Cat Sitting vs Boarding a Cat

Why home matters so much to a cat

Your cat knows every corner of your apartment or rowhouse: the sunny window, the hiding spot under the bed, the litter box that is always in the same place. The Feline Veterinary Medical Association, the cat vets' group behind catvets.com, says cats rely on their senses to judge whether they are safe. Unfamiliar smells, noises, movements, or even the sight of other animals can raise a cat's fear and anxiety.

The same group says cats feel most comfortable in familiar spaces, and its standards for vet clinics note that cats see unfamiliar dogs as a predator. A boarding facility can bring all of those at once: new rooms, new people, barking and the scent of other animals. That is one reason many cat owners in Brookland, Edgewood and Mount Rainier consider in-home cat sitting first.

Staying home has practical upsides for you, too. During cat sitting visits, Danny's Pet Care can bring in the mail and packages and water indoor plants, so your home looks cared for while you travel. Boarding has its own upside: staff are usually on site during the day, and some facilities keep cats in a quiet area away from dogs. If you consider one, ask to see where the cats stay.

The trip itself: carriers and travel

Boarding means a car ride in a carrier there and back, and for many cats that is the hard part. The Feline Veterinary Medical Association says travel can be stressful for both you and your cat, and that a cat may become fearful or anxious at the sight of a carrier that only comes out for vet visits.

Its guidance is to leave the carrier out at home, add a soft blanket that smells like home, and train your cat to enter it in small steps. It notes that some cats learn fast while others need weeks or months. If your cat has more than one carrier trip coming, ask your vet whether anti-anxiety or travel medication makes sense. With a sitter, the carrier still matters, since it should be ready in case your cat needs a vet while you are away. Our guide on preparing your cat for a cat sitter covers that setup.

Appetite, the litter box and stress

Cornell's Feline Health Center says food avoidance occurs fairly often in cats placed in boarding kennels, and that refusing food is never simply a cat deciding not to eat. Cornell adds that not eating can have a severe impact on an adult cat's health if it lasts for as little as 24 hours.

Cornell also lists living in a multi-cat household and changes in routine, such as a move to a new home, among the stress factors that may raise the risk of lower urinary tract signs. It calls a urethral blockage, which is more likely in male cats, an absolute emergency. Whether your cat boards or stays home, someone should be watching for these signs every day.

During in-home visits, a careful cat sitter looks for:

• Whether the food from the last visit was eaten, and how much.
• What is in the litter box, and any straining or crying in the box.
• A cat that is hiding more than usual or does not come out at all.
• Vomiting, drooling or changes in water intake.
• Anything that looks different from your written instructions.

Multi-cat homes and the return home

In a home with two or three cats, in-home care keeps the group together and the household scent unchanged. Our cat sitting service lists families with multiple cats among the homes it is designed for, and our rates page explains how extra cats are priced.

Boarding can also affect the cats who stay behind. The Feline Veterinary Medical Association says a cat coming home after a longer stay at the vet may smell different to your other cats, and they may hiss, fight or avoid each other. It recommends a slow reintroduction. If you board one cat and not another, plan for that, and ask your vet for advice if the cats do not settle.

How many visits a day your cat may need

No official cat health group sets a single number of visits that fits every cat. It depends on your cat's age, health, appetite and medication, so ask your vet if your cat is a senior, a kitten or on medicine. On our cat sitting page, Danny's Pet Care says most clients choose once or twice daily visits, and the schedule can be customized.

For a healthy adult cat on a short trip, a cat feeding visit for meals, fresh water and a quick check may be enough. For longer trips or a cat that needs more company, a full visit adds litter care, playtime and brushing. Our post on local cat sitting in Edgewood and Brookland describes visits for shy cats, and our guide to how long a cat can be left alone explains why daily checks matter.

Some owners try to stretch a trip with an automatic feeder instead of visits. A feeder can serve meals on a timer, but it cannot scoop a litter box, notice a cat that is hiding or not eating, or call your vet. Our guide to a cat sitter vs an automatic feeder compares the two.

When a vet clinic stay fits better

Some cats need more than a sitter can safely give. If your cat needs injections, frequent monitoring, or close watching after surgery, a stay at your vet clinic may be the safer choice. Danny's Pet Care lists medication as pills, liquid or mixed into food, and does not list injections. Our guide to vet boarding vs in-home care for medical needs walks through that choice.

If your cat does stay at a clinic, ask how cats are housed. The Feline Veterinary Medical Association's standards call for cat wards kept separate from dogs and suggest that owners bring blankets or towels from home for familiar scents. For a healthy cat at home, read our post on cat sitting and house sitting in DC, then reach out through our cat care page to set up a meet-and-greet.