Conference misery::feline_v1

    	I know just how you feel ! Whenever we go away on holiday my
    wife and I always feel terrible leaving our Tom and Poes behind
    in a cattery, however cat's do adapt easily. We do insist on them
    being kept together in the same cage and we always let them take
    their toys and their own blankets with them. 
    	When we go pick them up again they are in a bit of a "huff"
    for a day or two, but they soon recover !
    B.T.W. always ensure that the cattery give Sophie and Henri
    their own diet i.e. favourite food. They will be OK
    
    Tim. 

    .1 (cont.)....Ideally, the most "painless" way of doing it is to
    leave them there for a weekend and go pick them up on, say, the
    Sunday, that way they'll know that you will always come
    back to them....This is not a scientific fact by the way
    it's just the way we did it ! and we felt better for it.
    
    good luck
    
    Tim

    Have you considered having someone come to your house?  I would be more
    than happy to do that for anyone (provided that I didn't have leaving
    town plans) anytime in the Merrimack area (NH).  I'm sure that there
    are others as well.  I do it for friedns all the time!  There is a note
    in here on babysitting services - but I can't remember where.
    
    If not an option - I'm sure the cats would adjust and really appreciate
    you when you got home!
    
    Good Luck,
    Sonia

    Thanks for the encouragement - I wish I had left them for a weekend
    first, but I wasn't expecting to have to do it for this particular
    holiday.  I live in the UK (Surrey area) and have not managed to find
    anyone to Cat sit (I posted a note about it earlier, but no success!). 
    Like most towns in Surrey we find the neighbours really snooty and
    we don't know them enough to ask them to empty the litter tray etc!
    
    Next time hopefully it won't be such an urgent situation and I may have
    time to post up an advert at the local Vet.
    
    It really breaks my heart to think of them wondering if we'll ever come
    back after so many days.  Once we had to leave them overnight and they
    looked so bewildered and confused in the morning...
    
    
    I think giving them all their familiar toys etc. is a good idea.  I'll 
    see what I can dig out.  
    
    Sometimes I wish cats could understand what we are saying!
                              
    Ruth.

    
    
      I think cats do know what you're saying to them, at least as much as
    other people, they may not understand the specific vocabulary - at
    times - but you can be sure that animals understand tone of voice,
    their names, and facial expressions. All of these are things that
    most infants react to as well, and better than most adult humans.
    
      You might ask for a large cage at the cattery. Only once did I
    leave Max at the Vet for an extended weekend, he was given a very small
    cage, at didn't like it at all. There are pet-sitting services in the
    New England area, you might even start one in England. 
    
     Good luck. animals adapt to their circumstances, and I'd say that
    your cats will most likely sleep for most of the time you're away.
    
     
    stu
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

    
    I don't believe cats have any concept of time, so they may not worry
    too much over whether it's a weekend or 10 days.  I once left a cat
    with a relative for 8 months, and when I returned, he greeted me as if
    nothing had happened :^}
    
    My sister leaves her very spoiled dog in a kennel when she and her
    hubby go on vacation.  Sis tells 'Zelda' that she's going on a
    vacation, too - calls the kennel "Uncle Bill's".
    
    

    >Next time hopefully it won't be such an urgent situation and I may have
    >time to post up an advert at the local Vet.
     
    Have you called your vet's office? I know that around here they
    usually have fliers and business cards in their offices for local
    pet sitting services. Also, many of the vet technicians "moon-light"
    pet sitting for the vet's patients. (the best thing about these
    moonlighters is that they are trained in emergency procedures and
    if there was a problem, they wouldn't have a hard time getting a
    vet to see your cat on a weekend or strange hour). It wouldn't hurt to
    give your vet's office a call.
    
    Deb

    A few hints ....
    
    There IS a pet sitting service in th UK. I had a leaflet on it, but
    threw it away when I saw the price ... 25 pounds PER DAY!
    
    I left Percy and Pookie at  a cattery over Christmas - BAD EXPERIENCE!
    Read the note entitled "Percy and Pookie go on holiday". Have
    you made a surprise visit to the cattery to make sure its clean etc?
    Call the local council and ask to speak to the environmental health
    officer - they have files on all the catteries in the area.
    
    Our two always stay in the same pen. I don't think they like it, but
    they are VERY pleased to come home.
    
    Don't worry, if the place is clean and dry, they will be fine.
    
    Lisa plus P&P
    

    Our two boys have been in the cattery quite a few times now, usually
    only for a couple of days, but in June-July 1988 they spent two
    months in the cattery. Sura is a typical laid-back Burmese who loves
    all human beings, but Kimi is very shy and somewhat nervy (he's
    an Abyssinian). Both were well, happy, and had gained LOTS of weight
    after two months; they were also delighted to come home!
    
    The vital thing is to be happy with the cattery you choose. It's
    essential to visit it first. I personally feel it's vital that the
    owner is visibly mad about cats. The first time we ever left the
    boys it was only for a couple of days. The place was clean and dry,
    but the owner was very brisk, efficient and business-like, and also
    rather cold. Sura was fine, but Kimi was a very unhappy little boy
    when he came home. By contrast, the two catteries we now use both
    have owners who worship cats. Every cat gets at least one cuddle
    every day!
    
    Also, the earlier noter who commented about cats' lack of time sense
    is, I believe, correct. We left our boys for three weeks when we
    went to Indonesia in 1987; I feel that having managed three weeks
    in the cattery, two monthsprobably didn't seem much different to
    them.
    
    Shayne (New Zealand)

    Well I'm back from holiday and I couldn't wait to pick up my little
    mittens.  I found them sitting on the 'ladder' in their outside run
    attached to their sleeping quarters.  As soon as they clapped eyes on
    my they  both burst into a wail of meows which sounded like "Mummie
    it's ME!! Come and take me away please! I want to go home!"
    
    When they got home they knew exactly where they were and had soon
    forgiven me (especially when I gave them their dinner).
    
    Only problem is I think they've picked up some bad habits as they
    nearly cried all night to come into the bedroom - but my husband kept
    telling me I should be hard with them or they would always expect to be
    allowed in our room at night - and then it's difficult to sleep anyway!
    They are really affectionate (more than ever) so I do't think they
    blamed me for what happened.
    
    The cattery itself was quite nice, they had plenty of neighbours to
    chat to, and upstairs, downstairs and play area outside (all separated
    from other cats of course).  The woman looking after them was really
    fond of cats and I think they got a few cuddles too.
    
    If anyone wants details of this cattery it's in the Guildford area,
    tel: (0483) 235285.  It's just 2.10 (sterling) per day per cat and it's
    in the back garden of their house.  
    
    I feel much better about catteries after this experience!!  I'll still
    investigate the vet though.  Thanks for the comments.
    
    Ruthie, Sophie and Henrietta.