Catteries - how much do you pay?!

[hornetrider]

Just got back from 10 days away. Not content with being stung on the exchange rate (cheers Gordo) we went to pick up our 3 moggies from the cattery.

Are you sitting comfortably?

Two hundred and fifty of your English pounds thank you please.

Jesus titty fking christ! Once again I discover that I'm in the wrong business!



Yours with an empty wallet... me

[Backtobasics]

We have 2 cats and they use to go to a cattery, cost a fortune and came back scared, for the past 2 years we just got a friend that was passing each day to feed them in the morning and let them out, then let them back in on the way home from work and feed them again. Left them plenty of dry food aswell. They behaved like normal and it cost a fraction of a cattery.

[Nolar Dog]

Did you not check how much it was going to be before you left them?

My friend always leaves her 2 cats with me when she goes away.

She insists on giving me £150 per fortnight for looking after them as it's cheaper than a cattery and the cats are better cared for by me.

[Allanv]

My MIL/FIL look after ours in our house when we go away, as to not scare them. They pop in twice a day to feed / change litter / let them out.

This is because I once checked the prices of catteries.

[sebo]

We used to pay £9 per cat per day or £16 per day for 2 in a double cage / home.

They often came back underweight as they did not like going there and also seemed to become ill shortly after getting home.

We now pay £8 per visit (we get them to come twice a day) and they feed, change litter, put lights on / off and draw curtains etc.

I was shocked at what you can pay for a decent cattery.

[bonsai]

What's with all these people saying their cats need to be let out/let in? Do you not have cat flaps? They should be able to go outside whenever they like.

[schmalex]

We pay £12 / day for our two cats in the local cattery.

[jamoor]

I am surprised you didn't get a quote beforehand.

[hornetrider]

Nolar Dog said:

Did you not check how much it was going to be before you left them?

My friend always leaves her 2 cats with me when she goes away.

She insists on giving me £150 per fortnight for looking after them as it's cheaper than a cattery and the cats are better cared for by me.

Yeah kinda did and we've left them there before but even so it's an eye watering sum. 7/day for first cat and 6 per subsequent cat in the same run. They are large runs with big in- and out-doors. This is the only place we've taken them were they come back smelling better than when they went in and they are scrupulously clean and tidy.

We've not long moved into a new area and don't have the friendships locally to ask some neighbours to look after them - besides one is an ex-stray and we don't want to leave the poor beggar alone for too long, no matter how well he'd 'cope'.

[working class]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I keep mine in overnight in the winter months, but in the summer she goes out all night evey night, cat parties must be awesome!

[Mr Gearchange]

Get a cat sitter:

1) Cats can stay in their own house so dont get stressed
2) You have someone visiting the house each day to pick up mail etc
3) Its a hell of a lot cheaper.

Our cat sitter costs eight quid a day - she comes in feeds and waters them, changes the litter tray and gives them a fuss for half hour. I'd never put them in a cattery again.

[BIGDAI]

I use 2 different catteries - £5.75 & £5.00 per night respectively - the dearer one is slightly closer but quite small & gets full so I sometimes struggle at short notice but they are both clean, purpose built and the cat doesn't want to leave when I come to pick her up.

[Jasandjules]

Friends/family for us. But then we have other pets as well to look after.

[Erik Estrada]

Wouldn't have ours put in a cattery. Having once worked in one many moons ago. Ours stays in during the week, neighbours come in and keep her company for a bit. weekends MiL comes down and lets her out to play.... We recently spent two weeks abroad, cat is happy, neighbours have pressies of vodka and such, MiL has a tame cat to listen to her interminable stories.....


Everyone is happy (other than the poor cat when MiL is down)

[Marcia]

Never taken our cats to a cattery as i know they would get stressed,and we always had a lovely neighbour who came in twice everyday to feed and do the curtains etc,but we've recently moved house so we are still getting to the neighbours,but theres a someone across the road who loves cats and used to feed the people who were in the house before us cats,so should'nt be a problem in the near future.

[littlegreenfairy]

Not quite cats, but we pay £3 a night for both bunnies at a bunnery.

Bargain.

[Nolar Dog]

Marcia said:

but theres a someone across the road who loves cats and used to feed the people who were in the house before us cats

Is she Korean?

[Menguin]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Are you fking kidding? Why should cats be kept in during the night?! I love the CPL for what they do (miles better than the evil RSPCA) but that is crazy. Our cats have always been let out - and they've never been raped or murdered!

[thetapeworm]

Those of you with cat sitters - any issues finding someone to trust with your cat and your house? I'd like mine to be looked after at home but am a bit paranoid about handing the house over to a stranger who knows how long I'll be gone. Are there any organisations that give any kind of "license" to these people?

[bonsai]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Well that's rather at odds with their general re-homing policy of not allowing cats to go to apartments or houses without gardens / near busy roads. No doubt this varies depending on area, however that's certainly the case round my parts - and rightly so.