Boarding Poll

Hi everyone, back in march or april i posted about boarding stoli and luxor in a cats only facility......

well, we got to thinking that maybe we could work it out so they can stay home, short of not going.

if they stayed home, they'd be confined to two ABSOLUTELY cat proofed rooms with food, litter boxes, cat tree, water etc...... and my nextdoor neighbor would come over twice a day to feed them and clean their boxes. but the stipulation would be that she had to put them back in the rooms (together) before she left.

my concern is that they would try to get out and the 'stranger' wouldn't be able to get them to come back in. I also want to do what is the least stressful for my cats - especially stoli. He is so anxious all the time when something isn't routine.

I also don't want them to get sick from other cats.
Of course I could not go to Las Vegas, but that really isn't THAT much of an option.

We will be gone from Early Monday morning to Late Friday night.

what do you think?
1. board them, they'll have 24 hour supervision
2. keep them home in cat proofed rooms with someone coming over to feed and clean them
3. keep them home and have free reign of the house, they won't get outside, you are being paranoid.
4. are you kidding? you can't take a vacation with kitties, STAY HOME

I think at home is the best option. Once of the two is an escape artist, right? I would keep them in the cat proofed room. Or....do you have a downstairs you could keep them in? I would just keep as many doors between them & outside as possible.

It would a lot less stress if you kept them at home and had your neighbor take care of them. Cats don't like change so they would be better off staying at their own home. It is up to you whether you can trust your neighbor or not.

yeah, i can trust my neighbor.....i can't keep them downstairs because it is open and it opens up to the great outdoors.....

they would be in our bedroom and their room as there's a cat door inbetween.....

and i do mean cat proof....

Hmm, I didn't vote because we fall somewhere in between... Bird stays in the kitchen/sunroom/diningroom by herself and the other 3 have (almost) free reign of the house, but the doorknobs all have coathangers on them, or are propped open so they can't get shut in a room and they are shut out of the playroom and my daughter's room. We also have 2 places for food and water, in case someone gets ugly about it , and anything that looks like it might be trouble for a bored cat cooped up in the house (mine are in/outs- for good reason ) gets put away, and if we are gone more than 2 nights, then someone comes and checks food, refreshes water, and scoops and attempts to count heads. Now that Bird has thyroid problems and has to be medicated 2 times a day, they will get lots of company when we're gone...

well it sounds like you still would have someone come over - so i'm counting your vote as have a neighbor come over

I voted, but I didn't really see an option I liked.

I would leave them at home, but I'd never confine my cats to just one room.
But mine never show any interest in the outside.

Is there a way they could have access to more than one room?

i said that they'd have two rooms, there's a cat door between the two rooms.

I'm sorry, I don't know how I missed that.

So if I COULD I'd change me vote to "keep them home in cat proofed rooms with someone coming over to feed and clean them"

i just am thinking it may be the least stressful thing. they'll have over 200 square feet to play in. . .that's not including 'air' travel and the cat tree~

My mom boards her two indoor/outdoor cats, and says it works well for them. They've boarded as long as two weeks while my mom & stepdad where in London.

I choose to board them, and I wanted to choose stay at home, who needs a vacation. I would rather stay at home, but got to give in to family time.

ETA-I don't want anyone in my home while I am gone, although it is the best option if the person is trustworthy.

I absolutely hate boarding my cats and dog.

I hated boarding at first... but then I found a place that really caters to the cats. The cats get to roam in a room with cat condos and a TV unlike the other place that had them in cages (I was a first time boarder then). Also, Luna seemed happier. They also didn't mind me calling more than once during the stay to see how she was doing. The other place didn't seem so accomodating. Also, the place that lets the cats roam is much more personal and the workers are so sweet as far as scheduling is concerned.

Originally Posted by Renovia

well it sounds like you still would have someone come over - so i'm counting your vote as have a neighbor come over

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Okay- I voted that .

I've never heard of a boarding place that has 24 hour supervision, but perhaps some of them do. I think that either boarding or keeping them at home in the two rooms would be ok. I boarded my previous cat, Moe Kitty, at our local vets office on occasion and they adored him. Of course, Moe was adorable. He never met a stranger. I also have a friend who is a cat sitter. She goes to people's houses and checks on their cats, feeds them, etc. when they are out of town. If your friend is reliable this might be a good option.

It depends on how much you trust your neighbour and what boarding facilities you have available. I go for the boarding option because I use an excellent boarding cattery and am very happy with the care and attention they get there, and I know they're safe. I've heard a lot of horror stories re cat sitters so I'd be very hesitant about using one, although I'm sure there are excellent ones. A potential problem with using a neighbour is that they won't be insured or anything so you have to make a judgement on how well they will do the job. If you feel your neighbour will take it seriously and go out of her way to do exactly what you ask her to do at the times you ask, then I'd go with the neighbour option.

I voted for boarding because that is what I did the last two times I was away. But I would really prefer to keep them at home if there was someone I really trusted who would live in, which is what I had in Bosnia. My boarding facility is very good, and does have 24 hour attendance, and a wonderful grooming/vet exam parlour. They are also breeders of Birmans and Chartreuse cats, so they know their stuff. If I am only away overnight, then I leave them at home with two locked doors between them and the open.

Originally Posted by GingersMom

My mom boards her two indoor/outdoor cats, and says it works well for them. They've boarded as long as two weeks while my mom & stepdad where in London.

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are any of your cats as anxious as stoli? i'm just basically worried about him

Originally Posted by Renovia

are any of your cats as anxious as stoli? i'm just basically worried about him

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They aren't mine, they are my mom's. She has two, both moggies. A small female named Smudgekins who is a bit nervous and not a very friendly kitty, and a big old black tom (forget his name, he's relatively new, a former stray) who is a total lovebug.

She has told me that she has fewer issues when she comes home after boarding them than she did before having someone come by the house. they seem to feel less "abandoned" I guess.

Instead of giving her attitude for having left them, they are happy to see her and to come home.

I've offered to care for them, but she says no, she prefers the kitty kennel at this point.

b/c it's 5 days, I voted for keeping them in cat-proofed rooms.

I am going away for 4 days in July and my mom has so graciously accepted to take care of my two fur children. She is a dog person, but she knows how much I love these kids and she will take very good care of them. She has been in the house before to feed them if I work late so they are familiar with her. That's important too...that your neighbor come over a few times so your cats get used to his/her scent and him/her being around, especially with Stoli.

In December, however, I will be out of town for 9 days, so I have put a deposit down for the cattery in town. They are a cats-only resort that provides 24-hour supervision, two treats a day, they will feed on your schedule and will feed your food (as long as you provide it if they don't carry it), play time 1-2 times a day in a huge play room, extra-large condos with "floor-to-ceiling" windows that overlook their gardens with a fountain, pond and fish! I have left Merlynn there before for a long vacation and she was exhausted and happy to be home. They told me she LOVED to play so they gave her extra play time. They seem to be very adamant about keeping things clean and sterile so as not to share germs. They also keep the cats separate, never together. And they offer double condos with privacy doors and small hiding house-type things (only 3 - so that's why I put my deposit already) so both of my cats can stay together.

Sorry I went on for so long! As long as your comfortable leaving them at home and can enjoy your vacation, then that's the way to go!