Where to place a cat on vacation

Many cat shelters in Moscow allow you to leave your pet in safe hands for a long period of time. Thanks to this kind of service you can plan your vacation or solve your work problems. Professionals will lovingly take your pet even for a long period of time and show maximum care.

Where to leave your cat or dog when you go on vacation

Together with Alexander Alyasov, an expert in scientific support of Royal Canin and a veterinary nutritionist, we will understand where and with whom to leave your pet while you are on vacation.

Even for a well-prepared pet the long journey and the need to explore new territory can be stressful. Contrary to stereotypes, both cats and dogs are equally attached to their owners. If you make the decision not to take your pet on a trip, make sure the cat or dog is supervised during the vacation.

Option 1 – Leave your pet at home in the care of friends or relatives

Watering flowers and feeding fish during your departure can be entrusted to neighbors. But the care of a cat or dog is better entrusted to people close to you. The most favorable scenario is to leave the pet at home under the care of friends, relatives or people he knows well. As a last resort, these can be professional pet sitters who will feed and walk your pet, care for it, and send you reports.

This way, the dog or cat will stay in its territory, surrounded by familiar smells and toys, will observe its normal daily routine, and will be less painful when separated. Moreover, the owner does not need to spend money for the pet to live in a pet hotel, or to move it to a new and unfamiliar place.

In order for the pet to accept the new person, it must be properly introduced to the "pet sitter". Owners are already "marked" by their pets, and the smell of a stranger does not fit into the picture of the world of the cat or dog, hence the rejection is born. Invite the future "pet sitter" to visit and allow the pet to sniff the stranger on its own. Try to create a calm, comfortable environment without harsh noise or unexpected sounds. The cat will accept the new person in a few visits, it is better to get acquainted with the dog on the street or other neutral territory, it will make it much easier if the new person offers the pet a favorite game, toy and treat.

Where to place the pet

To avoid inconveniencing family and friends, you can use one of the popular options:

To decide where to leave the cat for a vacation in Moscow, it is worth considering all options in detail.

Family for overstaying

Kind people are ready to help and temporarily shelter a pet at their place. This service does not cost much at all. The main thing is to buy enough food, litter and to pack the necessary things so that the cat will be comfortable in the new environment.

In addition, if there are already animals in the family, conflicts and fights are possible. So after the vacation you will still have to visit the veterinary clinic.

A trip to the suburbs

If you have relatives in the countryside, you can not worry where to leave the cat for a vacation in Moscow. Caring family will not leave in trouble and will shelter your pet. But you must be prepared for certain consequences:

Even if relatives from the suburbs are very fond of animals, it is unlikely that they will respect the feeding regime. Fluffy will have to eat what less fancy pets eat.

Cat Nanny

If you do not know where to leave your cat for a vacation in Moscow, and you have no time left to solve this problem – use the service of a pet sitter. A specially trained person will come to your home, feed your pet, clean the litter box, and play with your pet. You will receive a daily photo and video report of your day.

The only downside to this method is that you will have to entrust the keys to the apartment to a stranger. So before you stop your choice on this or that kotonyana, read the reviews about the work, consult with people who have already used the services of this caregiver.

Veterinary clinic

Many pet owners prefer to go to veterinary clinics so that they do not have to worry where to leave their cat for a vacation in Moscow. They will always provide medical care if needed. But there are a number of disadvantages to rehoming in an animal clinic:

Why choose "Sir Cat"

• The rooms are made of transparent hypoallergenic materials;
• Each guest undergoes a full medical examination before moving in, which eliminates the risk of infection;
• Rooms are cleaned twice a day;
• Each room is equipped with a video surveillance camera, which can be accessed at any time of the day or night;
• the pet hotel has a contract with a veterinary clinic, so, if necessary, each ward will receive emergency medical care.

All residents are kept separately. Games, which are in the daily routine, are played with each pet individually. Therefore, any injuries or maiming from encounters with other wards are ruled out.

Where can I leave my cat while on vacation, can I keep it at home?

Many people tend to leave their cats at home instead of thinking about where to keep them. Is it reasonable? You can leave the cat on the "house" during the vacations, but not for a long time. Provide her food and water, remove everything that can fall and you can safely go on vacation for two or three days. The animal will have a great time on its own.

At the same time, the cat's overnight stay in Moscow at home for more than three days is not welcomed. The animal will become bored and think that it has been abandoned. This will inevitably lead to stress. It will affect the health of the fluffy pet.

