Taking Cats on Holiday?
Discussion
My fiancé and I want to book a long weekend in a cottage in the Cotswolds in December, I have, as many of you know, two 7 month old house-cats, and I was wondering what people’s opinions were of taking them along too?
I’ve already checked with the property and they’re fine to have cats. Monty and Keiko don’t go outside, so I wouldn’t let them out there. It’s a small cottage with an open fire so in my opinion they’d love it!
Personality wise, they’re pretty confident moggies. Not the runaway-and-hide-when-a-new-person-comes-in-the-house kind of mogs. When I take them to the vets I walk, and although they’re in carriers they’re very interested in what’s going on and don’t seem fazed by strange noises etc. When I open my front door (into the hallway of the flat) they both go running past me and want to explore the rest of the building.
Monty is very boisterous whereas Keiko is more reserved and tends to hide behind his brother, but they’re very cuddly, affectionate felines and I just think a weekend spent curled up by the fire with us would be much better than being left on their own in the flat with a 10-minute window of attention each day when a friend pops in to feed them. Having said that, the last thing I want is for them to be so freaked out there they spend four days cowering under a bed.
Thoughts?
I’ve already checked with the property and they’re fine to have cats. Monty and Keiko don’t go outside, so I wouldn’t let them out there. It’s a small cottage with an open fire so in my opinion they’d love it!
Personality wise, they’re pretty confident moggies. Not the runaway-and-hide-when-a-new-person-comes-in-the-house kind of mogs. When I take them to the vets I walk, and although they’re in carriers they’re very interested in what’s going on and don’t seem fazed by strange noises etc. When I open my front door (into the hallway of the flat) they both go running past me and want to explore the rest of the building.
Monty is very boisterous whereas Keiko is more reserved and tends to hide behind his brother, but they’re very cuddly, affectionate felines and I just think a weekend spent curled up by the fire with us would be much better than being left on their own in the flat with a 10-minute window of attention each day when a friend pops in to feed them. Having said that, the last thing I want is for them to be so freaked out there they spend four days cowering under a bed.
Thoughts?
Cats become attached to territory as much as people or other cats so taking them on holiday would be a very stressful event for them, probably resulting in lots of howling, scent marking and other general weirdness.
You'd have to watch the doors and windows at all times too as they'll try to make a bid for home at some point.
On balance I'd be after a relative or friend to call round for feeding duties while you're away.
You'd have to watch the doors and windows at all times too as they'll try to make a bid for home at some point.
On balance I'd be after a relative or friend to call round for feeding duties while you're away.
Babu 01 said:
Cats become attached to territory as much as people or other cats so taking them on holiday would be a very stressful event for them, probably resulting in lots of howling, scent marking and other general weirdness.
You'd have to watch the doors and windows at all times too as they'll try to make a bid for home at some point.
On balance I'd be after a relative or friend to call round for feeding duties while you're away.
Absolutely. You'd have to watch the doors and windows at all times too as they'll try to make a bid for home at some point.
On balance I'd be after a relative or friend to call round for feeding duties while you're away.
One of our cats gets totally stressed in just a 5 minute drive to the vets.
I would leave them and with the friend popping in as you said. Well they may not be too happy but tough 
they will have to learn, as they may be with you for the next 20 years that you may go away for a few days at a time now and then! and at 7 months old, good time to learn 
they will kick up a fuss to start with, but when nobodys listening they will soon calm down!
they will have to learn, as they may be with you for the next 20 years that you may go away for a few days at a time now and then! and at 7 months old, good time to learn they will kick up a fuss to start with, but when nobodys listening they will soon calm down! SunnyD said:
Well! Ok, that seems pretty unanimous then! Well what can i do to stop them getting lonely when I'm away then, because with my friend just popping in to feed them, they're not happy.
We have always had either the wife's parents or a friend look after ours in our home, they are fine.You may get the cold shoulder for a bit once you get home but they get over it.
SunnyD said:
Well! Ok, that seems pretty unanimous then! Well what can i do to stop them getting lonely when I'm away then, because with my friend just popping in to feed them, they're not happy.
You can get house sitters? Or can your friend not spend more time at your place to keep them company?SunnyD said:
Well! Ok, that seems pretty unanimous then! Well what can i do to stop them getting lonely when I'm away then, because with my friend just popping in to feed them, they're not happy.
