Dcat holiday care dilemma!

[User364837]

I had a post on here a couple of weeks ago about dcat and how she went missing for 30 hours whilst we were away causing me lots of worry!

we’re going away again for 5 days 4 nights end of August and I’m not sure what’s best.

she’s a real people cat and likes to be around us when we’re home.

next time we go :

Option 1 - could do the same as last time with neighbour coming into feed her and shut window overnight (if she’s in). But worried she like go missing again, but then she did come back in the end last time.

option 2 - she could go to my parents house. She lived there for 14 months (she’s 3) up until about 4 months ago. She’d have human company but she wouldn’t be able to go outside for 5 days. As if she did I assume she might be disorientated. Would she remember their house? Or would they stress her. I might worry she’d get out by accident and get lost but then she’d have lovely strokes and cuddles. They’d love to have her.

option 3 - a cattery. Not even sure they’d have space and it’s a tiny bare cubicle with a little outside bit. She’d hate it I’m sure but she’d be safe.

what do you thinks best?

can’t decide if she’d rather be at home but no human company or at my parents with company but not going out and how much their house would feel “new” to her or if she’d remember it.
WWYD?

She should go to your parents house. No reason to lock her in for 5 days surely? Even when I've moved to a new house I let my own cats out after a day. She knows their house and surroundings.

How long are their memories though?
Will she remember their house and area?
ive always kept her in a month when moving to a new place as I thought they are prone to getting lost if you don’t but maybe I’m wrong

I’d find a better cattery that sounds less like a prison .

Yes sadly there was a lovely one she went to once then that closed down. I’ve only used that one the once as didn’t have a good feeling about it.

there is one that sounds lovely and comes recommended but it’s always booked up months in advance and is half an hour drive away

And just to say she was living at my parents because the dc and I had to leave the family home, xH didn’t want her and I was in rented and the landlord said no 😞 but she came back to us when I bought a house

Would you consider a house-sitter?

Possibly, if it was financially viable.

i wonder how she’d get on with that as she’s nervous of new people. But perhaps if they were the only ones here 😆

Our cat used to go to my parents house and be kept indoors when we went on holiday. She wasn't a very "outdoorsy" cat anyway.

I think my parents enjoyed it too as they'd not had a cat for years and missed it so it was a win win situation really

Lots of websites out there. I've just used Cat in a Flat. Didn't have a house sitter, just a lady who can twice a day and everything was brilliant. And I'm REALLY fussy about my cats and often choose not to go away rather than leave them!!!

Could your parents stay in your house with the cat?

I would keep her at home but don't let her outside. That's what we do with ours when we go away and they're normally out during the day.

As a cat sitter myself, I personally hate taking on jobs where the cats are free to come and go, as it just feels too stressful. I worry if the cats aren't there and feel obligated to go back and check - with a window open, I would also worry that the house isn't secure and that something could happen (and be blamed on me).

If she can cope indoors at your parents or at a cattery, she'll be fine indoors in her own home with food, water and company twice a day.

Can you do a test run at your parents for a weekend whilst you can go and pick her up and see how she gets on?

My old cat used to go to my parents or mother in law's when we went away. We even took her with us when we could! The cats we have now have been several times in the past to a cattery like you describe. They survived OK, one was extra clingy afterwards but soon got back to normal. They were closed on certain days for collection though, so we often had to pay for days we didn't need. Plus I felt it was very stressful for them to be surrounded by strange cats.

Now we just leave them at home and shut the rooms we don't want them in. For a weekend we leave dried food in electronic feeders, for longer absences, we have a local family member who comes every couple of days. We figure they are better off in their own environment, although they will miss us. They're not fond of each other but it probably helps to have the other one around.

I'd leave the cat at home.

Your parents house! Your cat will remember them and the home, will have company and relax better.

My little sister's cat used to regularly go to stay with grandma, and my daughter's cat who spent the first 10 months of her life living with me has had several holidays here. Her and my boy cat curl up together on the first night of her stay after a short time getting reacquainted.

I suspect a cat sitter staying at your house would be the best option and likely cheaper than a cattery.

While she might be nervous of a new person, she'll have the safety of her own house.

Thanks everyone, a broad range of opinions!

im erring towards mum & dads I think. I feel like her need for company is greater than her need to roam and hopefully as some have said, she will remember them and the environment

They wouldn’t come and stay here unfortunately, they like their own bed.
and a house sitter would be good but I feel like it would add a layer of stress to our departure (me and 3dc) trying to make sure the house is perfectly visitor ready

She wasn't really missing last time, she just knew you weren't there so found something else to occupy herself!
I'd stick with the arrangement where neighbour feeds and checks on her. Ideally keep window open at all times so she can come and go.
If neighbour is popping in it should be safe, if it's a window away from the street.
Shell prefer that to a cattery or a home she's not used to. She could run away at your mum's and then may be harder to find or she could get lost.

@User364837

im a pet sitter.

I wouldn't care if it looked like a bomb had gone off!

as long as there is either a clean bed made up (or clean linen to make a bed up, or at the very least I know what size bed to bring linen to fit) I can deal with the rest.

@User364837

my cats lived with my parents for a bit too, while. I rented for a few months, then came to my new house, then a year or so later they & I went to live with my parents, it was like they'd never been away! They found it a bit odd that I was there too! But circumstances meant I had to go overseas and I was devastated leaving them, but I knew they were settled & happy at my parents.

previously I'd had various arrangements, someone popping in to feed them, house sitters etc

the only time they were 'off' with me was when I'd taken them to a cattery! & also I was worried one of them would escape and he'd just keep running. (A rescue who didn't like being closed in anywhere). It was a STUPID decision to book the cattery, but seemed the least worst option at the time, for a host of reasons.

If this were my cat, then ideally, a cat sitter who will keep her in and keep her amused. Failing that, parents' house and keep her in (it's only a few days). But I'd want to be 100% sure she wouldn't get let out, if there's even a remote chance that could happen she'd be best at home.

Meanwhile look around for a better cattery for future trips, although the best ones are booked up months in advance. We ended up going away late October last year as that was the earliest ours could be fitted in!

We always used TrustedHousesitters. It’s around £100 annual membership and that’s it. You can have as many sits a year as you like for that.

I find it easier as cat has company, and they usually water plants, take in post and similar.

Thanks all
my mum has said now that if she came there she’d be let out as they wouldn’t be able to keep her in. So I don’t think it’s a good idea and will cause me more worry!