Holiday Information

Holidaying

"What about the Cat"? This is a commonly asked question for cat owners planning a holiday! Whether you take your cat with you or leave it behind advance planning is essential.

Leaving Your Cat Behind

If you decide to leave your cat behind you need to make arrangements for a responsible person(s) to look after it. There are a number of options available.

Friends, Neighbors, Family

'There is no place like home!' Cats are territorial and feel most comfortable in their own home. Asking a neighbor or friend to keep an eye on your cat when you are on holidays may prevent any stress that your cat may feel by moving to another place. However, there are some points that you need to consider before asking somebody to take care of your cat.

· Is the person you are asking both responsible and reliable? A person may be keen to check on your cat at the beginning of your holiday but as time passes may find that the novelty has wore off or they are to busy.

· Will the responsible person be able to tell if your cat is ill?

· A cat may feel abandoned if it only sees a person once a day and may decide to move somewhere else.

Professional Cat Sitters

A professional cat sitter is a person who you pay to come to your home and take care of your cat. The main difference between asking a neighbor and a professional cat sitter to look after your cat is that a professional cat sitter will have more time and attention for the cat. A professional cat sitter will carry out the usually duties of feeding the cat and changing the litter tray. However, they will also be able to prepare special diets, administer medications and detect any cat illness. Some cat sitters may take on other tasks, such as taking your cat to the vet or to be groomed.

You may employ a full time or part time cat sitter. A full time cat sitter will live in your house. This will provide security for your house as well as having constant care for your cat. This can be expensive. A part time sitter will come to your house at specific times to feed, play and change your cat's litter tray.

Cattery

It is essential to book your cat into a cattery well in advance. Good catteries book up quickly. Ask friends or local vets for any advice or recommendations for a cattery. Before booking your cat into a cattery make an appointment to be shown round it. Remember to look out for the following points:

· Do the cats staying in the cattery look happy and content? Is the staff friendly and helpful? Does staff show an interest in the cats?

· Is the cattery a 'cats only cattery' or is it a cattery and kennels? A 'cats only cattery' is a better choice as noise from the kennels may frighten your cat.

· The cattery should be clean, tidy and odour free. A litter tray, food and water bowl should be supplied to each cat. Each cat should have his or her own spacious unit with an outdoor run. There should be at least a 2-foot gap between each unit. This is known as a sneeze barrier, which will help minimize the spread of infection between units. The unit should be secure with good locks on doors.

· Make sure the cattery is licensed by local authority. A license may only be obtained if the cattery meets with a minimum criteria set by the council. The license should be displayed so that all can see it.

· A good cattery will ask you to show a veterinary record card to prove that your cat has been vaccinated against cat flu and feline enteritis. This will protect both your cat and other cats in the cattery.

· Staff should enquire about your cat's dietary needs (How often is your cat fed? Does it eat wet or dry food?)

· In the case were your cat falls ill, is veterinary insurance included in the price?

Taking Your Cat on Holiday

While many of us decide to leave our cats at home or in a cattery, some of us will prefer to take our cats on holiday with us. If you plan to travel overseas you could be faced with many restrictions such as quarantine laws and airline regulations.

Travelling by Car

If you decide to take your cat by car to your holiday destination it is important to make the journey as comfortable as possible. Here are some points worth remembering.

· A few weeks before your trip try to accustom your cat to the car by taking it in a series of short excursions.

· When traveling, your cat should be placed in a strong carrier lined with a towel or newspapers. Your cat should not be allowed to travel freely. This could cause distraction to the driver or worse still, an accident.

· On the day of the trip it is advisable to feed your cat a light meal about 3 hours before the trip and then when it arrives at the destination. This will help to avoid carsickness. Always provide adequate water for your cat and allow access to a litter box.

· When traveling in warm weather always make sure that the air conditioning is switched on and circulated throughout the car. If the weather is excessively hot cover the carrier with a damp cloth leaving room for ventilation. In the cold weather a warm blanket may be placed over or inside the carrier to keep in the heat.

· Do not leave your cat in an unattended car. Summer temperatures in a car can rise dramatically, which could cause your cat to suffocate. An unattended car could lead to the theft of your cat.

· Tranquillizers for a particular nervous cat should only be obtained under the advice of a vet.

Air Travel

Pet air travel brings certain legal rules set out by the International Air Transport Association (IATA)

http://www.iata.org

In addition to these rules each airline will have its own rules and regulations. To find out the regulations set out by your airline company you need to contact them directly.

Listed below are some general considerations for pet air travel.

· Some airlines will allow cats, in their carriers, to travel with you in the cabin. However this will only suit small cats, given that the carrier size is rather small (8 x 17 x 12).

· If your cat is traveling by cargo a travel crate will be needed for transportation. This crate must meet the standards set out by the airline. In general, the crate should by strong and well ventilated. The following information should also be displayed on the crate: name, address, telephone number and destination of owner, as well as, feeding and watering times of the cat.

· A kitten must be eight weeks old and fully weaned before traveling.

· You should not tranquilize your pet due to high altitude and limited oxygen on the flight. Seek medical advice from your vet.

· When booking your flight choose a non-stop flight. Try to avoid peak periods. Busy times in airports often led to delays causing stress for your cat. Also consider the time of year and temperatures. In the summer when it is hot it may be better flying at night or early morning.

· Accustom your cat to the carrier a few weeks before the journey.

· Your cat should be fed a light meal before the trip.

· Remember to bring to the airport the cat's health certificates and any other form of documentation that may be required.

The Air Transport Association has issued a free booklet named 'Air Travel for your Dog or Cat'. This may be obtained by sending a stamped self-addressed envelope to ATA, 1301 Pennsylvania Blvd, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington D.C., 20004.

Importation of Animals

Animal importation varies from country to country. While some countries allow animal importation other countries such as England require a quarantine period of six months. The United States will allow animal importation, however, the State of Hawaii and the territory of Guam requires quarantine periods.

Each country differs on restrictions for animal importation. You must therefore contact the country's Embassy or Consulate that will provide you with specific information on animal importation.

The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) allows cats and dogs to enter the UK without quarantine provided they meet certain conditions.