Weeing in beds at the cattery... Petsitter 1 - Cattery 0

[JackSpratt]

Great news - I would only ever use sitters. They might miss you a bit but all their stuff is around them 

True. About six years ago, my partner and I went away to SA for three weeks. On my return the only reaction I got was from Carrie, who walked up to me, sniffed me and looked at me as if to say "Oh, it's you!" before wandering off again. Obviously the friends I'd left in charge hadn't let me down on the feeding on time and cuddles! I was quite offended, but pretty glad they didn't hate me.

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Thats good news Helen xx

[Mark]

Great news - I would only ever use sitters. They might miss you a bit bit all their stuff is around them 

[alisonandarchie]

Great news for you and the boys

[Rosella moggy]

Great Helen 

[JackSpratt]

Yep, Sage peed in a wicker cat basket twice after her "owner" came round to see her when she first came to stay with us. After the two occurences immediately after this individual visited she never did it again - and has never seen the person in question again either. (If that all makes sense! I'm sure our little princess would be chuffed to know I shared that info. )

You weren't to know that Lucas and Riley would react so dramatically to a cattery. I'm really glad the petsitter worked better.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Thats great news 

[Millys Mum]

Great, a much better ending to your time away 

[Tiggy's Mum]

Following on from the traumatic cattery experience, (despite the cattery being lovely and everything you could possibly want in a cattery)...  The boys' had a petsitter for a few days - I've just come home to happy, relaxed, well fed cats 

Pet Sitter 1 - Cattery 0 

[Tiggy's Mum]

If I had a choice, it would always be to let them stay at home Helen. I too would have been upset at the bed wetting incident    but can only guess at why it happened. You could drive yourself crazy thinking of them being upset.  Glad they settled back at home so quickly.  to the babes.  Surprised to hear that Riley is so wary of peeps, wudda thought he'd be the tart not Lucas 

Even before the bed wetting incident I totally agree with the above for short breaks, weekends etc but the boys are so full of mischief still that I really wouldn't want to leave them unattended for so long.  Being their first time in a cattery I would imagine they thought I had abandoned them so at least next time they should remember that Mummy comes back eventually!  Will defo take their own tray and litter next time too but if they still don't handle it well then I'll have to go the petsitter route every time regardless of length of the holiday.

Riley is only wary the first few times he meets someone, after that he's in their face big time    It's funny though as they've obviously had an identical upbringing but react to situations very differently, Lu is all over new people immediately but is very skitty in other ways, if he sees a sock on the floor or something he'll do that outstretched toe tapping like he's scared of it 

[Rosella moggy]

I'm now wondering whether I would have been better using a pet sitter rather than a cattery.

If I had a choice, it would always be to let them stay at home Helen. I too would have been upset at the bed wetting incident    but can only guess at why it happened. You could drive yourself crazy thinking of them being upset.  Glad they settled back at home so quickly.  to the babes.  Surprised to hear that Riley is so wary of peeps, wudda thought he'd be the tart not Lucas 

[Den]

Ones I've been at withold the bed. They tend to remain in a carrier bag by the pen - but it's the ones who are known to ruin beds. Say if Riley and Lucas did it the first couple of days, the bed would have been washed and saved for when you came to pick them up. The reason for that is the amount of owners who get angry if things are detroyed/ruined  There is usually a disclaimer saying beds can come but cannot be guaranteed to be given back (ie if they get shredded to pieces - which has happened).

That's so mean    The bed wetting incident was Friday, it was washed and dried then given back to them.  The colour has run and it's a little bit ripped on the base I guess where they tried to 'cover up' the wee by scratching at it but there's no way I'd be angry with the cattery people that's just ridiculous - it's my cats that have done the damage after all.  Anyway, it's as good as new now and Riley is currently filling it up with his body rather than his body fluids 

I know, but lots of people aren't like you and they get really angry

Glad he's settled back home fine 

[Tiggy's Mum]

Ones I've been at withold the bed. They tend to remain in a carrier bag by the pen - but it's the ones who are known to ruin beds. Say if Riley and Lucas did it the first couple of days, the bed would have been washed and saved for when you came to pick them up. The reason for that is the amount of owners who get angry if things are detroyed/ruined  There is usually a disclaimer saying beds can come but cannot be guaranteed to be given back (ie if they get shredded to pieces - which has happened).

