They leave them behind for days in the care of families and friends and they’re fine. This will help your cat … I think that having a volunteer take care of your dog when you’re away on vacation is a great idea. Will the cat take off being an outdoor cat with seeing no one around the house? If you decide to board your cat, visit the facility in advance and ask to see where your cat will be kept. I’ve never had a dog that did not love to ride or that ever got car sick. What you do with them depends on how long you’re traveling, how much money you’re willing to spend and how much you trust others to take care of your extended family. There are catteries in all major cities and towns, and many vet clinics also offer cat boarding services. Thanks for the tips for taking care of pets while on vacation. We usually had to beg him to come back home with us. Very informative article! My wife and I are going to traveling for a couple of weeks and didn’t want to leave our cat with someone. Great tips indeed. Make sure you can trust whoever is taking care of your pet. We went the professional pet sitter route for shorter trips before our beloved older kitty passed away. That sounds like a great way to make sure my cat is taken care of while I’m out of town. If your cat is staying home while you go on vacation, ask the pet sitter to meet them as many times as possible, well in advance of your absence. My grandfather has a dog and he’s looking for someone who will take care of it while he’s on his treatment. He lost his Momma (our female Golden 8 mos ago) so he will be alone for 3 days as we fly out to our Grandsons Baptism 800 miles away.. A lot of veterinarians have a boarding service with round the clock animal care. Hire a petsitter to come every day. People leave their dogs home every day and they’re fine. Therefore, you should leave your cat at home for no more than 48 hours without someone there to take care of them. 25 Travel Myths That Cost You Time, Money and Peace of Mind, Leaving the Past Behind: Why You Should Let Go While You Travel, Your pet is in their familiar setting (especially good for cats), There’s no danger of damaging other people’s things, Food, toys, yard, cage, etc. I have a dog but never traveled with my dog. I like the idea of a professional boarding facility. https://catstheboss.com/new-cat/what-to-do-with-cat-while-on-vacation If your cat will need to go to a different house, check that it’s escape proof and take lots of home comforts to help them settle in, such as familiar toys or a crate or cat carrier they can retreat to if they’re feeling overwhelmed. Someone Should Check In on Your Cats Regularly When You Travel “In general, cats prefer staying in their home and familiar surroundings,” says pet expert Amy Shojai, CABC. Whether you’re gone a week or six months there are three main options for your pet when you’re on vacation. Thanks for pointing out that leaving your pet at a pet hotel while you’re on vacation can be a good option because they have the facilities and staff already equipped to take good care of your pet. I like the idea of asking our vet if they have a boarding service. When someone recently asked about what we do with our cat when we’re gone I thought a post on the subject might be useful to others as well. When I am going on vacation, I like knowing that my dog is going to be well taken care of. When our former neighbors acquired a dog, that became the best solution. Safe travels. I agree that dogs are more social than cats. Also, i ask some of my friends to come and check the cats in every two days. 18 Things To Do for your Cat before going on Vacation Basics. Animals are usually adaptable to their surroundings and some pets actually enjoy the attention they get when their owners leave for extended periods. This can occur with a long vacation when your cat’s needs weren’t met. And this can apply for all types of dogs? Make sure you check references and even consider leaving your pet for a short trial run. I will go on vacation for 10 days and was worry because I don’t want leave my dog with my relative or neighbors. I agree that it is definitely easier to hire someone to pet sit. : 101 Amazing Stories. Make sure she gets the key before you leave. I trust him and know our dog would be taken care of there. I like the idea of putting your pets in a boarding facility to ensure that they will be taken care of professionally without getting stuck in a kennel all day. I like your tip about getting your pet accustomed to your house. That’s perfect since we are going to a trip in a bit and we were thinking about what to do with our puppy since he’ll all be alone and none of our friends can take him in since they’ll be with us. its make my travel very enjoyable. It’s annoying when we can’t access country-based websites when we travel. Our pet sitter even has Pet First Aid training and is insured and bonded. Sometimes it an be hard choosing a place to leave your pet when you want to go on vacation. We’ve asked a neighbor to watch over him in the past, but as our friends get busier with kids and work, it’s become more of an imposition, so we find it easier to hire someone. Hi Moms! You are probably not the first cat owner in the town to wonder what to do with your cat while on vacation, so some of your friends may already know a great kitty nanny. Before leaving your cat home during your vacation, secure the house to eliminate potential dangers for him. If your pet is staying somewhere else, ask to look around the place to get an idea of how clean it is and how well the other pets are being cared for. My wife and I are going on our first vacation since we got our dog that we cannot bring her on. I like your point about providing the facility with emergency contact information. If cost is a factor, consider asking a trusted friend, neighbour or family member to mind your cat while you’re away. Ideally, ask someone who is able to stay at your place and maintain your cat’s normal diet and routine, as many felines don’t cope well when taken out of their home environment. Typically, how long can dogs stay in a kennel before they forget their normal routine? Using a pet sitter is one way to fuse the personal with professional. That person should pet and play with your cat and attempt to maintain the schedule your cat knows. I honestly didn’t know there were this many options for pet caring when we go on vacation. I also like your tip to do a trial run for a night or two if your pet is going to stay at a boarding