Leaving the Cat at home.

Animals at Home specialise in looking after Cats in their own homes, we recognise that it is often traumatic for a cat to be sent to a cattery as they are such free spirits they do not appreciate their visits to the local cattery. At Animals at Home we can not only feed them, ensure them water, clean environment and cat litter but also give them that little bit of extra time that they will appreciate if they want contact and affection! Why not ask just how good our services are, we will be happy to come and meet you and the cats in their own home and we can discuss the service that would suit you and the pet’s best. Just call us, we are the National Pet Care Company and as such we know how to look after your cats! It always seems such a simple choice, do I get the neighbour in to feed the cat while I'm away or do I take her down to the cattery?

This was written by one of the vets that recommend our services to their clients:

It always seems such a simple choice, do I get the neighbour in to feed that cat while I'm away or do I take her down to the cattery, or shall I try that nice new home care service.

There are pros and cons for all routes.

• In the cattery they are in a secure environment, checked regularly, not a burden on a friend, though it is expensive.
• At home she is a burden on a neighbour, could get out onto the road and will be missing you.
• There's the additional worry that she might get a few mates round for a party and trash the house breaking the crystal glasses that Uncle Brian gave you as a wedding present.

There is no middle road either, the cat goes or stays.

Trying to address the idea from the cat's perspective is probably the best place to start. Would you want to be uprooted from you normal environment and normal interactions to be somewhere else and are you going to enjoy it?

The cat is generally a solitary, partially nocturnal creature. It does require social interactions but on it's own terms. “Dogs have masters, cats require servants”, and “one feeds a dog but waits on a cat”, are a couple of good adages to remember. Periods of reduced social interactions are not normally too much of a problem for most cats, where they would be terribly distressing for some dogs.

However one warning the cat left at home can lead to frustration, though with most cats this is not so bad as they are litter trained. With very few cats it is better to take them down the cattery as they don't get frustrated in a small cage but would do their nuts in a large house and boy do they get cross... silly really. The great majority however are more relaxed in the home environment even with the reduced social interaction.

The home can also be enhanced to make sure that boredom issues are addressed, a good scratching post is an essential, food can be placed within toys that require physical and mental effort to get at it, toys for our feline friends that fall into this bracket are becoming ever more available over the Internet.

More recently pheromones can be used to nudge behaviour into a more relaxed state. These are not drugs in that they do not force the body or the mind to do something. More like a constant subconscious hypnotic suggestion “relax, you are feeling happy and content.... relax, you are feeling happy and content...” and so on. The easiest form of these when going away is the plug in Feliway diffuser (www.feliway.uk.com). Or if worried about electrics in the home the visiting carer can use a spray form and spray a few choice spots in the home every day.

So really it boils down to which do you think your cat would prefer? In my opinion many cats would remain more relaxed at home and visited twice a day to be interacted with and left mentally challenging toys that rewarded them with some food. Instead of shut in in a smaller environment with many other cats within sight and ear shot which by the very solitary nature of the species would be stressful.

Article by Dr. Tim Watson, BVM&S MRCVS