Going On Vacation

[lookitsria]

Has anyone ever rented a house for a week and brought their cat with them? I don't live too far from the Jersey Shore and was thinking of renting a house for a week and taking the kitty with me. Would love to hear others experiences if you've done this?

 

[Kieka]

It really depends on the individual cat. I have a friend who house sat all the time, he lived with his parents and would house sit for friends or relatives for free just to be in a place on his own for a few days. I think he ended up spending maybe one week out of three at his own place. He took his cat with him to every new place he stayed. If the homes pets were fine with his cat, she'd get free range. If the homes pets weren't good with his cat, he'd keep her just in the bedroom. Whichever way it went, his cat was mellow and relaxed about the whole thing. But she had been doing the frequent moving and exposed to other animals since she was a kitten. I know the existing animals is a non-issue in your situation but the underlying principle is about the same.

Assuming the rental allows pets, how does your cat handle strangers? Trips to the vet? If you've moved, did she settle quickly? How does she handle change?

If she is good with all of the above, she probably will adjust well to the change of scenery. If she isn't, I'd get a pet sitter for the week to minimize her stress at the situation. If you were talking several weeks or months it would be worth it because she'd have time to settle. But just a week would be too little for a nervous cat to really feel comfortable in my opinion. If it was me, I'd consider taking two out of the three cats in our home. But that third cat just would not have it and would struggle too much.

 

[lookitsria]

So I just have 1 kitty - Sasha. She will be 1 in May. She is very very shy around strangers. If I have company over, she will run and hide until they leave but as soon as they do, she comes out and is fine with me. For that reason, I think a petsitter wouldn't be great because she wouldn't get any interaction. They'd just put food out and leave, basically. When I got her, she was scared and shy and didn't come out of her "room" for a few days and would explore at night when it was quiet and she was alone. I think with me there she'd be okay- maybe just scared the first day. *I* would really like to get away but I am worried about her. I think boarding her somewhere wouldn't be good because she will be afraid of new people and other cats.

But I'm also thinking... I can't NOT ever go on vacation again! lol What to do.. what to do..

 

[Furballsmom]

You could have a prospective sitter come over and spend some time with treats with Sasha, and a week isn't that long for her and some toys to play with.

 

[mazie]

Don't entertain the thought of NEVER going on another vacation because you have a cat, that would be silly!! My only concerns are, how many hours on the rode would be until you reach your destination and then making sure she does not dart out of the door of the house/cabin when you open the door. Is Sasha comfortable wearing a harness so that you can sit outside and take short walks with her on the beach or wherever. I can understand your apprehensiveness. I used to have a cat sitter, so getting away was no problem in the past. Now, I take Katy to the "Pet Hotel" in the Pet Smart where my son and his wife take their dog when they have to be away. They do a great job taking care of dogs/cats and Katy came away from that stay unscathed! As you can see, there are options, you just have to choose which will work best for you. Let us know what you decide, and of course, GO and HAVE FUN P.S. I WILL use Pet Smart again!

 

[abby2932]

My biggest fear in that situation is if the cat accidentally got out of the house or escaped while on vacation. She would not know her surroundings at all and the likelihood of finding her would probably be slim, especially since you're going back home within 7 days and would not be around the area to continue searching if she wasn't found.

I think a pet sitter while on vacation is fine, even though she is shy. She will be in her home in a surrounding that she knows and is comfortable in. Your pet sitter will make sure she has food and a clean litterbox. She will be fine for the 7 days you are gone. I would never recommend boarding cats.

**Edited to add that I'd never recommend boarding cats if they don't enjoy it or seem uncomfortable. Some cats do fine with it but many would prefer to be in their own home.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I would personally go with the pet sitter option. I am using a new house sitter this summer and have already scheduled dates for her to come spend time with the girls before we go away. For us this is also helpful because my girls are on medications. I also have my mother as "backup" if anything should go wrong.

I used to hire younger siblings of my friends and every time they warmed up to the new person within a few days. You would be with her on your trip; but you aren't going to stay in the house for the entire vacation. It wouldn't be much of a vacation if your going to feel guilty and spend it all at the house. At home she would stay surrounded by scents and things she is familiar with. Some cats resist even their water being changed because it can taste different in one place vs another. I like to leave out some shirts or pajamas that I've worn. I put them in the places my girls like to nap.

You could also get some special toys; like feather wand toys, for the pet sitter to get out while they are there. Something like this might entice her to play. Since my girls are seniors they don't care so much about the play time. (And they had each other as kittens.) So I've told my house sitters they are welcome to just sit and watch tv or hang out. We work out how long they should stay for each visit. (Because they can't eat too soon after they get their meds.)

Good luck with your decision!

 

[aliceneko]

Do you have any neighbours that can pop in to stroke and cuddle your cat whilst you're away? I'm fortunate to have quite a cat friendly neighbourhood, so have a few neighbours who have offered to "cat sit" my two whilst we're away, so if you know people who would be willing, it would be a good idea to ask them. Or perhaps you have a relative who lives alone or who has a lot of time and wouldn't mind looking after your cat? My godmother takes her two cats to her mother as she is elderly and lives alone, so enjoys some feline company for a few weeks.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I have traveled with my cats in hotel rooms many times. I bring a kitty playpen (Pet Gear makes a nice one) and I prefer hard-sided carriers if traveling for more than a few miles. I bring food and water dispensers as well, so I can go about my business around town. I leave the Do Not Disturb sign on the door. I think you will enjoy your vacation more if your kitty is with you.