House move cattery anxiety!

[KittenKaboodle]

We are moving house soon. The new house is 90+ mins drive away from our current home. To avoid the stress and chaos of packing/unpacking, we’ve decided the least worst option for our cat is to put her in a cattery near to the new house for a few days.

She has never been in a cattery before. She has also never lived anywhere but our street (born in a neighbour’s garden and lived on her wits for a couple of years before she moved in with us). She is not at all keen on other cats.

We found a couple of really lovely, small catteries near our new house, but they are fully booked the week of our move. The only available space is in a large cattery, which is licensed for 50 cats. They are almost full too, so it will be really busy and I doubt she will get much attention.

The cattery has universally good reviews, but I wonder if putting her in such an environment is a terrible idea. Are we setting her up for a really awful experience that will cause her huge amounts of stress and make the move from an area she’s known all her life to a strange place, even worse?

I’m not really sure we have an alternative (friends and family either can’t help or are too far away), but I guess I’m looking for someone to tell me to get a grip and stop worrying, or to get a grip and find that alternative…

the harsh reality is she probably won't love it but she will be safe.

You may be shunned on collection but she will get over it. We did the same when we moved house and she survived.

Oddly enough she didn't look back and settled into the new house with no trouble. The dog was a basket case.

Good luck

You have my sympathy.
If they have good reviews - then I wouldn't worry too much. If it's the only option you have then your cat will be fine.
Moving is pretty much always stressful for them. My cat hid under my bed anytime I wasn't with him for 3 weeks after we moved!

Thank you both. I know that either way she is going to be stressed and unsettled, but I just don’t want to make it worse than it needs to be. You are absolutely right that she will be safe and that’s the most important thing.

I’m worrying more about the cat than anything else connected to the move!

My cattery can have 100 cats at the busiest times. My cat has been at those times and they always have stories to tell about him and know exactly what he's eaten and what he's been up to. Usually mischief! It's not his favourite place, but as far as he's concerned he gets unlimited treats for a while and then gets to come home.

It really helped me to read about how cats experience time. They don't have any concept of much beyond "now" and possibly "soon". They don't realise how long you've been gone for, day and night mean very little to them.

Mine spends a day or two hiding away and only eating at night before settling into things. Again, it's not his favourite place, but I'm reassured knowing he's safe and cared for. They up their staff for busy times and honestly seem to know my boy really well. If you can find a cattery that you trust, it really will be fine.

I have one cat who doesn't care about being in cattery and just sits and watches the birds.

And the other goes straight under a blanket and stays there for the whole stay. Well she does come out to eat but the cattery owner never sees her.

However, this is by far the least worst option for her when we go away. If we leave her at home without us she goes completely nuts and we will still be trying to sort out her bladder issues months later.

So no, I don't think your cat will 'like' it. But sometimes they just have to be safe.

We put our cat in a local cattery and went back for her after a few days in the new house. Could you look at catteries near where you live now?
Our puss is also not keen on other cats, but got on fine at the cattery where the staff gave her lots of fuss and licky liks.
It certainly was one thing less to worry about and she settled in no problem after we kept her in for 3 weeks.

Thanks everyone, this is reassuring to read. Helpful to hear from others you’ve had good experiences with large catteries. I had a dream last night that we turned up to drop her off and it was basically just cats shut in their carriers in a big field, so you can see I am over-processing this!!

It sounds like I need to accept that she won’t be very happy with us for a while, but if it’s the best, safest option for her, then that’s the right decision.