The best place to leave a cat is usually in their own familiar home with a trusted sitter or friend visiting daily to provide care, food, water, and attention, as cats thrive on routine and get stressed in new environments like catteries. If home isn't an option, a reputable cattery or professional cat hotel that offers private, quiet spaces and supervision can work, but ensure it's cat-specific and not a converted kennel. For short trips, leaving them at home with sufficient supplies and a safe, cat-proofed environment is often best.
Contact your local Cats Protection.
Our team will help make sure that you have explored all your options and then arrange a time for you to bring your cat in. It will either be at one of our cat centres or with one of our volunteer fosterers, who care for cats in their own homes.
New Cat? Set Realistic Expectations! You can expect that it will take your cat some time to get used to the new routines and environment. The 'Rule of Three' means that you can gauge the time it might take for your cat to fully acclimate to his home in threes: three days, three weeks, and three months.
Both options have their pros and cons, but for many pet parents, boarding is often the better choice. Whether you're going on a short weekend getaway or a longer vacation, boarding your cat can provide peace of mind for both you and your feline friend.
About 96 percent of cat owners allow their cats to sleep in the bedroom. Almost 50 percent of those cats are allowed to sleep in the bed. And 38 percent of those sleep on the pillow with the owner.It should be noted, too, that younger cats prefer the pillow, while older cats prefer to sleep at the foot of the bed.
The top "silent killers" in cats are Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), often progressing until 75% kidney failure, and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), a heart muscle disease, both often showing few symptoms until advanced stages, along with Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) and Hepatic Lipidosis (Fatty Liver), leading to sudden illness or organ failure if undetected. Early detection through regular vet check-ups, blood tests, and monitoring for subtle changes like increased thirst/urination, weight loss, or hiding is crucial for managing these common, often hidden, feline diseases, says this article.
How far away can cats smell? It's hard to give a precise answer to this question. One study found that domestic cats could find their way back home from a distance of 1.5 to 4 miles, so it's safe to assume they can at least pick up scents from that distance.
Go by the 3/3/3 rule . 3 days to decompress, 3 weeks to show their personality, 3 months to be comfortable. Cats sometimes take a long time to understand that people are good. There are tons of stories of people who had ferals that became total lap cats after a few years.
As in humans or dogs, separation anxiety in cats is an emotional response of stress, fear and/or sadness when they are away from the person or other animal with whom they are bonded and feel safe, secure and loved.
Research suggests that cats' short term memories last around 16 hours, which means they can remember recent events and react accordingly. If a cat has had a minor scare—such as a loud noise or being bumped by accident—it may remember and act skittishly for a short period.
Cat behavior red flags signal potential medical or emotional issues, including sudden changes in eating/drinking, litter box problems, excessive vocalization, increased hiding, aggression, lethargy, or changes in grooming (like overgrooming or stopping). Because cats hide illness well, any significant deviation from their normal routine, such as increased thirst, appetite changes, or unusual hiding, warrants an urgent vet visit to rule out serious underlying conditions like kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, or pain.
Cats are incredibly sensitive to their environment. Major changes such as switching owners and households can be dramatic and very stressful. Cats are aware of even the smallest changes in your household.
If your cat is feeling stressed, they may show subtle signs in their behaviour, such as:
Rehoming Your Pet
Normally, cats can be self-sufficient for up to 24 hours, but longer than this would be inadvisable as they may run out of food and water and their litter trays may become very unsociable! Try and arrange for a cat visitor to call and add some social interaction to your cat's day and break up their alone time.
To apologize to a cat, use a soft, calm tone of voice, offer treats or toys, engage in gentle play, and use slow blinks to build trust, focusing on actions and reassurance rather than words, as cats understand tone and trust more than human language. Give them space first, then approach calmly and let them initiate physical contact on their terms to rebuild your bond.
You can tell if a cat is sad by noticing changes in their behavior, like loss of appetite, excessive sleeping or hiding, poor grooming, increased vocalization (especially mournful cries), changes in litter box habits (urinating outside the box), or showing uncharacteristic aggression or clinginess, as these often signal unhappiness, stress, or illness. Always consult a vet, as these signs can also point to medical issues.
While some cats are perfectly content as solo pets, others may develop behavioral problems or exhibit signs of loneliness if they lack social interaction. Cats who experience single-cat syndrome may display behaviors such as excessive vocalization, destructive behavior, aggression, or depression.
Cats are juniors until the age of 2, and like human children, may start to show a different temperament between 6 months and 2 years old, even progressing from the (sometimes) defiant 'Terrible Two's' to becoming a stroppy teenager!
Cats have a simple stomach anatomy, just like humans.
After 8 to 10 hours, an empty stomach begins to send signals to the brain that stimulate a hunger response. For this reason, at least two meals per day are best for your cat.
Peterson suggests that this is a model for life in general. If you take care to notice opportunities such as petting a cat—or other small, good things—you are better able to affirm the goodness of Being, without denying the suffering that's always present in Being, too.
A cat's "worst enemy" depends on context, but common foes include dogs (due to predatory instincts), loud noises (vacuum cleaners, thunderstorms), other cats, and cars for outdoor cats; in the wild, it's larger predators like coyotes, birds of prey, and even other felines, while cancer is a leading cause of death for indoor cats.
For happy cats, follow the "N+1" rule (one litter box per cat plus one extra), place boxes in quiet, accessible spots away from food/water, scoop daily, fully clean monthly, use unscented clumping litter (2-4 inches deep), and generally avoid covered boxes and liners, ensuring boxes are large enough for comfortable turning.
Cats say "I love you" through actions that show trust and affection, like slow blinking (a "cat kiss"), head-butting (bunting) to mark you with their scent, kneading ("making biscuits"), showing their vulnerable belly, and bringing you "gifts" like toys or prey, all signaling they feel safe and consider you family. They also show love by purring, rubbing against you, following you, and holding their tail up high with a slight curl.