How do we help our young cats cope better with cattery stays

[Jaxhog]

We've just collected our 2 'junior' (20 months old) boys from their first cattery stay. They clearly hated it and hid from the lovely lady who looks after the place; she had to feed them at night or they wouldn't eat. They had their own toys, bed and each other (they are brothers). We've used this cattery for years for all our previous cats without a problem. These 2 cats were rescued farm kittens, but settled into our house without a problem - they are affectionate, inquisitive and very active normally. We feed them during the day with no problem (they ate the same food in the cattery). They also were overjoyed to be home.

My question is, how can we make it a less traumatic experience for them, us and the cattery? Alternatively, how do we choose a reliable cat sitter?

Sounds like you'd be better getting someone to come to your house to feed them etc
Have you got any friends or family that would be willing to pop over and keep them company for a little while each day?

yes I wanted to suggest the same - friends, neighbours or check for professional cat sitters with good reviews. My cats are totally fine when we are away and there's someone dropping in, they would be utterly traumatised by a cattery.

I've used sitters from Cat in a Flat and they're all been really good. You can choose what number of visits a day you want or even overnights.

You could use a cat sitter or the cats may be better on the second cattery visit. I don’t use either (friends or neighbours help out) but my friend cat sits for Cat in a Flat.

Interesting head you say about a cattery. There may be a situation where friends and relatives can’t look after my cat so I’d have to use a cattery. Or cat sitter. My best friend’s cat goes to a cattery and quite enjoys it apparently.

I had to put my little semi feral kitten in a cattery when she was just a few months old and it didn’t go well. I’d usually get my DS to cat sit but he was away and I had minor surgery booked which needed an overnight stay.

I’d used the cattery before for previous cats and know that the owners are lovely but this little one wouldn’t eat or use her litter tray the whole time.

Once we got home she was absolutely fine. I now get DS or one of my friends to pop in to feed her and entertain her a couple of times a day. She’s much happier at home in familiar surroundings with the radio for company. Makes me feel awful though!

If you do decide to use a cattery again, take a couple of unwashed items of clothing of yours to put inside their beds - old t-shirts or whatever. If they can smell you on their bedding it will help them settle.

cats are different, not saying all cats would be traumatised, I'm sure plenty would be fine - mine are just homebodies. And sounds like OPs didn't enjoy it much either, so for her cats, a sitter is probably better.

Could you get someone to come to your house instead? Thst works much better for my cat and it’s cheaper.

I think it depends on the cat. All my previous cats have been quite happy in catteries. But they have only had good experiences of people and just presumed that these new people were the new slaves and would attend to all their needs. However my current cats came from a home where they had been neglected and I think were scared that they were back at the rescue and didn't trust that I was coming back. So have a cat sitter slave who comes twice a day now instead.

That's what I thought would happen. Although we got them from a farm at about 12-14 weeks, they settled in at home almost immediately and aren't particularly bothered by other people. But in the cattery, they hid and only came out at night to eat. It caught me out tbh, as all our other cats have loved this cattery

We did this, along with a bed they like to sleep on and some of their toys.

My DH suspects they thought we had abandoned them there.

We used to use a friend, but she's got a bit infirm so is loathe to do it. No family nearby. It was the cattery lady who suggested a cat sitter might be better for them, as they were just so unhappy there.

BTW, just checked prices, and cat sitters are nearly twice the cost of a cattery in our location. Cattery = £28 a day, Cat sitter = £22 per visit (we'd need two visits).

You can get a house sitter for free. Basically they come and do house and pet sitting in return for a free place to stay. Check out housesitter.co.uk or trustedsitters.com. Choose someone with good reviews and have a zoom call with them before hand

Neither of these sites exist! There is a site called housesitter.com. Did you mean them?

The site is trustedhousesitters

It’s taken years for my girl be confident in the cattery. But they are excellent and I far more relaxed knowing she’s there than at home with a cat sitter.

That's why I've always used this cattery before.