Pleasing 4 Pets

When you are busy planning for a holiday or preparing to spend a weekend away from home, it’s all too easy to forget about the welfare of your feline friend whilst you are aware. As part of your preparation for any trip you should take into consideration your cat’s requirements, and should try wherever possible to plan your pets care in advance.

One of the most obvious ways to ensure that your cat is cared for appropriately in your absence is to board him at a cattery for the duration of your trip. Your vet should be able to recommend a local cattery with a good reputation and professional pet insurance. You should bear in mind that responsible catteries will require confirmation that your cat is up to date with his vaccinations, so remember to have your cats most recent inoculation certificate to hand when making a reservation.

Friends or family may offer to look after your cat whilst you take a trip, but should always ensure that they are fully aware of what is involved in providing adequate care for a pet. You should take into consideration whether your cat will be accepted and welcomed by all members of their families, including any existing pets that they might have.

Cat may often be more contented and at ease if they stay at your home whilst you are away, but you should ensure that a responsible friend or dependable neighbour visits your home a minimum of twice daily to feed him and give him clean water. You should always remember to leave a telephone number for your vet and a contact number where the carer for your cat can reach you in case of an emergency.

A recent report published by a leading international ferry company confirmed that an increasing number of UK residents are allowing their pets to accompany them on holiday, with current figures revealing that holiday bookings including family pets have risen 21% so far this year. With kennel fees and the likes rising rapidly this figure looks set to increase steadily for the remainder of 2008.

Previously going on holiday and taking an animal companion with you has proved problematic and difficult to coordinate, but the growth in pet friendly lodgings, increasing choices in travel alternatives and modification in the regulations for visiting foreign countries with animals all point to the fact that holidaying with a pet is actually more realistic and feasible an option than it has ever been before. The let-up in the UK’s stringent quarantine regulations, and in particular the launch of the ‘Pet Travel Scheme’ which was introduced in 2000, will no doubt encourage this rise.

European Ferry and car travel is particularly well suited to pets and offers them a less traumatic and distressing journey than if they were travelling by plane. For a small charge many ferries will provide special pet facilities including kennels.

Going on pet-friendly holidays is a great idea. It’s a good way of making yourself do something different, try going camping for example. You can still go abroad as it is easy to go camping in France or Spain using ferry or car travel.

Booking private accommodation also offers the perfect remedy for taking a break with your pets. In addition to cutting kennel costs, many owners find having a beloved pet accompany them on a trip very rewarding.