Going on holidays, not sure of which option is best for your cat?
Traditionally both catteries and cat sitters or pet sitters have claimed they are better suited to care for your fur baby, But the truth is they both have their place. Some cats are better suited to one or the other.. So lets start with the basic differences.
A cattery is an establishment that has a physical location, an animal boarding license to operate, insurance, is council audited on an annual basis and must comply with the Code of Practice for Boarding Facilities.
Cat sitters or pet sitters, visit your cat daily or as requested and tend to your cats needs within your home. They may also take care of other animals in the home such as dogs and smaller animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs.
Although most cats do settle into cattery life easily and without issues, there are those that struggle to adjust no matter how calm, clean and safe the environment is or caring and loving the carers are, they just don’t cope well and for this reason a cat sitter or pet sitter is a very good option.
Cats that are boarding in our cattery do get a lot of attention and stimulation on a daily basis as we live on the property and are there morning til night every day tending to their individual needs . Some are more needy than others and require more attention and cuddles throughout the day which we are happy to accommodate.
For those cats that are scared and nervous of any sort of activity such as being near other cats, noises, people etc. then a cat sitter or pet sitter maybe the best option as they can be in your home for only a short period of time to feed, check on them, clean litter etc. then leave and the cat has it’s home back with no strangers around.
Engaging a cat sitter or pet sitter that you can trust to go into your home and care for your cat, for some is a really big issue. If someone you know has had a good experience in the past with a sitter and can recommend them, this will help to reassure you that this is the better option.
A cat sitter or pet sitter that has qualifications in pet handling, first aid. insurance, proven track record with reviews to back them up will be more attractive than someone just starting up with no history or real experience and the same is true of catteries.
As far as costs go, sitters can be a little more expensive depending how many times they visit your home and what is required. For catteries, many offer different levels of boarding and care, from budget or basic to luxury or high end that may offer other services such as transport, play and pampering sessions, and upgrades just to name a few.
It’s not always about who is the cheapest but about the level of care and sometimes you can get a greater service for just a little bit extra!
It pays ‘to do your Googles’ as there is a big difference in the level of care between a reputable business and one that is not doing so well and reviews tell it all.
Research different catteries and cat sitters, ask friends, family as word of mouth is gold. Good luck!
Tips - check reviews
make a list of questions that are important to you
make appointments to visit different catteries
make a time to meet face to face with cat sitter or pet sitter
go with your gut feeling