Vacations mean owners must decide between cat travel, cat boarding, or a cat sitter to care for pets. Plans for vacationing with pets depend on the individual pet, and your special circumstances.
Vacationing With or Without Cats
Does your cat love meeting new people, hide, or become hyper around strangers? Perhaps Kitty enjoys riding in the car but your brother's dog hates cats, or Grandma is allergic. Are pets more comfortable at a kennel away from your nephew's hair-pulling fingers? Or does your pet go on a hunger strike if boarded?
Leaving Kitty Behind
In general, cats prefer staying in their home amid familiar surroundings. Some do well if left alone for a day or two as long as you provide adequate food and water, and extra litter boxes. That's not appropriate for kittens, cats older than ten years, or any cat with a health issue that needs attention, though. Cats are much more social than owners think, and may react with behavior problems if alone for extended periods.
Make arrangements to have a friend, a neighbor, or a professional pet sitter visit at least once a day to clean the toilet facilities, check food and water (and medicate, if needed), and perhaps play or cuddle with the cats.
Cat Boarding
Confident cats may be fine when boarded at kennels. Reputable kennels require proof of adequate health care, so get vaccination proof from your veterinarian in advance. Be sure that the cat space is out of sight and sound of the doggy facilities, to reduce feline stress levels. Some state-of-the-art facilities now provide sofas, play times, cat trees, videos of squirrels and birds to watch-and even close-circuit television monitors owners can access over the Internet while on vacation, to keep an eye on their furry friends. Veterinarians may have kennel space available for cats with health issues that need monitoring.
Cat Sitters
Some professional pet sitters also are vet techs trained to care for special needs pets. You can search via professional organizations such as National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, Pet Sitters International for options, or ask your vet for a recommendation.
Be sure to leave caretakers with detailed information about each pet's care needs, veterinary contact information, and emergency phone numbers where you can be reached. Talk with your veterinarian about signing a "just in case" authorization for medical care (you can designate the dollar amount). That way, emergency care is available and funded even if you are unavailable to give your okay in person.