What to do with the cat?

[Captain Jack]

Hello,

We have a few holidays booked later this year and we need to do something with the cat. What do people do? Take them to a cattery or get someone to visit the cat at home? I heard catteries can be stressful for the little one but not sure I'd trust a stranger to enter our flat. We don't know anyone around us who would visit the flat every day...

Thoughts?

[mjb]

I used to take the cats down to the parents, but now I get one of my trusted friends to come round and spend time with the cats, top up the dry food+water, give 'em a tinned food meal, etc.

[steve_earwig]

20 minutes a pound plus 20 minutes, gas mark 5... I once took my cat to the catteries when I lived in GB but I always worry it'll be like Stalag Luft whatever it is, "oh yes, we'll take good care of Clara" she says, then stuffs her in a bird cage round the back and feeds her sawdust for two weeks. It's not like they can let your cat run around anyway, imagine 40 of the little buggers all intent on escape and finding their way home. Same with them staying at a friend/relative's, it'll be re-homing all over again there, and again when you get them home. Stuff that. I'm just about to (one delay after another ) move my two cats from my house to my wife's, it's much easier to get someone to come every day and feed them (I had one of my neighbours come feed them while I was away a couple of years back and the daft old bat was trying to feed them cat litter ). There's already two cats here, not to mention three golden retards, my poor Billy's going to have a nervous breakdown, although I reckon Mary'll soon have the dogs running scared

Worst: catteries.
Better: friend/relative's house.
Best: someone comes to feed them.
Perfect: don't go on holiday.

Btw did you enquire how much it costs yet?

[Captain Jack]

Btw did you enquire how much it costs yet?

Yep - £10 a visit... not good, when we are going for 3 weeks in August and 5 days in July...!

[steve_earwig]

I meant for the catteries (it was damn expensive when I did it), I didn't even realise that paying a total stranger to come to your house and feed your cats whilst trusting them not to mess with anything while they're there was even an option. I just thought you had no friends or relatives near and were asking a neighbour

What do I think of that? I suppose I'd find out just who exactly it was doing it, dotty old lady in a Morris Minor yes, anyone else f*ck off with bells on. Unless of course you can move the entire contents of your flat into one room and put 6 padlocks on the door (d'you think I have trust issues?)

[Welly]

I aint got no cats but we did have a rabbit who was great fun (he died last year from fly strike, bastards.)

Anyhoo, connected to my daughters school was an enterprising young girl about 12 years old from a nice family who did a kinda 'Pet Hotel' service or they came to you. Your ideal service would be for a young girl to come to your place with her mum to let themselves in, sort the cat out, and lock up after.

This sounds great but you'll be thinking "where can I find such people?" I don't have the answer but keep an eye on your local free papers and little adverts in the Co-op/Spar shop or Post office that kinda thing.

I live in a little old village so might be spoilt by this kind of community-spirited stuff?

[steve_earwig]

I'm just about to (one delay after another ) move my two cats from my house to my wife's

Phase one complete, they're both crying in the loft here and I'm bleeding from several places

[vision]

20 minutes a pound plus 20 minutes, gas mark 5...

Lol @ Steve, you might find something more interesting than oven roasting here

[steve_earwig]

Ewwww! Don't click that link if you love cats (if you love cat, however...)

[Welly]

NSFW either I'd say