One of the reasons why many cat owners hesitate to get a purring pet is the inability to leave the animal while they go away.
Every year people travel more and more often. Of course, there are cats that don't mind traveling with their owner. But still, such behavior is not typical for these animals.
Not all airlines are willing to accept cats on board. In addition, animals often get seasick when traveling and do not tolerate the road well. Transportation requires a lot of information. As a result, the owner understands that it is better to go on a trip alone and leave the pet for foster care.
There are several options for where to place your cat while you're away. And in each case there are pros and cons.
“In your own home, even the walls help”
You can leave your pet in your apartment and hire a “cat sitter”.
This will be a comfortable option for your pet, because... separation from their usual territory is a strong stress for cats. The cat will not be able to completely avoid the stress of separation from you, but the nervous tension will be smoothed out by its presence in its native walls among familiar things, sounds and smells. You ask a neighbor or a special “cat sitter” to live in your house or come to your apartment twice daily to feed the cat, clean the litter box and interact with the animal.
It is necessary that this is a reliable person, otherwise your cat risks going hungry, and something valuable may disappear from the apartment.
“You can never do too much for a devoted friend” (Henrik Ibsen)
Reliable friends and loving relatives will certainly agree to adopt your pet. Most likely, you will not have to pay anything and your beloved cat will be properly taken care of. To prevent overexposure from causing stress, it is better if the cat moves to a new place with its own food dishes, sleeping place and toys.
In reality, situations may be different. If your friends and family don't have pets, having your cat may cause them inconvenience and stress. Friends may not know how to properly treat an animal or how to react to its antics. As a result, the animal can be fed incorrectly and cause health problems.
Allergies can often be the reason for refusal to keep your pet. In addition, your friends and relatives may not like cats in principle and treat your pet rudely.
If your friends or family already have another pet, it is unknown whether the pets will get along. During territorial disputes, your cat may be physically or psychologically harmed.
How and where to leave a cat while on vacation?
Summer has come and you are dreaming about vacation. Sea, beach or forest and river, noisy company or peace and quiet - it doesn’t matter, you’ve been waiting for this all year. But your dreams may not come true because of a small obstacle - your beloved cat, which you don’t know what to do with during your vacation. Wait to be upset, let's look at possible options for saving your vacation.
Holidays with a cat.
For many animal lovers, this is a completely acceptable option. There are now hotels that accept pets. True, the cost of such a vacation will increase somewhat and there are some restrictions on the animal’s stay in the room, but all issues can be resolved. Take care of vaccinations and veterinary certificates in advance, think about moving or flying with an animal, purchase tickets and that’s it.
The advantage of such a vacation is that your cat is next to you, under supervision, and you don’t have to worry: how is he doing? Is everything okay? Aren't you bored?
The downside is that such a vacation is more likely for extreme cats.
If this option doesn’t suit you, well, let’s think further.
Outside help.
You can turn to relatives, friends or neighbors for help and ask them to visit the cat, feed it, play and talk, and clean the litter box. It is important that these will be reliable and responsible people who can be trusted with your pet for a while. It’s good if these people often come to your house, this means that the cat knows them and is not afraid.
By the way, do you know what cats are really afraid of?
Purchase food in advance for the entire time of your absence and even a little more, stock up on litter for the tray, and most importantly, tell in detail and write instructions for the future curator on how to feed, water, what to do if the cat gets sick or shows aggression.
Be sure to write, because everything said is forgotten.
You can even offer a small reward or counter-service in exchange for their help. This is probably the best option possible - the cat is in his own territory, stress is minimal for him, he is looked after, and you are calm.
Temporary relocation.
If for some reason you do not like the presence of strangers in your home, try to negotiate for the cat to move to the house of friends or relatives. If someone agrees to take a cat while you are away, try to visit this person and your pet in advance. And take a closer look at how the cat behaves. Of course, the first time he will experience fear and anxiety, he may even show aggression, but if everything goes more or less successfully, then you can transport the cat to a temporary place of residence.
As in the first case, you will have to provide food and litter for the cat’s entire stay, do not forget to provide a tray and bowls with you, and also be sure to provide toys and something that will smell like you.
If none of your friends or relatives agrees to take your pet for a while, look on cat websites for information about temporary foster care. There are people engaged in such activities. But in this case, be extremely careful, collect as much information as possible about such a person; unfortunately, sometimes a flayer can hide under the guise of overexposure.
Let's go to the rooms.
A good way out of this situation is a hotel for animals. Although not the cheapest. This option has both undeniable advantages and disadvantages.
Let's start with the pros:
Hotels for animals are opened by people with extensive experience in keeping animals.
Your cat is handed over to professionals who can confirm their status. When handing over a cat, an agreement on the provision of paid services is concluded, you will be sure that you will pick up the pet without any problems.
Legal responsibility for the animal in the hotel lies with temporary guardians, provided that this clause is specified in the contract. This means that if something goes wrong, there will be someone to file a claim with.
In hotels, animals are kept in enclosures, that is, the cat will not run away and will be safe.
Animals without vaccinations and in rutting condition are not accepted for temporary housing. The risk of infection and illness in a cat is minimal.
Often hotels are opened by people associated with veterinary medicine or on the basis of a veterinary clinic. Therefore, if your pet has any chronic diseases (CMD, diabetes) and he needs to constantly take medications or perform medical procedures, everything will be done by professionals. Well, for a fee, of course.
Now the cons.
Most often, the enclosure is designed for several animals, so the cat will be housed with partners, and this is not always good. You will not be sure that the cats will find a common language and will not fight.
