Okay, so here’s the deal, I needed to find a place for my cat, Mittens, to stay while I was out of town for a week. You know, like a little kitty vacation spot. So, I started looking into this whole “cat boarding near me” thing.
First off, I gotta say, I love my cat, but I also know that cats are weird about new places. So, I was kinda thinking, wouldn’t it be better to just leave Mittens at home and have a friend swing by to feed her and scoop the litter box? Cats are all about their territory, right? They get stressed out when you move them around. It’s like, “This isn’t my couch! Where’s my favorite sunbeam?” So, yeah, I was leaning towards just keeping her at home. She might get a little lonely, but at least she wouldn’t be totally freaked out in a strange place.
But, still, I figured I should at least look into what the cat boarding options were around here, and how much they cost. You know, just to see what’s up. I mean, what if there is a cat paradise near me that I don’t know about?
I started my search, and I found a bunch of places. Some called themselves “pet hotels,” which, honestly, sounds kinda fancy. Like, is Mittens gonna get a little robe and some room service? I was curious if they offered some kind of special services, such as playing with my cat, or scratching her head. Anyway, the idea is that these places are supposed to be fun and safe for your pet while you’re away.
Then I started looking at prices. Turns out, it can vary a lot depending on where you live. I’m currently in LA, and I saw some stuff saying the average rate around here is about 20 bucks an hour. But then I also saw that in, like, Columbus, Ohio, it’s more like 11 bucks an hour. It’s really a big difference for sure. The hourly rate might also differ, depending on the services provided.
Then I found this app, Booksy, that lets you find and book appointments for pet boarding. That’s pretty cool, right? You can do it all on your phone or computer. Super convenient. I didn’t end up using it, but it seemed like a good option for finding some cat or dog boarding.
My Decision
After checking everything out, I decided to just go with my gut and keep Mittens at home. My neighbor, Sarah, is a total cat person, and she said she’d be happy to come over every day to take care of her. She also has a cat, and Mittens and her cat are friends already. We’ll probably get together before I leave so she knows the drill. Feed her, scoop the box, give her some love, the usual.
- Pros of leaving her at home:
- Less stress for Mittens.
- She gets to stay in her own environment.
- Cheaper than boarding.
- Cons of leaving her at home:
- She might get a little lonely.
- I worry a little bit more (but Sarah is great, so that helps).
So, yeah, that’s my cat boarding saga. In the end, home sweet home seemed like the best choice for my little furball. But it’s good to know there are options out there if you need them. And hey, if anyone’s found a cat hotel with tiny robes and room service, let me know!