That's so mean    The bed wetting incident was Friday, it was washed and dried then given back to them.  The colour has run and it's a little bit ripped on the base I guess where they tried to 'cover up' the wee by scratching at it but there's no way I'd be angry with the cattery people that's just ridiculous - it's my cats that have done the damage after all.  Anyway, it's as good as new now and Riley is currently filling it up with his body rather than his body fluids 

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Me too! They had one of those big plastic storage tubs full of food, temptations, mice, feathers, fluffy balls, ping pong balls, peek-a-prize, roundabout toy, scratcher and then a big bag with their beds in - if I take their trays too I'll have to get a bigger car 

Oh that's nothing compared to what I take.  I take a cat tree that's nearly 4 feet high (yes, I struggle to get that in the car!), several beds, fleeces etc., a selection of large toys, a bag full of small toys such as toy mice, balls etc., a cardboard box, paper bags... oh I could go on!  I usually end up bringing some stuff back as there isn't room for it all.  I also take supplements, eg lacto b for Jaffa in case the stress gives him an upset stomach, a heatpad for Jaffa, feliway spray....  I like to make it home from home for them    Fortunately I don't have to take any food as they can get natures menu, hi life and JWB.  They always say to bring whatever I like so I take them at their word!

[Den]

Oh believe me I don't like the way things are done. After working in Kennel and Cattery environments for the past 5 years I've vowed to NEVER put my animals in either. I've gone right off them  There are sooooooooo many little things I would do differently, but it's up to the owners of the place as to how they want things done.

Do they tell the owners that or just withold the bed?  I think if one of them does it next time then I'll just change what beds I take, the ones I took were big puffy squishy ones so a pain to wash and dry!

Ones I've been at withold the bed. They tend to remain in a carrier bag by the pen - but it's the ones who are known to ruin beds. Say if Riley and Lucas did it the first couple of days, the bed would have been washed and saved for when you came to pick them up. The reason for that is the amount of owners who get angry if things are detroyed/ruined  There is usually a disclaimer saying beds can come but cannot be guaranteed to be given back (ie if they get shredded to pieces - which has happened).

[Tiggy's Mum]

I think It's all to do with the washing up. You feed all the cats in one go, so you can have 20 odd bowls lined up in a row. It can get confusing when you have a lot of cats on different food and add a bowl into the equation making sure everyone gets the right bowl and food makes it take more time.

Well my cattery didn't have a choice, when I put them in the pen I put their bowl in with some biccies in to munch on  I get what you're saying about time effectiveness etc but at the end of the day I am paying them to look after my cats so I think they should be allowed to have their own bowl! In my case it's not about sentimentaility as I doubt the boys care what their food is in but more that the biscuit bowl I use is the perfect size for measuring out how many biscuits they have.

Also cats that are known to destroy or mess their beds tend to not be given them!! They get what the cattery provides as they can be thrown away afterwards, It's not effective to keep washing beds.

Do they tell the owners that or just withold the bed?  I think if one of them does it next time then I'll just change what beds I take, the ones I took were big puffy squishy ones so a pain to wash and dry!

[Den]

Why would the catteries not use owners bowls Den? Seems a bit mean to me!

It's all to do with the washing up. You feed all the cats in one go, so you can have 20 odd bowls lined up in a row. It can get confusing when you have a lot of cats on different food and add a bowl into the equation making sure everyone gets the right bowl and food makes it take more time. Also, after breakfast all the bowls get washed up together this includes both dinner and breakfast bowls as the dinner ones stay in the cat pen until the morning .. so it's very easy to loose someones bowl. It's just a lot more effective to have a stack of bowls and take the first one that comes. It's the same with litter trays - they all get cleaned together and dried. Whilst those are drying another set of trays are used.

Also cats that are known to destroy or mess their beds tend to not be given them!! They get what the cattery provides as they can be thrown away afterwards, It's not effective to keep washing beds.

[Tiggy's Mum]

I've worked in a couple of catteries and have to say I only ever encountered a couple of cats who would wee on their beds or the floor. They were either the older ones or the very timid ones. There were also the ones who sat in the litter trays and refused to come out 

People requested food and bottled water but no one ever brought their own litter tray or litter. In fact the catteries I worked at would never use litter trays/bowls that were brought in (even if asked, not that anyone supplied their litter box.) The thought of them not liking the litter would never have crossed my mind 

There's no way you could describe the boys as timid  but Riley can be vary wary of new people.  If I have someone round who he hasn't met before he'll hide for at least half an hour before rushing past them, once he's met them a few times he's his usual confident self but I guess without me there he was still scared of the cattery people.  Lukey is the more skitty of the two but he's an absolute tart with new people so if I had to guess at the culprit I'd say Riley even though he is super confident and bombproof at home!  The cattery lady said that she could use a similar litter to what they normally have next time but as I use chick crumbs I'd need to take my own really.

Why would the catteries not use owners bowls Den? Seems a bit mean to me!

I do tend to take everything but the kitchen sink with me when I take them.

Me too! They had one of those big plastic storage tubs full of food, temptations, mice, feathers, fluffy balls, ping pong balls, peek-a-prize, roundabout toy, scratcher and then a big bag with their beds in - if I take their trays too I'll have to get a bigger car 

[blackcat]

I suspect a combination of a much coarser litter, the smell of whatever disinfectant they use on the trays in between visitors, and the familiar scents of home - they were just making it very clear that the familiar was their's and their's alone!!!

