What Can You Do To Help Your Cat Overcome Anxiety About Boarding?
Traveling with your cat is sometimes not an option. You can choose to enlist the help of a friend or family member to care for your cat while you are away, but one way to ensure your cat is properly cared for is to take it to the kennel. If you have a cat that is antisocial or who becomes nervous around others, you need to prepare ahead of time for the experience.
Opt for a Cat-Only Boarding Facility
Some boarding facilities offer services for both cats and dogs. The presence of both can sometimes result in lots of noise that can prove to be stressful to your cat.
To prevent this, look for a facility that offers services only for cats. The presence of cats only might be less noisy and prevent an over-stimulation of your cat.
Check for Space and Privacy
One way to alleviate some of your cat's stress about being in a kennel is to ensure the facility you choose offers space. The smaller the space your cat is in, the more likely it is to feel confined and have a bad reaction. A spacious facility that possibly has windows from which your cat can look out is a better option.
You also need to ensure that when your cat needs privacy, it is available. An enclosure or area in which you cat can retreat when it is feeling anxious can help keep it calm.
Pack Familiar Items
Even if your cat is only going to be at the kennel a day or two, you still need to pack some familiar belongings for the kennel. For instance, make sure your cat's bedding is taken along. You could also provide some of your cat's regular litter to use while it is there.
In addition to this, provide the staff with some of your cat's favorite treats and toys. The more familiar items you send along, the better.
Review Your Cat's Schedule With Staff
It is important that the staff at the boarding facility follow your cat's schedule. By going through the routine that your cat is used to, the staff can help alleviate your cat's anxieties.
The staff might not be able to follow the routine exactly, but the combination of using familiar items and being on routine sometimes throughout the day can help.
Talk to the boarding facility staff at a cat boarding facility like the Academy Of Canine Behavior about other ways you can help your cat overcome its anxieties.