They have each other for company, at least.We left Monty (popular name for cats - at least 3 on this forum!) for a fortnight recently when we went on holiday, with a friend going in daily to feed and check up on him. Ideally he'd have had his brother for company, but Jones was run over a couple of years ago, so we left him on his own. He was fine, and although I was expecting the cold shoulder thing when we got back, he was the complete opposite and wouldn't leave me alone for the next 2 days. It was a worry before we went, but now I think we did the right thing.
As a cat owner, I have to break it to you that the only reason you want to take them is because you'll miss them . We have a cat sitter come in and feed ours a couple of times a day, and they are always fine.
Friends use the cattery and they always find that their cats come back resenting them, I can't understand why you would use one unless you have no friends.
. We have a cat sitter come in and feed ours a couple of times a day, and they are always fine. Friends use the cattery and they always find that their cats come back resenting them, I can't understand why you would use one unless you have no friends.
Just to put the other case. One of ours has to have meds 3 times daily.
If we go to a set of parents for the weekend she comes too.
Generally quite happy with the trip - max 2 hours - and absolutely fine in the house(s) no untoward marking etc and quite happy for a accompanied wander around the garden.
Granted she has been a few times now but now real issues.
If we go to a set of parents for the weekend she comes too.
Generally quite happy with the trip - max 2 hours - and absolutely fine in the house(s) no untoward marking etc and quite happy for a accompanied wander around the garden.
Granted she has been a few times now but now real issues.
Interesting comments. Yes I will miss them, especially as we’d be in a cosy house with a fire and will be staying in most of the time so it would be lovely to have them around, but to be honest I’m thinking of their own enjoyment when I’m considering taking them.
They don’t like being at home alone, aside from the bizarre toilet habits (they don’t do anything untoward when I’m around, but when I was away a couple of weeks ago and I came back to find the house in a state) and they’re quite different cats when I get back (just for a few days until they realise I’m sticking around) so they’d love the constant company, especially as it’s a stay-in and laze-around-the-fire kind of holiday so I’d be able to spend a lot of time with them.
My friend unfortunately doesn’t have time to spend any decent amount of time with them so she comes in and feeds them and leaves (and I don’t have anyone else that can do it)
They’re house cats at the moment because I live in a flat (second floor) but I have full intention to let them outside as soon as I move to a suitable property (which my next place will be) I’ve always had very independent outdoor cats and I do feel guilty that these two are stuck inside all day. This is another reason why I thought they might like the trip away (not because they’d be going outside but because it’s a new environment to explore) and I thought that a small cottage, with all their belongings brought along too, and with my partner and I there with them for most of the time, that they might be alright.
It would have to be a serious last resort to put them in a cattery. I’d rather have them upset at being home alone than stressed out at a cattery.
They don’t like being at home alone, aside from the bizarre toilet habits (they don’t do anything untoward when I’m around, but when I was away a couple of weeks ago and I came back to find the house in a state) and they’re quite different cats when I get back (just for a few days until they realise I’m sticking around) so they’d love the constant company, especially as it’s a stay-in and laze-around-the-fire kind of holiday so I’d be able to spend a lot of time with them.
My friend unfortunately doesn’t have time to spend any decent amount of time with them so she comes in and feeds them and leaves (and I don’t have anyone else that can do it)
They’re house cats at the moment because I live in a flat (second floor) but I have full intention to let them outside as soon as I move to a suitable property (which my next place will be) I’ve always had very independent outdoor cats and I do feel guilty that these two are stuck inside all day. This is another reason why I thought they might like the trip away (not because they’d be going outside but because it’s a new environment to explore) and I thought that a small cottage, with all their belongings brought along too, and with my partner and I there with them for most of the time, that they might be alright.
It would have to be a serious last resort to put them in a cattery. I’d rather have them upset at being home alone than stressed out at a cattery.
SunnyD said:
It would have to be a serious last resort to put them in a cattery. I’d rather have them upset at being home alone than stressed out at a cattery.
Why do you think they'd be stressed out in a cattery? I've had cats for 15 years, put them in a cattery multiple times each year and never had a problem. Find a decent one, and there are plenty about, and they'll get fed, get attention and they have someone who knows cats keeping an eye on them.Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff