Should You Choose Boarding or In-Home Cat Sitter When Taking a Trip?
When you go out of town, you have two choices when deciding on care for your cat. You can take your cat to a boarding facility, or you can hire someone to care for him at home. An in-home caregiver may come and stay at your home for the entire duration of your absence, or they may just come over a couple times a day to check on your kitty, feed him and put out clean litter. Either way, having an in-home cat sitter is a better idea for your cat.
Comfort
Nearly everyone prefers to be in their own home over a hotel or other transient living space. Your cat is the same way. He likes to have his own toys, blankets, beds, bowls and treats, and enjoy them in his own home. When you have a pet sitter come to your home to check on your cat, your cat gets to stay in a familiar place and enjoy his life without the disruption of being dragged off to a boarding facility.
Safety
Cats are wily little creatures. When you take your cat outside the home and he knows he is going someplace he doesn't want to go, he can easily slip away if given the chance. Likewise, if he's at a boarding facility and one tiny little mistake is made, your cat can take off for parts unknown. When you have a pet sitter come to your home to take care of your cat, your feline friend gets to stay in his comfortable, safe home, and there is much less chance for him to get lost or be stolen.
Routine
Cats like routine. They don't enjoy being sent to a strange place to hang out in a kennel or crate with strange people while you are gone. A disruption in a cat's routine can cause lethargy, lack of appetite, and even mild illnesses. Your cat can also become irritable and difficult to handle. When your cat stays home with a pet sitter, he gets to stick to his regular routine and do the things he likes to do whenever he feels like it.
Standard of Care
Boarding facilities do an amazing job taking care of the pets they are entrusted with. However, there is just no place like home. Your cat enjoys doing whatever he likes, whenever he likes, and wherever he likes. He can't do that at a boarding facility. Leaving your cat at home with a pet sitter allows him to be cared for just as you do when you are home. Then he can come and go as he pleases, eat his own food from his favorite dish, lounge in a sunny windowsill, and enjoy his after-dinner catnip in front of the fire.
For more information, contact a business such as Katie's Kitty.