- This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.
- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
Pet parents of anxious cats know that traveling often takes extra planning, especially when it comes to boarding your nervous kitty. Luckily, you have options!
For anxious cats, house sitters who stay overnight or pet sitters who drop in and check on your kitty throughout the day are usually the first choice. But sometimes that just doesn’t work out, and you need to find a boarding option. Keep reading to learn what to look for and what questions to ask on your quest to find the best boarding for your anxious kitty.
What To Look For in Boarding for Anxious Cats
When choosing boarding for an anxious cat, it’s crucial to find places that minimize stress and sensory overload. Here are a few things you’ll want to look for when touring a facility or checking out boarding at a potential sitter’s house.
- Cat-only boarding. Look for in-home boarders and facilities that only take cats or have a dedicated wing to keep your cat away from the sound and smell of dogs.
- Low-stress environments. Choose boarders that offer a quiet setting, like facilities with suites positioned away from busy corridors and lobbies, or sitters who offer a quiet home environment. The more home-like and quiet the facility is, the better, says Joey Lusvardi, a certified cat behavior consultant and founder of Class Act Cats.
- Experienced staff or sitters. “Facilities that care about the well-being of the cat and have experienced staff are best,” adds Lusvardi. Opt for boarding providers who understand feline body language and won’t force interactions. (Fear-free certifications are a plus!)
- Enclosures or rooms that make anxious cats feel safe. Homes or facilities that offer vertical spaces and hiding spots, like cat trees, window perches, and built-in cubbies, can help a nervous cat feel safer in a new environment.
- Sensory management. Sitters or boarding facilities that use management tactics, like pheromone sprays or white noise machines, can help a cat’s nervous system during transitional periods.
- Added enrichment. Activities specifically geared toward meeting a cat’s instinctual needs can also help reduce stress. Look to see if your potential boarder has, or will allow you to bring, items like lick mats, food puzzles, or your cat’s favorite toys.
Luxury boarding
Luxury cat boarding facilities may also offer spacious, multi-tiered vertical condos that give anxious cats extra room to establish territory zones and help them feel more at home. They might also offer additional enrichment like vertical perches next to outward-facing windows or screens playing “cat TV.”
However, Ali Smith, a behavior consultant at Maven, recommends choosing calm over luxury. Just because a boarding facility offers a premium package doesn’t mean they’ll offer all the criteria above to help your anxious cat settle in.
thegoodphoto via iStock
What To Ask Your Boarding Provider
Once you’ve found a place you think could be a winner, you’ll want to do a meet and greet with the sitter or tour the facility. “It’s important to think about keeping your cat as happy as you can while you are away, so ask specifically about enrichment and interactions the cat may get,” says Lusvardi.
Below are additional questions to ask potential boarding providers to see if they’re a good fit for your anxious kitty:
- Do you have experience with anxious or timid cats?
- Can you send items that belong to your cat (toys, blanket, a shirt of yours, or something that has a scent from home) to help provide comfort while you’re away from them?
- How often will you check on my cat throughout the day?
- How do you introduce yourself to an anxious, timid cat? (“If the answer is ‘we just let them come to us,’ that’s usually a good sign,” says Smith.)
- What would you do if my cat seems scared or won’t come out of hiding? (“If they say they’d force the cat out of hiding or to interact with them, that is a red flag, as that’s an outdated method of trying to help scared cats,” says Lusvardi.)
- How comfortable are you administering medication (if your cat requires it)?
- What happens if my cat becomes ill?
- Are there other activities available for my cat to play or have fun without a human? (“Just use caution if they mention loud, automatic toys, as that may scare your cat more,” advises Lusvardi.)
How To Find a Cat Boarding Option on Rover
Boarding at a sitter’s home is often a great option for anxious cats, as they get to be in a home environment, often with more individualized care. And Rover is a great place to find a trustworthy cat sitter.
Not sure where to start in your search? Here’s how to browse experienced pet sitters in your area.
- Use the search field. When using Rover’s app or website, the search field will prompt you to choose the service you need. Once you select “boarding,” you’ll enter your address and the dates you need cat care. From here, you’ll get a list of available sitters in the area.
- Use Google to search member profiles. Want to look for specific qualities? Try using a site search. For example, you can type “site:rover.com/members anxious cat experience” into Google. From here, your search results should feature local sitters with anxious cat care listed in their profile.
- Check reviews and ratings. As you peruse different in-home boarding options, check out each sitter’s past pet care experience in more detail. The “Skills” section is a great place to note if the sitter has experience with anxious or nervous cats specifically. Reading reviews from other pet parents will also give you a better idea of how the sitter has handled anxiety or other behavioral issues in the past.
Finding the best sitter for your anxious cat can take a little extra time and effort, but it’s often worth it for the peace of mind. With a good boarding situation, your anxious cat won’t worry—and neither will you!
