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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / November 2003Thinking of going out of town...
Long drive to a cottage in the mountains at the end of the year. They don't accept pets, unless you count leaving the back door open which might encourage raccoons to wander inside :) I've never left Persia anywhere before and I'm a bit concerned about it. She dislikes other cats immensely so if I leave her at the vet she will be most unhappy. But I have no other place to leave her. My friends all have dogs and that won't do at all! I don't quite know what to do. On the one hand I could sure use a getaway for a few days. On the other hand, I'll miss Persia terribly and worry about her, which would mean I won't have a good time. I don't know anyone reliable enough to come in and feed/water Persia while I'm away. So I'm torn; do I drive to the mountain retreat or stay home with the cat? Jill > Long drive to a cottage in the mountains at the end of the year. They don't > accept pets, unless you count leaving the back door open which might [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Jill Interview pet sitters. If you can find a good one, you can't believe how much better you'll feel. Karen Less than a mile from us, next to our vet's place, is our "cat hotel" where the Evil 3 stay at their resort when the hoomin slaves are out of town. The vet is a part-owner, is 24/7 "on call" for "guests" of the "hotel" in case of illness or accident during their stay. The Evil 3 would be flying balls of fighting fur if they were all kept in the same quarters, so they each have their 3-story "room" with shelves to jump up to. Walls of the little "rooms" are opaque so their view is only of the cats across the room facing them, far enough away to not be an "in-your-face" threat. D-pets are also guests, but not near the cats; the d-pets are on the other side of the sprawling building, where there are long runs of exercise chutes for them. I never thought of Memphis as a small city; isn't there something like this somewhere in town? Our cat hotel is clean as a whistle, and we get a group rate for the Evil 3, 10% off the total bill. Food, treats, water, and litter boxes are provided by the "hotel" for the guests. : > Long drive to a cottage in the mountains at the end of the year. They don't : > accept pets, unless you count leaving the back door open which might [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] : : Karen > Less than a mile from us, next to our vet's place, is our "cat hotel" where > the Evil 3 stay at their resort when the hoomin slaves are out of town. The [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > rate for the Evil 3, 10% off the total bill. Food, treats, water, and litter > boxes are provided by the "hotel" for the guests. <snipped> Sounds like where our two are going to stay. Do you mind sharing what they charge down there in FL? Sam No, I sure don't....cats are $9.50 a night. You can find out about the place (it's main customers are d-pets, not cats, but as I said, the cats are housed on the front side, far away from where the dogs are, and you can't even hear the dogs) at their website: http://www.doghouseboardingkennel.com/home.htm There are even pictures (but no cats in the pics, just d-pets). : > Less than a mile from us, next to our vet's place, is our "cat hotel" : where [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] : charge down there in FL? : Sam > No, I sure don't....cats are $9.50 a night. You can find out about the place > (it's main customers are d-pets, not cats, but as I said, the cats are > housed on the front side, far away from where the dogs are, and you can't > even hear the dogs) at their website: > http://www.doghouseboardingkennel.com/home.htm > There are even pictures (but no cats in the pics, just d-pets). Thanks, Hop. Our two cats are going to Catnip Suites which is run by our vet's office. That way we're sure that if there's a medical problem, their own vets who have all their med. records will be available (24x7 if need be). Still not sure what the cost is, but we think it's the best we can get for the kids. Sam Catnip Suites! I like it! Sure sounds better than The DogHouse, where mine stay, (good thing the Evil 3 can't read)....but I was actually relieved to know my vet is part owner of the place. The now RB Akita had medical problems, and staff there always were faithful with his meds and in contact with vet re his condition while a guest there. It *is* a comfort to know vet is handy with their very own medical records, just in case. Aside from bad behavior from BT Rowdy, Evil 3 have never had any problems during their stays. : > No, I sure don't....cats are $9.50 a night. You can find out about the : place [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] : for the kids. : Sam If you look very carefully in the website pics of The DogHouse Boarding facility, the front view with red fireplug in foreground shows my vet's next door, just visible behind the building. I've been using them for years and never realized they had a website! Called them just about every day from Denver (yeah, cell phone roaming charge) to check on the Evil 3. They were always happy to report to me, and over the years they have become fond of BT Rowdy and are no longer afraid of him........ : > Less than a mile from us, next to our vet's place, is our "cat hotel" : where [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] : charge down there in FL? : Sam > Less than a mile from us, next to our vet's place, is our "cat hotel" > where the Evil 3 stay at their resort when the hoomin slaves are out [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] >> >> Karen Sounds very similar to the Cat Spa in my hometown. Kristy  Signature(( /\ /\ )) /@ @\ (( \ _* _/<\\\\\\> / * \ / \ /\ / \ // / \ // | | | | | |/ # # # # How long are you going to be away? We have left Vino for 3 nights before with no problems. Just make sure you extra cat-proof the house and take away any potentially unsafe objects. Put out a big bowl of dry food and lots of dishes of water around the house. Have a clean litter box. One or two times we've even left him for 4 nights, but I felt really guilty about it. Now we have the maid come in every morning or evening, but of course we couldn't do that before we moved to Thailand. But if it's just for a few nights, the person wouldn't have to be too reliable, as long as they did manage to make it in at least once a day or every 2 days. And as long as you could be sure that the person didn't let Persia out without realizing it! That's always my big worry. It is always better to leave the cat in your own home where she is comfortable, rather than moving her to somewhere else, if the time away is relatively short. Good luck with your decision. -- Britta onqjvyfba@lnubb.pbz ROT13 to reply Check out pictures of Vino at: http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on Vino and "friends" album > Long drive to a cottage in the mountains at the end of the year. They don't > accept pets, unless you count leaving the back door open which might [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Jill > How long are you going to be away? We have left Vino for 3 nights > before with no problems. Just make sure you extra cat-proof the > house and take away any potentially unsafe objects. Put out a big > bowl of dry food and lots of dishes of water around the house. Have > a clean litter box. I was thinking about 3 nights, 4 days. And it all hinges upon whether or not the roads are icy heading up to the Ozarks. (You don't have to worry about that in Thailand :) ) > One or two times we've even left him for 4 nights, but I felt really > guilty about it. Now we have the maid come in every morning or [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > that the person didn't let Persia out without realizing it! That's > always my big worry. My other big worry is coming home to find a truck had been backed up to the door and all my belongings stolen! I'm very hesitant to turn over a key to anyone. > It is always better to leave the cat in your own home where she is > comfortable, rather than moving her to somewhere else, if the time [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >> >> Jill > My other big worry is coming home to find a truck had been backed up > to the door and all my belongings stolen! I'm very hesitant to turn > over a key to anyone. Don't you have friends or acquaintances that you could trust with a key? Perhaps a relative? I had my neighbor look after my kitties on a three night trip and nothing was missing when i got home.. (course i don't have anything worth stealing anyway.. i'd be more upset over losing the cats!) Kristy Signature(( /\ /\ )) /@ @\ (( \ _* _/<\\\\\\> / * \ / \ /\ / \ // / \ // | | | | | |/ # # # # > My other big worry is coming home to find a truck had been backed up to the > door and all my belongings stolen! I'm very hesitant to turn over a key to > anyone. Of course, it's very important to turn over a key only to someone you trust (both to protect Persia and to prevent theft, now or at some time in the future since it would be possible for that person to make copies of the key). I only give a key to people I know very well or who have come highly recommended by several sources (as with the pet-sitter, who I now can also refer to someone I know "well"). Even with all that, I am somewhat paranoid about security. Therefore, several years ago I had *two* deadbolt locks installed on my front door. One is keyed so that the key fits all keys in the house. The second one is called a "maid's lock." The key to that fits *only* that lock (although my "master" key also fits the maid's lock). That way, any time I need to leave a key with someone, I give them the key to the maid's lock. I have to leave the other lock unlocked during that time, but once I return home I again use both locks. This means that even if someone gets a duplicate of the key to the maid's lock, it will not fit any other lock in the house (including the second lock on the front door). I hope all of this doesn't sound too confusing. It does give me an additional sense of security. MaryL > Long drive to a cottage in the mountains at the end of the year. They don't > accept pets, unless you count leaving the back door open which might [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Jill Jill, I suggest that you check with your vet and other friends who have pets. Ask for recommendations for good pet-sitters. I used a pet-sitter last summer, and it worked out beautifully. My two cats were able to stay in their home environment, and the pet-sitter came in twice a day to check on Holly and Duffy, feed them, and give them some companionship. She told me later that she loved coming because I had encouraged her to feel free to use the TV, have some snacks at the table and watch the birds, etc. She said that's just what she did -- which was pleasant for her and in my opinion also gave my twosome more of a sense of normalcy. I strongly disagree with the person who said you could safely leave your cats alone for 3 or 4 days. It's true that many people have done this with no problems, but just think of all the emergencies that could occur in that length of time. I would never leave mine for more than one night without having someone check on them. If you can't find a professional pet-sitter, maybe one of your friends would be willing to do this for you (for a fee if it involves extra distance for them). But do make sure whoever you use is super-reliable, both from the standpoint of knowing that he or she would come to your home regularly and also from the standpoint of knowing that the person would be very careful not to let Persia out of your house or apartment. Please check around ... there are many people who do pet-sitting. It would give you peace of mine and would maintain a more normal environment for Persia. I have followed a number of your posts, and I know she is very special to you. Incidentally, I used a couple of plug-in Feliway diffusers while I was gone, just in case there would be any stress. MaryL (take out the litter to reply) Photos of Duffy and Holly: >'o'< http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly) http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in") Hey, where do you get these "plug-in Feliway dispensers"? Never heard of Feliway till I frequented this ng......am thinking if I had one of these it might contribute to better relations between our "girls" (who hate each other), and the occasional skirmishes that go on here between conflicting feline purrsonalities. Is Feliway catnip or some kinda drug? Plant? : > Long drive to a cottage in the mountains at the end of the year. They : don't [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] : http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly) : http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in") > Hey, where do you get these "plug-in Feliway dispensers"? Never heard of > Feliway till I frequented this ng......am thinking if I had one of these it > might contribute to better relations between our "girls" (who hate each > other), and the occasional skirmishes that go on here between conflicting > feline purrsonalities. Is Feliway catnip or some kinda drug? Plant? They're called "Feliway diffusors", and you cna find them online or at larger pet stores like Petsmart and Petco. They contain a sythetic version of the stuff contained in cat's facial glands - the stuff they are smearing all over you when they rub their faces and chins all over your clothes. It's a syntheic pheramone that mimics the mark cats put around with their face, which calms them. I get them locally at Petco. The vet has them too. Someone said valleyvet.com sells them more inexpensively. Karen > Hey, where do you get these "plug-in Feliway dispensers"? Never heard of > Feliway till I frequented this ng......am thinking if I had one of these it [quoted text clipped - 64 lines] > : http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly) > : http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in") >Hey, where do you get these "plug-in Feliway dispensers"? Never heard of >Feliway till I frequented this ng......am thinking if I had one of these it >might contribute to better relations between our "girls" (who hate each >other), and the occasional skirmishes that go on here between conflicting >feline purrsonalities. Try the Feliway. I think it'll affect the mood of the girls. My daughter used it for a particularly anxious cat who would spray everywhere and tear up blinds and such every time she worked multiple night shifts. She even consulted an animal behaviorist who suggested he had separation anxiety. It honestly settled him down a lot. This was before the availability of diffusers. It was just a spray bottle. It was expensive, IIRC around twenty dollars for a tiny bottle. Sherry > Hey, where do you get these "plug-in Feliway dispensers"? Never heard of > Feliway till I frequented this ng......am thinking if I had one of these it > might contribute to better relations between our "girls" (who hate each > other), and the occasional skirmishes that go on here between conflicting > feline purrsonalities. Is Feliway catnip or some kinda drug? Plant? Feliway is used for behavior modification and can be very useful in reducing stress. It is available in plug-in diffusers (with refills available) and as a spray. I used the plug-ins so it can be working all the time. I no longer need it on a regular basis, but it was very helpful when I brought a new cat (Duffy) into my household and wanted to introduce him to my resident cat (Holly). Now I use it only when I think there could be some stress, such as when I will be away for a few days (very rare for me), and I keep them in different rooms. The spray is excellent for an occasional use, such as spraying the carrier about 20 minutes before you take your cat to the vet, but the plug-in diffuser is better for long-term use because it releases premeasured doses. Refills can be purchased for the dispenser. One bottle lasts a little more than a month. I like to order mine from ValleyVet (http://www.valleyvet.com). They have better prices than most others, and there is no charge for shipping. The last time I check, they listed Feliway for $29.95 for a diffuser with one bottle of Feliway. It is also available as a spray for $15.95. MaryL (take out the litter to reply) Photos of Duffy and Holly: >'o'< http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly) http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in") Is there any other place you could go to that accepts pets? Hoping for a good solution to your problem, SignaturePolonca & Soncek > Long drive to a cottage in the mountains at the end of the year. They don't > accept pets, unless you count leaving the back door open which might > encourage raccoons to wander inside :) > > I've never left Persia anywhere before and I'm a bit concerned about it. <snip > Long drive to a cottage in the mountains at the end of the year. They don't > accept pets, unless you count leaving the back door open which might [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Jill I know this is not what most people do, but I always board Mike at the vet's when we have to be gone longer than overnight. I am well aware he doesn't enjoy it, but *I* feel better knowing that he is safe and that if something does go wrong with my little darling while I'm gone - well, what better place to be? It's not that I don't have people I could trust to take care of him, but I don't trust *Mike* not to get by any such person and out the door. DH and I are professional-grade cat-thwarters, and even we have trouble with this sometimes. ------ Krista Have you tried asking your vet? I did and it turned out that one of the nurses at the practice runs a little business "on the side" as a pet sitter. She not only feeds the cats and changes litter, but plays with, cuddles and brushes Lucy. Tia, of course, hides in her bolt hole under my bed while she's here as she's a bit shy. It's not a cheap service, $20 per day, but it's worth it for the peace of mind. Oh, and Alison will also put the bin and recycling out for collection if I ask her. Cheers Vicki |
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