Why house sitting for cats is best for your furry friend

TrustedHousesitter Nikki Gaut is a veterinary surgeon specialising in cats and has been a surgeon both in Australia and the UK. Her clients have previously nominated her for Petplan Vet of the Year Awards in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Here Nikki describes how finding a cat house sitter can be ideal for our feline friends when going away...

Why house sitting for cats is purrrfect for your feline friend

Throughout the ten years I have been lucky enough to do this wonderful job, I have been asked by many of my clients "what is the best thing to do with my beloved puss-cat when we go on holiday?". This is a question that I understand both as a vet and, more importantly, as an owner - we are leaving behind a treasured member of our family and we want to feel reassured that whilst we are away our little furry friend has all their needs catered for - if we can't be there to provide company and love, someone else needs to. This is true for all our pets, whether of the hoofed, webbed or pawed variety! For cats especially though, staying in their own environment eliminates the stress of transportation to another location, "no please Mum not the dreaded cat carrier" and the stress of a new situation.

It is important to understand that cats are creatures of habit. In the wild they naturally occupy "territories" which they designate by scent-marking - a mixture of rubbing their face against things or scratching an area to leave a visual and a familiar scent mark. These are normal behaviours in the wild which are then exhibited within your four walls to make the cat feel more secure in its own home and as if it "belongs". How many times have we witnessed our furry feline react to a new pot plant or piece of furniture as if it’s an enemy interloper? Arched back pupils like saucers...tiptoeing past...sniffing... "It doesn't smell of me, therefore it must want to kill me...!" Move the cat away from these carefully familiarised scents of home and we are faced with a whole new repertoire of alien sights & smells - cue stress for our dear moggy!

It's a common misconception that cats are so aloof and independent that they don't need human company or love in the same way, as say, a dog. If you have ever lived with a cat that wakes you up at 5am asking for attention (and yes, attention, not just food) - you'll know that this is far from the truth! The reality is that with cats it is very much "on their own terms" and often just sitting in the same room (or let’s face it on your keyboard) is enough for them to feel safe, secure and loved. Regardless, most cats require some form of companionship throughout the day - more than can be offered by a quick five minute cat feed and a rub behind the ears! The signs may be more subtle: a weave around your ankles; a passing head nudge & purr... but it means the same: "I'm happy that you're here".

I was first introduced to the concept of house and pet sitting when my husband and I got married just under two years ago. I was going to be away for a month and didn't want to place my very nervous boy (Jack) or his more courageous younger brother (Stanley) into an unfamiliar environment such as a cattery, or stress them by leaving them at my clinic. Both my cats were rescue cats and, like every other feline, needed security and the familiarity of their home. House sitting was the perfect solution: our home would be looked after and so would my babies. The reassurance whilst we were away was more than comforting to a worried Mummy.

Once you make the decision to have a house sitter, there are a few things that you can do to help ease the process for your kitty and their carer:

• Feliway is a very useful product that can be purchased from your vets or online. A synthetic analogue of the catas facial pheromone, it has a calming effect on our stressed moggies. Using a feliway diffuser or plug-in for a week before you leave home and continuously whilst you are away near the cats favourite sleeping place will help the transition.
• Make sure you have left enough food and cat litter for the duration of your trip (or at least write down the location you get it from). Small changes to unfamiliar things can lead to stress in cats and subsequent feeding/toilet problems whilst you are away.
• Always leave an easy-to-access folder containing contact information for your preferred vet, your number in an emergency (or the number of someone you trust to make a decision on your pet's health) and any relevant insurance documents and microchip details. If your cat needs any medication or specific dietary requirements make sure that you go through this with your house sitter before you leave, or leave detailed instructions.
• Although the main benefit of having house sitters is that the cat shouldn’t have to leave its home, it is always worth planning in advance for a vet trip. Make sure you retrieve your cat carrier well in advance of leaving on your holidays and then leave it out continuously out in the cat's environment. Place the cat's bedding or a t-shirt you've worn inside with some treats and cover the top & sides with a blanket, leaving the door open (or better still) removed. Cats LOVE to hide so often they will start to use the carrier as a bed. Then if your cat needs to be transported to the vets the stressful episode doesn't start the minute the cat sees the unfamiliar carrier brought down from the loft! Instead it is full of familiar scents of home that will comfort the cat during transportation and keep the cat calm with your scents whilst you are away.

When I returned home after my honeymoon I arrived to find two content, purring fur babies without a care in the world, full-bellied and happy-hearted. This allowed me to enjoy my time away, guilt and stress-free. Hopefully now my husband and I can provide the same safe sanctuary to someone else’s home and pets and we can’t wait to repay the favour!

Nikki is a veterinary surgeon specialising in cats and is married to Richard, a photographer. For eight months they have been travelling around India, Nepal, Tibet and Sri Lanka most recently working on a charity project whereby Nikki has been teaching Indian vets about population control and rabies in street dogs whilst Rich has documented it photographically. Nikki and Rich will return to the UK in July and are hoping to have their first house sitting assignments in London (their old home), Brighton (Richard's hometown) and Cornwall (their new home)!

Find a cat & house sitter

Like the idea of your feline family member staying safe and happy at home next time you're away, over boarding a cat or any other pet care options out there? Great - simply welcome a pet lover house sitting for cats, and you've got yourself a happy kitty in the hands of a true pet person in the place they're happiest - home.