It’s not usually feasible to take your cat on holiday with you, therefore you will need to make arrangements for the care of your pet while you are away. You have a number of options to consider:
- Have a trusted neighbour or friend, or employ a reputable agency to visit your house at least once/twice per day to feed your cat, change litter trays and provide company and enrichment. Cats can become stressed by changes in their environment or routine so it’s important to closely monitor their health and well-being on a daily basis and ensure they are eating, drinking, urinating and defaecating and are otherwise okay in the owners absence. It is advisable to keep your cat indoors for safety reasons.
- Book your cat into a boarding facility where your cat will be safely confined and will have regular attention from the people caring for him. Your cat will usually require up to date vaccinations to stay at most cat boarding facilties. This option may not be appropriate if your pet becomes stressed by other animals and/or environments.
- Take your cat to stay with a family member or friend. It would be necessary for them to keep your cat confined indoors, as he will not be familiar with the surrounding outdoor environment.
Make sure that your cat is microchipped and your contact details are up to date on the microchip register and registered with council so that you can be contacted if your cat accidentally becomes lost while you are on holiday.
Make sure your cat will have access to veterinary care if required. Provide your veterinarians contact details to your cats carer or make sure the boarding facility has access to veterinary services.