture for cats. They get taken away from their territory, everything smells unfamiliar and they're surrounded by other cats (which they see as very threatening!). We use a cat sitter. Actually gone one step further and use a house sitter now. They stay in your house, keep the cat company, water plants etc. Free for them and you. I use this site: www.trustedhousesitters.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAubmPBhCyARIsAJWNpiNxk7iWWSvReZ4QrigYcx9MBw4SMxWF1pQXgnmNS9iu0I4Ke4j2AwsaAv5pEALw_wcB There are some wonderful house sitters on there. All our experiences have been very positive and my cat has always bonded with them.

Definitely a cattery. I have heard so many tales of cats going missing because their humans disappeared and the routine was disrupted. Leaving both owner and cat sitter distraught.

Sparklingcat likes going and I have to prise her from the owner's arms when I pick her up.

I've used a cat sitter from Cat in a Flat several times and every experience was really great. Meet up with potential sitters before hand, run through routines, likes, dislikes etc. It gives you a chance to see how they interact and get along before you leave them. My sitters always send photos at least once every day and short videos, so I can see what's happening - leaves you free to enjoy your holiday. Most of my sitters have been people who can't have cats for one reason or another but love them to bits. Can't recommend them enough.

Cat sitter. Mine loves cats (she has 12!) and she spends time with my cat and sends me daily updates. He's much happier at home being able to mooch about in his garden and space. He'd hate to be locked in at a cattery, surrounded by the sound and smells of loads of other random cats

Thank you all so much for the replies! It seems it's a mix of opinions re cattery and cat sitters. I'm definitely leaning more towards a cat sitter but a house sitter sounds even better.
I'm in Ireland though so I'll have a look if we have something similar to trusted housesitters.com

Trusted House sitters is international so I'm sure they have sitters in Ireland - or people willing to travel to Ireland

Cats prefer to be in their own territory, so a cat-sitter would be best. I've had many cats over the past 42 years, and always had friends/family, or a paid sitter.

You have to weigh up the pros and cons really.
Cats will generally prefer a cat sitter, as they can stay in their own territory. The con for me was that if they're injured/ill they could be left for 8 plus hours and one of our cats has a condition req medication.
We decided to go for a cattery, which was run by a local vet techm only 5 pens and do dogs, and she could administer medication well.

I think either option could work for you, just make sure you do decent checks and I'd recommend doing a small trial run (try an overnight stay or something)

They are much more resilient than you think. My boys a really anxious cat and doesn't go outside but the cattery sent me regular pics and he came back absolutely right as rain!

We had a stage 5 clinger bengal and he was fine in a cattery. He had horses to look at and gun dogs to sneer at.

Cat sitter, for sure.

Cats aren't dogs - they are very bonded to their territory and environment and like to be where things are "familiar". The only time I would consider a cattery is if I had a cat who needed specific monitoring or medication due to an illness as that way they could get immediate vet care if needed.

I am a cat sitter myself and also use sitters when we go away. I require at least once-daily visits though the vast, vast majority of clients ask for two visits per day.

I charge £8 per visit or £15 for two. I look after cats from six months to eighteen years old and none of them have ever appeared lonely, scared or stressed as a result of being left alone :)

For many cats the 'familiar' includes the people, and once those people aren't around, but other people they don't know suddenly are around in their home and territory they don't like it. It does depend on the cat though.
As I say, I know a few people where they disappear off on holiday and so do the cats causing distress for all.

sparklingbrook That's definitely something to consider.. My boy likes to go outside but hasn't so far gone further than next door but it's possible if someone unknown to him was in our home he could go further.. I can't imagine keeping him indoors for a week!

fairylightsandwaxmelts
When you are away does the cat sitter stay the night? I'm thinking a house sitter who also looks after pets might be the way to go

Thank you everyone for all your replies they've been so helpful

Hi @OkPedro - they don't, but I have three cats so they have each other for company and two are nervous of strangers, so I think having a strange person in their home would make it worse, lol.

I've never done a sitting job just for a cat (but I would!) but I do jobs for dogs when there are cats in the home too :)

We use a cat sitter and pay for two visits a day. I can tell the cat is pleased when we are back but in the summer the cat is out so much anyway and is very happy staying in her territory. Ours is a rescue and i would worry she would think she had been returned to a cat rescue place if she had to go to a chattery