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Where's Best to Leave your Cat When you go on Holiday
Going away on holiday should be a relaxing time for your cat as well as yourself. As a cat owner, it can be really difficult to decide where your cat should stay while you're away and who should be in charge of looking after your precious feline friend.
Your cat's needs will need to be at the forefront of your mind before making a choice. Are they independent or crave the company of others? Are they an indoor or outdoor cat? Are they quite adaptable to change? Do they get on well with other animals?
Cats are creatures of habit, and generally prefer the surroundings of their home, so if possible try to keep them there, either with someone coming to stay or at least checking in on your cat twice a day. By keeping your cat at home, they will feel more calm and won't have their routine disrupted.
Your cat staying at home
When choosing someone to look after your cat, it would be best to ask someone who already knows your cat, or has experience looking after a cat and importantly- enjoys doing it. It's also good to choose someone your cat also likes and is familiar with.
If your cat likes the company of others, then having someone stay would be perfect, if not, at least have them drop by twice a day. They would have to be responsible for feeding, providing water, scooping the litter box, checking for any signs of ill health, letting your cat in or out if they are an outdoor cat and of course interact or play with your cat.
Make sure that you communicate with your cat's carer all their little nuances to avoid further disrupting your cat or inflame anxiety. It's important that whoever if looking after your cat, they keep a close eye on any changes to their behaviour, such as not eating and to take action if need be.
Before you go on holiday, make sure you leave somewhere obvious information about emergency contacts, particularly vet information. In addition leave some unwashed clothes of yours around your house, so your cat can still pick up on your scent and help them feel at ease.
If your cat is going to be mostly home alone, make sure all electrical cords are unplugged and out of reach and that any large items are removed so they don't get knocked over and potentially hurt your cat. Keep your blinds or curtains open so your cat can see outdoors - which will be able to provide them with lots of entertainment. Also, it's important to remember that you need to keep the temperature of the house warm or cool enough depending on the season.
Your cat staying with a friend
If it's not possible for your cat to stay at home, then having them go to stay with a friend is another option. If your cat has proven to be adaptable in the past, then chances are they will cope well being away from you AND being in a strange environment.
In the lead up to you going away take your cat over to their soon-to-be temporary home to see how they react to the new environment and how they interact with other pets and/or children that might be there. Try and do this a few times. Better still, send your cat to stay there a couple of days before you set off, so you can get any reports on how things are going and can make any last minute arrangements if things go pear-shaped.
What about a pet hotel?
If neither of the above options are viable then you could consider a pet hotel. While it can be very stressful for your cat to be in a new environment, with new people - remember that the people who work at pet hotels are professionals who are trained to look after cats and can spot any signs of ill health and stress. And you never know, maybe by the time you return home, your cat will be having a ball!
No matter what option you choose, keep your stress levels down by requesting daily updates via email or text from who ever is looking after your cat. Remember to think about what sort of personality your cat has and consider what the best options for them are. You will have a much more relaxing holiday knowing that your cat is perfectly content.
Your cat's needs will need to be at the forefront of your mind before making a choice. Are they independent or crave the company of others? Are they an indoor or outdoor cat? Are they quite adaptable to change? Do they get on well with other animals?
Cats are creatures of habit, and generally prefer the surroundings of their home, so if possible try to keep them there, either with someone coming to stay or at least checking in on your cat twice a day. By keeping your cat at home, they will feel more calm and won't have their routine disrupted.
Your cat staying at home
When choosing someone to look after your cat, it would be best to ask someone who already knows your cat, or has experience looking after a cat and importantly- enjoys doing it. It's also good to choose someone your cat also likes and is familiar with.
If your cat likes the company of others, then having someone stay would be perfect, if not, at least have them drop by twice a day. They would have to be responsible for feeding, providing water, scooping the litter box, checking for any signs of ill health, letting your cat in or out if they are an outdoor cat and of course interact or play with your cat.
Before you go on holiday, make sure you leave somewhere obvious information about emergency contacts, particularly vet information. In addition leave some unwashed clothes of yours around your house, so your cat can still pick up on your scent and help them feel at ease.
If your cat is going to be mostly home alone, make sure all electrical cords are unplugged and out of reach and that any large items are removed so they don't get knocked over and potentially hurt your cat. Keep your blinds or curtains open so your cat can see outdoors - which will be able to provide them with lots of entertainment. Also, it's important to remember that you need to keep the temperature of the house warm or cool enough depending on the season.
Your cat staying with a friend
If it's not possible for your cat to stay at home, then having them go to stay with a friend is another option. If your cat has proven to be adaptable in the past, then chances are they will cope well being away from you AND being in a strange environment.
In the lead up to you going away take your cat over to their soon-to-be temporary home to see how they react to the new environment and how they interact with other pets and/or children that might be there. Try and do this a few times. Better still, send your cat to stay there a couple of days before you set off, so you can get any reports on how things are going and can make any last minute arrangements if things go pear-shaped.
What about a pet hotel?
If neither of the above options are viable then you could consider a pet hotel. While it can be very stressful for your cat to be in a new environment, with new people - remember that the people who work at pet hotels are professionals who are trained to look after cats and can spot any signs of ill health and stress. And you never know, maybe by the time you return home, your cat will be having a ball!
No matter what option you choose, keep your stress levels down by requesting daily updates via email or text from who ever is looking after your cat. Remember to think about what sort of personality your cat has and consider what the best options for them are. You will have a much more relaxing holiday knowing that your cat is perfectly content.
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