If you have no choice and you have to leave your cat for the time of your vacation in Moscow, make an appointment with someone to visit it. It is desirable for the pet to know the vis-a-vis, and for him to come more often.

With acquaintances.

This solution has a right to exist. The house of friends, acquaintances, neighbors and others may become a place for the fluffy pet. This solution has its pros and cons. To the number of the first need to include:

Deciding where you can leave the cat on vacation and choosing the option under consideration, make sure whether it is convenient to friends (and whether they love fluffy cat), or they are too shy to refuse. This is a possible disadvantage.

From individuals.

Looking for answers to the question of where to leave the cat on vacation, do not forget about the possibility of transhumance at private individuals. Many people provide such services. Is it convenient, profitable and safe? These questions are asked by owners of cats. The answers are mixed:

Is it worth to leave the cat on vacation at private individuals to decide for you. At the same time the choice is not so difficult, you just have to give preference to complete safety or significant savings.

Hotels .

Most of the owners of furry pets decide to leave the cat for the duration of the vacation in specialized facilities – hotels for animals. They do so for a number of reasons:

How to choose a hotel?

If you come to the conclusion that the best place to stay is a hotel, think about choosing a particular hotel. There are quite a few of them in Moscow. Choose the hotel that meets the following criteria:

• It has a lot of positive and neutral reviews. The presence of negative opinions is allowed, but in a reasonable amount. You can study the reviews of the hotel for cats on the website of the institution and on thematic forums, of which there are plenty on the Internet.
• Offers average prices. Strongly low and high prices should arouse suspicion. In the first case, there is a high probability of poor quality services, and in the second – the banal overpricing.
• Availability of video surveillance. Firstly, it is a convenient service, at any time of the day or night the customer may make sure that his cat is in order, and secondly, this way the hotel owners show that they have nothing to hide from the customers.

The Sir Cat Hotel meets the above requirements. Study the conditions in detail, and you will make sure that cooperation with them is convenient and profitable.

Where to put a cat on vacation

Pet owners often feel attached to their place of residence. The biggest problems begin for people who are going to travel to another country. Work cannot be ignored and it is necessary to surrender the cat somewhere for the duration of the vacation or business trip.

To solve this issue, you have to involve other people or just leave the poor animal alone in an empty apartment. As a result, the owners are forced to pour a huge amount of food, pour a big bowl of water and hope that the pet will be fine when they return. Otherwise, the question remains open – where to surrender the cat for a vacation?

If your pets are accustomed to the outdoors, there is always the option of sending them to the country. But it is a big risk for the owner, as the pet can get lost, sick and catch fleas. That is why it is necessary to find a place to put the cat for the period of vacations in Moscow.

Another problem is the behavior of the cat. Some felines excel at being away from their owners. However, if the animal is "in character", it can start tearing up furniture and wallpaper. Often the pet will panic. In this case, it is necessary to temporarily rehome the cat or cat for the duration of the vacation.

If you have friends or acquaintances who are good with animals and do not have allergic reactions, it is enough to make one call. Leaving the cat for the time of departure in this case will not be a big problem. What to do if the animal does not accept a new person? In this case, there is nowhere to put the cat on vacation.

Another option that remains is to ask neighbors to come and feed the animal. This will allow you to leave the cat for the duration of the vacation and not worry that it will be left hungry.

Respite care – what is it?

In other words – a temporary family. This option implies that you leave your cat in someone's private apartment for a fee. In fact, it is a kind of hotel, but only not officially registered and, accordingly, cheaper. Usually there are several cats living in such accommodations all the time, sometimes even a dozen. As mentioned above, your pet may not get along with other cats, leading to feline conflicts. Also, in such lodgings, where the cat is left for the time of departure, usually does not imply any sanitary treatment and veterinarian supervision, which means that your pet may get into a different environment from what he is used to. In any case, opening a pet hotel requires many rules to be followed.

If you do decide to leave your cat in a rehome, study all the reviews carefully and look at the pictures, try to make sure that your pet is not stressed while you are on vacation.

A vacation hotel for cats is ideal

In any case, in the absence of a familiar routine and its own owner, the pet will experience at least minimal stress. To help in situations where you haven't found where to give your cat away for a while, pet boarding facilities are helpful.