Care, feeding and treatment of animals does not take into account individual needs. Even if they assure you that they find an approach to every pet, this is not so. An exception is a hotel designed to accommodate several animals.
In a hotel, the cat experiences stress and lack of communication.
Important! Modern hotels offer the service of equipping the enclosure with a webcam. Do not refuse, because at any time you will be able to see your pet and check in what conditions it is actually kept.
Before concluding an agreement with a hotel, carefully inspect the premises, enclosures, walking areas, and try to ask in detail about the maintenance and care of animals. Don’t be shy, look and ask questions, your peace of mind on vacation and the health of your pet depend on it.
Whatever option you choose, remember that the main thing is the health and safety of your pet. And be sure to take into account his character and habits. Have a nice holiday.
Consultant of the online store Samizoo.ru Anton Koteikin.
Keeping a cat in an apartment
Many apartment owners make money by fostering pets. Leaving a cat in such an apartment is usually cheaper than in a special hotel for animals, so many cat owners agree to this option.
However, there are certain disadvantages to such overexposure. Apartments for keeping animals are not subject to registration and are essentially an illegal business. It is impossible to conclude an agreement with the owner of such housing and guarantee any compensation in case of harm. The owners of such apartments do not bear any responsibility.
In such apartments there is no video surveillance, and the owners can only provide photo and video reports, from which it is difficult to understand how your beloved pet actually lives.
Several dozen cats often live in animal care apartments. Pets are forced to live in cramped conditions. Sanitary cleaning is not always carried out properly, since apartments are usually filled with furniture. Even if cleaning is carried out, the quality of disinfection remains in doubt.
Often, the owners of such apartments do not require a veterinary passport or a certificate of animal health. As a result, sick and healthy individuals can be nearby. It is not uncommon for pets to become infected with plague after staying in foster care in such apartments.
Since the area allowance per animal is not always respected, fights often occur between pets, and your cat may get hurt and even die.
It would be a good idea to read reviews about foster care apartments in advance before you risk leaving your beloved pet there.
Apartment foster care for a cat during the holidays
Apartment foster care is a temporary home for a cat, which is provided by the owner of the premises. A person takes care of the animal while the owner is away for a fee. The price for such a service is often less than in specialized hotels.
During the holidays, the animal can be given to a special nanny
It is also better for the pet to stay in its usual home conditions, however, this service also has its disadvantages:
- lack of a legal contract for the provision of services and compensation for possible damage;
- There are often a large number of animals in foster care, which can cause injury or transmit various infections to the pet.
The pet can be surrendered or placed in a shelter for a while
Important! That is why you should contact specialized centers that care for animals.
In this way, the owner can significantly protect his pet and make sure that he does not pick up any infection.
Hotels for cats
Zoological hotels for keeping animals have mandatory registration.
Such buildings are usually located away from residential areas, surrounded by a fence and have security. Reception times for visitors are agreed upon in advance. It happens that a hotel promises comfortable conditions, but in practice it is a real prison for animals with cramped cages, without proper feeding and care. Therefore, you need to choose a hotel for your tailed friend in advance, based on reviews and advice. Before giving your pet for foster care, be sure to personally come on a tour to the cat hotel and get all the necessary information.
The premises for cats and dogs should be separate with different entrances so that barking guests do not interfere with meowing ones. Spacious enclosures house 2-3 animals. There is usually a separate area for walking.
In such hotels, as a rule, cleanliness and order are maintained, the air is at a comfortable temperature and humidity. The floors are lined with easy-to-clean material. The pet hotel staff takes into account the feeding habits of your cat. You can pay for treatment if necessary.
To leave a cat in such a hotel you will need a veterinary passport, bedding and toys. Your pet will be examined, and a foster care agreement will be concluded with you, which will indicate the rights and obligations of the parties.
The hotel for cats Cat Lounge has comfortable and cozy rooms, environmentally friendly wood filler and bottled water. The rooms are cleaned regularly. We feed according to the schedule that the animal is accustomed to at home, and it is also recommended to bring food with you, but in case this is not possible or the food brought runs out during your stay, we have premium food available.
In our hotel, after each guest checks out, his room is washed with special means and the room is quartzed.
The hotel has 24-hour video surveillance, so you can always see your pet - everything is at your fingertips. Hotel staff are always in touch and ready to answer your questions via WHATSAPP. At your request, games and communication are held with the pet. The cost of the room is only 490 rubles. per day. Reservations can be made by phone or directly at the hotel. Our pet hotel also provides - we will carefully pick up your cat directly from your home and carefully deliver it to our hotel.
Each animal has an individual approach. Friendly staff and a comfortable environment will help your tailed pet survive your departure safely.
Comfort, coziness and safety of pets
The above conditions for keeping cats are ensured by the availability of a number of services at the hotel:
- Timely feeding, according to your wishes. Of course, you know better how a cat should eat and what he likes.
- Constant availability of clean filtered water.
- Regular cleaning of the cat's area, cleaning the tray and preferably quartzing, preferably 2-3 times a day.
- Affection and the opportunity to play if the pet is in the mood for fun.
- The ability to communicate with other representatives of the cat family, without direct contact.
- Possibility of accommodating several cats in one room. Pets should not be separated, they will start to feel sad.
Of course, cat owners have quite exaggerated requirements, but there are hotels that are ready to comply with them. This is the “Cat is Love” hotel. You can leave your cat with us during your vacation in Moscow. All that remains is to understand whether we meet the other criteria listed above.
