Looking after cats whilst on holiday

CDaniels1987

Me and my wife are supposed to be going away for 2 weeks at the end of May and were now starting to stress about what to do wih out cats, in the last few years they have gone down to my mums and she's looked after them, however that's not possible this year as she has moved to a smaller apartment and already has a cat of her own and her cats is like 17.

One of our cats is extremely timid and only trusts my mum, she would not cope in a chattery so that's not an option, we don't get get on with the neighbours and don't have any close friends nearby..... The only option we have is what my mum has suggested and that's she comes and stays here and brings her cat with her, however what concerns me is the age of her cat and the stress it might bring to her by bringing her to a new house for 2 weeks, it also doesn't help that my cats don't get on with her cat, however it wasn't so much of a stress for hers before as she was in her own environment.

Would this idea be a good idea? Or is there anything else that anyone can think of, we would hate not to be able to go away just because we have no one to look after our little cats.

Thanks in advance.

KateBob

Have you checked for any professional pet sitters near by?

This would depend on how you feel about your cats spending most of their time alone with someone coming in to check on them once or twice a day.

~Chameleon~

If she came to stay at your house would it not be possible to keep the cats separate? Maybe her cat could have the run of the upstairs floor whilst your cats remain downstairs?

CDaniels1987

I haven't been able to find a pet sitter, also I'm not sure how comfortable I would feel with a stranger coming into the house, also with how timid out one cat is, not sure it would work, if anyone comes round she will stay under the sofa until that person goes apart from my mum.

I did think of the upstairs/downstairs thing, however with the layout of our house it would mean our cats would be locked in the living room the whole time, which I feel maybe a bit cruel.

I just don't know what to do, my mum staying is the ideal solution but I do worry about her cat being moved around with her age etc.

~Chameleon~

CDaniels1987 wrote: »

I did think of the upstairs/downstairs thing, however with the layout of our house it would mean our cats would be locked in the living room the whole time, which I feel maybe a bit cruel.

But surely they wouldn't have to be locked in there all the time? Your mum could keep the cat upstairs in her room whilst your cats have some free time and vice versa. Surely that's better than the alternative of going to a cattery and being enclosed in an unfamiliar small run?

I'm sure your mum's cat will spend most of her time asleep anyway if she's anything like my elderly cat.

22cuddles

I use a professional pet sitter, she's fantastic. Half an hour visit for every day you're away. Might be worth you having a look in your yellow pages for someone.

jackieblack

Could your Mum's cat go to a cattery?

~Chameleon~

jackieblack wrote: »

Could your Mum's cat go to a cattery?

At 17 years old? I wouldn't have thought so, especially if she's never been to one before. It would be far too stressful. She may not be familiar with their house either but at least she'd be with her owner.

I recently left my elderly cat (22) with one of my son's whilst on holiday. She'd never been to his house before but she settled very well as he was familiar to her. She spent much of her time asleep on his bed.

~Chameleon~

22cuddles wrote: »

I use a professional pet sitter, she's fantastic. Half an hour visit for every day you're away. Might be worth you having a look in your yellow pages for someone.

So the cat spends 23.5 hours alone every day? I couldn't do that to my cat.

Slinky

Could a neighbour visit your mum's cat at her home whilst she looks after yours? I'm sure it would be less stressful for the cat to remain in her own home even if the visitor feeding her isn't familiar.

CDaniels1987

Yeah definatley not a good idea putting my mums cat in a cattery that wouldn't be fair. The keeping them apart upstairs and downstairs may actually work, especially as my mum does not work so she would be in most days.

I might also ask of there's anyone who could feed my mums cat that may also work.