Many people do not trust such cat hotels because there is not much information on them. What do they represent? This is a relatively new format of establishment, which provides several rooms for different animals. They do not come into contact with each other, and the staff consists of qualified employees – the so-called cat nannies.

In any case, in the absence of a habitual regime and their own owner, the animal will experience at least minimal stress. To help in situations where you have not found where to give the cat for a while, animal lodges are helpful.

Where you can leave things inexpensively for storage. List of storage facilities for rent

What option to choose – to leave the pet in a hotel or in an apartment with a sitter – everyone decides for himself, depending on the circumstances, time of departure and the psychological state of the pet (some find it difficult to be away from home or with strangers for a long time). It is important to know that the owner must give the vaccination certificate of the pet when checking him in. It is also advisable to bring him toys, a cot and a bowl: even if the hotels are equipped with everything you need, the familiar things will help to adapt better in the new place. It is better to book a temporary home in advance. It is also important to make sure in advance and personally that the conditions are good, the pet is always supervised, and he will not be stressed or uncomfortable. Some pet shelters may arrange a video call with the pet so that you can continue to keep everything under control.

In Moscow the dog's overnight stay in a pet hotel will cost about 400-1500 rubles. For more than a month there are discounts of up to 50%. Cat's overnight stay is a little cheaper – from 300 to 700 rubles per day. In the regions the pet's overnight stay at the pet hotel will be more budget-friendly – the prices start from 150 rubles per day.

Hotels or day-stay hotels

Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Novosibirsk, Ekaterinburg

• Murchalkin" service functions in several cities of Russia at a time, though it is intended only for cats and cats (there is a related project for dogs – "Guldog"). Managers choose "kototonyanya" from among common people, each of whom was trained by a zoopsychologist and has all the necessary skills and time for the care of an animal. A "cat nanny" can either keep the cat (for 790 rubles per day) or take it to the owner's home for an agreed amount of times (for 645 rubles/hour). In the latter case, the pet is played with, fed and cleaned in the litter box. Payment is made only after the order is specified and the sitter is acquainted. "Murchalkin" emphasizes that, if necessary, can arrange for the transportation of a pet according to all requirements and safety rules, as well as regular photo and video reporting. Also, some sitters of the service do not mind taking a hamster, birds, fish, ferret, raccoon and parrot.

Moscow

• Service "Gulyai-Vilyai" specializes in walking dogs, but can also take a pet for a doggie or offer baby-sitting services. Dogsitting can last up to a month, all options are discussed with the manager. The price depends on the number of walks (dog-sitting with three walks per day costs 1490 rubles per day). In case you need to solve the issue urgently, add 25% to the price.
• Another service for dog walking and dog-sitting is "Dog walker". It has a related project for cat owners – "Tsap-scratch". In the second case, the cost of spending time with a pet is fixed: there are the services "cat control", when a service representative comes to your home, feeds the cat and tidies up the litter box (499 rubles for 15 minutes), "day catnanny" when the visit lasts several hours (699 rubles per hour plus 220 rubles for each additional hour), and "katsitting" when the nanny lives with a cat permanently – in her apartment or with you (999 rubles per day).
• The following pet hotels are worth mentioning: PiCatsHotel (the room is a small ventilated section with a glass door, a chamber inside, and everything necessary for the pet – from bedding to water), 38 Chromosomes (the room is a separate room), Booking Cat (the pet lives in a fully glass equipped chamber) and Petwish (they accept not only cats, but dogs of different sizes).

Option 2. Relatives on duty

On one of our vacations, we tried a scheme with periodic visits from relatives. My nieces study in the city, Lida's sister and her husband are also in Novosibirsk. We made a daily schedule of who was coming and staying overnight. In theory, someone had to be home almost all the time. But in practice it turned out that life makes adjustments. Study load, questions about work – our precise schedule fell apart and we had to look for options remotely from the resort, who would come and feed the cat.

In general, living with us is good. Suburban village, fresh air, nature, surrounded by taiga. But it is not easy to find among the good friends, trusted acquaintances or relatives, who are willing to change their urban bustle for a couple of weeks in our idyllic village life. For the cat, this is a minimal change in her life. Instead of us feeding and petting someone else, but people are always around. No socialization is lost at all.

Last year we used this option. But it failed, too, because urgent matters forced our temporary guests back into town. And the cat needs to be fed every day, so again we had to look for emergency replacement schemes.

