68 French Property News August 2019 http://www.completefrance.comWhile the n)k'n/n3
Worried about leaving your cat behind when you visit your French holiday
home? Follow Kathrin Burckhardt and Julie Barnes‘ tips for a stress-free break
W
hether you’re new to owning your
holiday home or well-seasoned – or
perhaps just househunting at this
stage – having your cat looked after while
you’re away needs careful consideration. You
are likely to be away from home regularly and
for fairly long periods of time. This is not a
week in the Med once a year!
Despite pet passports, we would hazard a
guess few people transport their feline friends
back and forth across the Channel on a regular
basis. Owners know that their cats are
territorial and don’t settle somewhere new
quickly or easily.
So, when you realise that your friend or
neighbour has really done enough ‘popping in
to feed the cat’, here are some easy steps to
follow to ensure that your feline friend is happy
and safe whenever you are away.Step 1: Cat comforts
Take some time to have a good think about what
environment would make your cat feel most
comfortable while you’re away. As we said
earlier, kitties are very territorial, so in most
cases, asking someone to pop round and feed
your cat in the comfort of their own home is the
best solution, rather than taking your cat to the
strange environment of a cattery. With someone
popping over to your home there is no stress for
kitty and no guilt for you.Step 2: Love and attention
If you do decide to use a cattery then make
sure you visit first and meet the carers to get a
clear understanding of what the daily routine
will be for your cat, what interaction and
enrichment they will have, and how safe andEXPERT ADVICE
healthy they will be. Many cats find a cattery
stressful, so if they are going to spend a lot of
time there you need to be completely
comfortable with the environment and the
people – or you could find yourself worrying all
the time you are away.