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

I would guess that they didnt like the litter.  Wood pellets were the only type of litter that mine refused to use when I experimented with different types years ago.  The cattery I use tends to use the wood pellets, but they will use another type if you ask.  I always ask for them to use something fine grained.

I have taken the litter tray to the cattery with me before!    Then I realised that they were happy to use the disposable trays the cattery provided so it was a bit daft.  I thought they might not be happy using an open tray when they are used to a hooded tray.  Credit to the cattery staff - they didn't bat an eyelid.  I do tend to take everything but the kitchen sink with me when I take them.

[Den]

I've worked in a couple of catteries and have to say I only ever encountered a couple of cats who would wee on their beds or the floor. They were either the older ones or the very timid ones. There were also the ones who sat in the litter trays and refused to come out 

People requested food and bottled water but no one ever brought their own litter tray or litter. In fact the catteries I worked at would never use litter trays/bowls that were brought in (even if asked, not that anyone supplied their litter box.) The thought of them not liking the litter would never have crossed my mind 

[Tiggy's Mum]

Thanks everyone, I even took a nappy sack full of clean 'used' litter to sprinkle on the woodbased litter so they knew what the tray was for.  Looks like I'll have to take their own trays next time although will probably still opt for a pet sitter for shorter holidays. 

I have a petsitter booked for a weekend in July so will see how they get on with her, it's the same one that petsat Tiggy so I know she's reliable it's just that Riley can be a bit of a scaredy cat with new people so I hope he's not to traumatised by an evil stranger coming in when I'm not there!

[Maddiesmum]

Might it be something to do with familiar scents from home?  Just a thought

[Millys Mum]

My lot hate wood litter too and they would probably pee in their beds if that was all they had   

[Gillian Harvey]

litter was wood pellets and it was an uncovered tray whereas I use chick crumb in covered trays. 

It's really upset me at the thought of them being so frightened they'd wee in their own beds - has anyone else had a cat that wees in their own bed?  I could understand them doing it in the corner or something but to go in their own bed 

Aww, don't worry Helen, as others said the wood pellet litter must have felt like walking on pebbles compared to your chick crumbs and the beds just felt much softer underfoot.

[Mark]

I had the same issue with Willow with chick crumb. I realised the tray in the bathroom wasn't being used - I changed it over to ultra clumping and a few days later, it was still untouched (she is the only one that uses the bathroom tray upstairs) - went and got her and put her head in the door. She had a little sniff and walked away. A few hours later, the tray had been christened 

[Dawn F]

it could be a bit lumpy underfoot if they're not used to it, I wouldn't worry too much

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

They probably weren't frightened but they just didn't like woodbased litter.  When I tried woodbased Foxy refused to go in the tray ... she tried it once and I could see the look of complete and utter revolusion as the pellets swelled up under her bum    after that she simply wouldn't go in the tray ... I realised it was a lost cause when I caught her weeing in the washing basket and promptly changed back to normal litter which we have used ever since.

If you use the cattery again I would take your own litter with you and ask them to use that as this is what your boys prefer.

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

Aw H, don't beat yourself up over it. Honestly, it could be that they just didn't like the litter, and new smells.

You know when my sister moved she had Pippa stay at one of the catteries up near you. They used Sophisticat instead of wood pellets in an open tray. Pippa used wood pellets in covered tray.

The first few days at home after she got home Pippa kept peeing everwhere (mostly her bed) other than her tray.  It was resolved by trying to mimic what the cattery had for a week and now she's back to normal.

They will show their protests in these small ways, to let you know they were a bit worried. But that's the reality. If you place them in the cattery again next time, they might do it again, but provided they are back to normal at home, it could just be a small protest. 

[Tiggy's Mum]

The boys went into a cattery for the last week for the first time in their lives.  The cattery is very nice and the pen was very spacious with an indoor bit with a shelf on for their beds and an outdoor bit which had lots of their toys in.

They have never once had an accident or gone to the toilet anywhere other than the litter tray the whole time I have had them, even when they were tiny babies.  Whilst at the cattery one or both of them wee'd in their bed.  The litter was wood pellets and it was an uncovered tray whereas I use chick crumb in covered trays. 

It's really upset me at the thought of them being so frightened they'd wee in their own beds - has anyone else had a cat that wees in their own bed?  I could understand them doing it in the corner or something but to go in their own bed 

Otherwise they seem fine and have settled straight back into being back at home, they're not even sulking!  They have both used the tray since being home and there has been no bed weeing at home.  I'm now wondering whether I would have been better using a pet sitter rather than a cattery.