Option 4. Send the cat to visit

If there are friends or relatives who don't have cats or dogs at home, you can try to place your pet with them. But they must be very good friends or relatives. The ones who can stay with them for a week. The main disadvantage of this option is the stress for the cat. I do not know how other animals react, but our Dusya is pretty nervous about such a move. The new apartment, unfamiliar people.

Experience has shown that it takes a week to get used to such changes. Well, and all the shoes at this time just need somewhere to put, otherwise there may be some unexpected problems.

Who is suitable for the role of cat sitter?

Going away for a long time (more than 3 days) means finding a person who would agree to be a feline sitter. If the cat is young and vigorous, has a chronic illness that requires regular controls and medications, or is simply too human-dependent, then even a short-term absence of the owner requires outside help.

The main qualities of a suitable candidate should be integrity and responsibility – because you will have to trust him not only with your pet, but also with the apartment (house). It is excellent, if this person – a veterinarian, a zoopsychologist, or a cat lover, and even better – if your cat is familiar with him. In such cases, the animal will not be frightened-hiding, and immediately come into contact.

Thus, a neighbor, family friend, relative, colleague or just a familiar conscientious person who can provide proper care for your murky cat can become a pet sitter. In addition, individuals and firms publish ads on the Internet for such services, and you can see them by selecting the desired region.

Functions of a "cat sitter"

Cats can not be fully called asocial animals, so the visits of a nanny will brighten up the forced seclusion and contribute to the psychological release of the tailed pet. And even if at first the cat treats the stranger with apprehension, a peaceful attitude will help to establish contact, and the comfort of home will provide psychological support.

An adult, healthy cat should be visited at least once a day An adult cat should be visited at least once a day, and a kitten at least twice. The duties of the sitter includes providing the ward with fresh food and water, washing bowls and maintaining cleanliness in the "cat's canteen", as well as – cleaning the litter box and replacing the filler. Plan the ration and feeding schedule based on the cat's preferences. An important point is to monitor his well-being and physiological needs. It is the owner's duty to leave the coordinates of a veterinarian he knows in case the animal is sick, and – warn about all the nuances of its health.

If the cat is a contact, ask the pet sitter to To play with it for at least 15 minutes twice a day. This will entertain and give an outlet of accumulated energy, as well as help stimulate appetite and muscle exercise. For active and restless cats who can entertain themselves, buy some new toys before the departure and arrange to give them out at intervals of 3-4 days.

For animals that need special care, you need a competent caregiver who will be around most of the day or even around the clock.

Gulyai Vilyay.

What cities she works in: Moscow, Kazan
How much does it cost: From 600 P per day
What kind of animals will be taken: dogs and cats
Website: walkwag.ru

Conditions. At Gulai-Vilai, the conditions for dog and cat overnight stays are the same: the price depends only on the number of walks. So it costs the same to keep a small yorkie that goes to the toilet on the diaper as a domestic cat.

During the time of overnight stay, the sitter can take the pet to his house, or he can stay with the owners – if something breaks in the apartment due to the sitter's fault, the service will compensate for the loss.

During walks, the sitter uses special equipment: a dog walker belt, a safety collar and a strong leash. All walkers are trained and know how to take something away from their pets' mouths, help them cope with stress and what to do if a pack of stray dogs gets in the way, and the animals are also insured in case of emergencies.

Every day sitters report to their owners: they send photos and show the route of their walk, which is tracked by a special app.

Kotonanya

What cities it works in: Moscow, St. Petersburg
How much does it cost: From 590 P per day
What animals will be taken: cats
Website: kotocafe.ru/petmama

Terms. "Kotonyanya" is a non-profit project from the creators of the cat cafe "Cats and People". The service offers two services. You can ask the sitter to come once a day: to change the litter box, fill the bowl, if necessary – to play, give pills and injections. Or you can give the cat for a full-fledged rehoming. The cost of services is the same, but there are not many sitters in the company, so there may not be free professionals who will take the cat to their homes.

The cost of cat care includes photo and video reports, pet insurance up to 5000 P , as well as watering flowers and taking care of other small animals, like fish or hamsters. The basic price includes the care of five cats, and for each additional cat you will need to pay another 50 R . For an additional fee, you can install a video camera from "Kotonyani" in your home and watch your pet around the clock.

Clients receive a 15% discount at the "Cats and People" café for each order: there you can play with the cats and even take a new friend with you.