3 cats 1 dog 1 holiday

[PaulaSB12]

I have 3 cats and 1 collie and I am going on holliday at the end of July (over to Orlando) which is better put them in catteries and a kennel. There is one near me that takes cats and dogs. Or get someone to pet sit?

 

[AinaWGSD]

Which is better really depends on your individual animals. Cats almost always do better when they can stay in their own home. Going to board is just so stressful for most cats, and some get pretty aggressive under those conditions. Some dogs do great in kennels, and some don't do great but are better than they would be at home (for example, a dog that might bite someone who came into the home to care for them either out of fear or out of being protective of their property). And not all kennels are created equal. Call around and ask for references, and make sure you know what their protocols for emergency situations are. Of the dozen or so "kennels" around me, there are only about 2 that I would trust to leave my pets with.

Getting someone to pet sit also has a variety of factors to consider. Is the sitter going to come stay in your home, would they be taking your pets to their home, or are they going to make several visits a day to your home to check on your pets and let the dog out? Will the sitter be a friend of the family that your pets are already familiar with? Or will it be someone that does this professionally that they don't yet know well? Going with friends or family has the advantages of being both cheaper and being less stressful if it is a person your pet already knows and likes. But you have to be able to rely on them, and sadly some people just can't be trusted to care for your pets properly no matter how much they like them (I've known some people who have left their pets with friends/room-mates that are vet students only to come home to find their pet was not cared for at all while they were gone!) A professional pet sitter may be someone that your pets don't know well, but if they have references that check out and are bonded and/or insured then you can feel confident that they will care for your pets as instructed while you are gone.

For most pets, whether to kennel them while you are gone or have a pet sitter is primarily a matter of personal preference and local availability. But pets with potentially dangerous health conditions or that require regular and timely doses of medication will require extra attention to detail. For these pets, you should really consider either boarding with your veterinarian (if they offer boarding services for their clients) or having a live-in pet sitter who is experienced in dealing with your pet's specific medical condition.

 

[PaulaSB12]

The only problem with the dog is that she is an old lady. The cats are healthy but have never been in a cattery. It will have to be either proffesional pet sitter or cattery.

 

[Kaitie09]

Put your dog in a kennel, and just get a sitter to visit the cats every day, or every other. I periodically leave my cats for the weekend, I just fill 2 dog bowls with food, and fill a couple containers with water, along with adding about 10 extra disposable litter boxes. They all do fine, but you do have to give them some extra attention.

Even if you have a sitter come every other day, to refill food and water, and give the cats some love, they will do fine.

 

[watchdogps]

I would second everything AinaWGS said. I was a professional pet sitter for ten years, and she said everything I was going to.
With the old lady collie, I am not sure what your concern is. Are you saying she should be boarded b/c she cant be alone that long, or that she should be at home because she shouldnt go to a kennel? If you do use a kennel for her, ask what the last time the dogs are out is and when they get in in the morning. A lot of kennels only operate 7am-6pm or so, so the dogs are alone a long time.
If you are looking at a pro sitter, you can go to www.petsit.com and find sitters by zip code.
As for cost, most kennels/cattery will charge by the head, a pro will charge by the visit, sometimes adding a few $ for over a certain # of pets. So, when dealing with multiple pets a pro may be cheaper.

Finally, I know people do it all the time, but as a sitter I would not accept cat sits for every other day(or less). Too many things can go wrong, and cats can do some really stupid things when they are bored. If a cat gets a urinary blockage they can die in a day, if they get injured 48 hrs id a long time, etc. Cats should be checked on daily. Also, cats are more social that people think. I cant tell you how many clients told me their cats were not friendly, didnt need attention daily, etc but when no one comes home those cats were BEGGING for attention!

 

[PaulaSB12]

I would second everything AinaWGS said. I was a professional pet sitter for ten years, and she said everything I was going to.
With the old lady collie, I am not sure what your concern is. Are you saying she should be boarded b/c she cant be alone that long, or that she should be at home because she shouldnt go to a kennel? If you do use a kennel for her, ask what the last time the dogs are out is and when they get in in the morning. A lot of kennels only operate 7am-6pm or so, so the dogs are alone a long time.
If you are looking at a pro sitter, you can go to www.petsit.com and find sitters by zip code.
As for cost, most kennels/cattery will charge by the head, a pro will charge by the visit, sometimes adding a few $ for over a certain # of pets. So, when dealing with multiple pets a pro may be cheaper.

Finally, I know people do it all the time, but as a sitter I would not accept cat sits for every other day(or less). Too many things can go wrong, and cats can do some really stupid things when they are bored. If a cat gets a urinary blockage they can die in a day, if they get injured 48 hrs id a long time, etc. Cats should be checked on daily. Also, cats are more social that people think. I cant tell you how many clients told me their cats were not friendly, didnt need attention daily, etc but when no one comes home those cats were BEGGING for attention!

My concern is that she is an old lady who has never been in a kennel before and she is just getting over losing my mother (she was her dog completly) As for the cats Queenie is a cuddle queen, Tippy is a chatter and Socks will take cuddles but you have to talk to him and tell him what you are going to tickle before starting.

 

[watchdogps]

Sounds to me like leaving everyone home and having a house sitter is your best bet. Leave the old lady in her warm cozy home with her soft beds and familiar surroundings. Have someone come over and do what she likes to do, be it walk or snuggle.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I have found a pet sitting service that will look after all of them at home. That is the route that I will go.

 

[PaulaSB12]

The pet sitting service came out last night. Met everyone (even Socks allowed him to touch him unusual for him) got their routine down so I will be using them to stay at the house 12 a day so they will only be left over night. They don't even mind if I get that 4th cat that might be coming home either. Just as a precaution I will let my neighbour know my mobile number so if anything happens he can contact me.