Holidays

**ayeizajedi** · 25th October 2010, 11:22 AM

Hi everyone, just wanted to get some ideas and best practices on dealing with kitty whilst away on holiday.

Were looking at going away for two weeks next year, but now that Schrödinger's with us were trimming that down to a week just incase there is any issues, etc.

This is obviously the first time we've had to arrange something like this and i'd like it to go smoothly for Schrödinger and us.

The ideas at the moment:

Try and organise family and friends to come in daily and spend some time with him, clean, feed him, etc.
Ship him off to a cattery/pet hotel (im not really sold on this idea to be honest).
Use a mobile cattery service, there's a local one that will come in to your house, play with the cat, clean the tray, feed, water, open blinds, turn on lights, that sort of thing.
Never go on holiday ever again

The holiday is still about 5 or 6 months away but I'd like to get a better idea and plan this out properly, maybe a mix of family and friends, possible stay overs, etc.

**Howlinbob** · 25th October 2010, 12:34 PM

If you have some great cat-friendly family or friends, the ideal solution would be asking one of them to actually live in your house for a week. This would be the least stressful option for Schrodo. If that's not possible, then friend/family calling in every day, twice a day, to feed/water/get jumped on. Failing that, a good pet-sitting service. With all of these, at least Schrodo stays in his familiar environment. For that reason, packing him off to a cattery would be last on my list. It's probably the most expensive option too.

**ayeizajedi** · 25th October 2010, 01:13 PM

Just spoken with a friend who thankfully loves cats and they've agreed to house sit for the time where away... GREAT.. think i best start making a "know your maine coon" kit for when they come round

**Howlinbob** · 25th October 2010, 01:49 PM

Great! Best not tell them too much....!!

**ayeizajedi** · 25th October 2010, 01:57 PM

Well at the moment they think there going to get mauled when they meet him, so if there willing now then i think we should be good :D

**sbrown** · 25th October 2010, 03:16 PM

I find with 4 cats holidays are a rare thing for us but when we do go off they are usually cared for my a family member popping in.

**Howlinbob** · 25th October 2010, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by ayeizajedi

Well at the moment they think there going to get mauled when they meet him, so if there willing now then i think we should be good :D

Hehe, maybe he will have calmed down a bit by the time you go away. Just make sure he never learns how to open cupboards.....

**ayeizajedi** · 25th October 2010, 03:59 PM

i know i know, we need to buy some of those child safe plastic locks for the cupboards, i reckon he's about 2 weeks from getting onto the counters as he's started to "climb" up the vegetable rack. he was almost in the oven on sunday night

**Howlinbob** · 25th October 2010, 04:20 PM

Not on the counters yet? Hey, that's impressive! Our 2 little devils soon learned it was a quick leap from kitchen chair to counter before you could say 'Oiiiii!!!!'

**Catlover** · 25th October 2010, 04:23 PM

Hi there
I am dealing with the same problem as you at christmas when we go away for a week. I had planned to use the same cattery as my mother in law uses for her cat as it comes highly recommended (incidentally that cattery is in Slaley, we are quite near you!) but it is unfortunately booked up already! Looks like my mother in law's cat took the last space at the cattery!

So if you do need to go for the cattery option 'Blackburn cattery' in slayley, hexham is apparently very good. The lady spends some time with the cats giving them some attention and as I have said, my mother in law uses it fairly regularly. Oh and I think it costs around about £70/week/cat and a bit less if you have 2 cats sharing an 'apartment'!