facility. The problem is that our neighborhood has stray cats who eat the food that is left outside for my kitties. Wow, thanks so much for all the tips! Probably the most well known and largest place to find house and pet sitters is through Trusted Housesitters. I’m kind of a turtle-buff myself and one of the biggest mistakes turtle owners make is to leave them at home for days and weeks at at time, thinking that they will survive just fine. I really like the idea of a professional boarding facility, since they know how to take care of puppies! We are worried she will have a hard time without us, and we want to make sure she gets great care. They are already under a lot of stress without mummy and daddy, so having their own surroundings is important to them. Our cat Molly would not have liked traveling in the motorhome, plus it was going to be too small for 2 adults, a dog and a cat. I do agree as it ensures that our dogs are in well care. Check our, ©2008-2021 The Barefoot Nomad - All Rights Reserved. Ask her to spend some time playing with the cat. #5 – Board the cat. Note – while they’re not necessarily professional, we know a lot of folks who’ve had great luck finding a home and pet sitter with Trusted Housesitters. Awesome post….Thanks for sharing this awesome article. We found a sitter we adored, and it was wonderful to know our senior kitty was in great hands whenwe were away. Thanks for sharing. You have mentioned all the points that is needed when you’re out for a travel. I will definitely use these tips while going on vacation. Do you think it will cause any problem? Because they will also be caring and your pet will also not trouble them because they are familiar. Taking your pet with you may be a good option if you’re traveling by motorhome or car, or if you’re planning to stay in one place for a long time. What else do you suggest me as a travelling person? I think leaving pets to somebody your pets are familiar with is the best choice. If you’re going to spend your holiday worrying about your cat’s welfare, you might be better off paying a professional pet minder instead. Keep up the good job. I am planning to purchase travel pack for my future dog so I can take him along with me. It’s great to know what to do with our dogs when we leave next month. So yes, there are many options for traveling with or without your pet. I love my cousin (the only relative in town) but she can be irresponsible. Do most professional pet boarding services take care of a wide range of animals or do they specialize in a certain type? Very good your article. Right now we are housesitting in England and looking after Harvey a 9/10 year old dog who is getting lots of walks and loving. Hopefully I will try on my next holiday. What Every Traveler Should Know. Thanks I was searching about what to do with my dogs. My dog is a member of the family. I’ll try to find a reliable service then and get him a professional pet sitter. Our dog Whiskey came with us in the motorhome and loved her life on the road. It’ll be very helpful to take care of my pets. I was wondering what everyone does with their pets. 15 Tips for Leaving Your Cat Home Alone During Vacation 1. These are excellent tips for traveling with your dog over the holidays! I didn’t know that some vet’s and even Petsmart could house animals. My pet means a lot to me, and I am ready to pay to take care of my second child. Petbarn Hotel offers professional boarding services for cats with free pet collection from selected locations in Sydney and Melbourne. Required fields are marked *. Your first option is boarding your cat at the veterinarian. A Pet Sitter will understand the risks of bringing a new animal into their home and typically knows how to care for them. It might be a good idea for me to look into luxury pet boarding places. There’s an event I have to travel to but I can’t take my dog with me. If you don’t go, you’re choosing him over your grandson and your son or daughter and they deserve to see you too. Check sitters available on Trusted Housesitters here. Thanks – really useful post, you mentioned all viable options for this situation. Thanks for sharing the advice! Reviews and Alternatives to Keep Your Stuff Safe When Traveling, Long Term Travel Storage: What We Do With Our Stuff While We’re Gone, 45 Great Jobs You Can Do While Traveling The World And How To Get Them. Check prices and info on Amazon for the PETKIT pet water fountain. The main disadvantage of hiring a sitter is that it can be a bit costly. Click here to see more about Dog Lover’s Guide to Travel on Amazon. Agreed ?? Family also gets a part of you that stays with them while you travel. It’s nice to know there are people out there that are making traveling with pets a reality. Thanks for sharing your story. You can have someone take care of your pet in your house, have your pet go to someone else’s place or take your pet with you. Figuring out the right pet boarding solution during summer travel can mean the difference between a relaxing vacation and one where you are in a constant state of worry. It’s common for dogs that are left at home when their owners travel to spend the better part of the day staring at the door waiting for you to come home. To this day I can’t walk through a park without wishing I had a Frisbee and a dog to retrieve it. I love that this post encouraged us to choose an expert dog sitter when considering a dog boarding. It’s best to have a dog living with someone, whether in your home or someplace else. I think if you have a family member close by, it would be great for them to take care of your pet. 8 things to do when leaving cats while on vacation - Petazi The best way to feed outdoor cats while on vacation is to invest in an automated cat feeder. I have read you informative article which is brilliant. Every time we go on vacation, we leave our cat with our mother. Do you think that the cat will be ok having no one around the house while we are on vacation? My sister has been fussing over the fact that she’s been invited to her old college buddy’s vacation trip, but she doesn’t know what to do about her pet cat since the trip involves a stayover at her friend’s house who’s allergic to cats. When your job is pretending to be your cat’s pancreas, you can’t just take a day off. I really get bummed thinking about my dog going into a Kennel while I’m sitting on the beach. Again, if your cat is easily frazzled by change, the pet carrier, car rides, etc., it really is best to just let him stay home while you go away.