Cat sitter or cattery: where will your cat be calmer?
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
A cat sitter keeps your cat in its own territory and routine, which Cats Protection calls the safest and least unsettling option. A good cattery offers staff, secure units and daily monitoring, and can suit a cat that is relaxed with strangers. It depends on your cat's temperament and health, and on the cattery's standards.
International Cat Care says most cats do not want to share space with cats they do not know, so any cattery should house each household's cats separately, with no contact between units.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
How do a cat sitter and a cattery compare?
| Option | Cat sitter at home | Boarding cattery | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Territory and routine | Unchanged: its own home, smells and hiding places | A new place; familiar bedding, toys or a scratching post can help it settle | International Cat Care |
| Travel | None | A journey in a carrier; the RSPCA notes cats often struggle with travel | RSPCA (England and Wales) |
| Other cats | Only its own household | Other guests nearby; a good cattery keeps households apart so cats can never touch through the mesh | International Cat Care |
| Dogs | Only your household's | Barking dogs nearby can distress cats; look for no kennels nearby, or well separated ones | International Cat Care |
| Company and checks | Visits at least twice a day (Cats Protection), or a sitter who stays | Staff on site who should track eating and toileting daily and call a vet if a cat is unwell | Cats Protection |
| Escape risk | Windows, balconies and the front door; test the doors with the sitter | Escape-proof units with a safety corridor: never both doors open at once | International Cat Care |
| Vaccinations | Your vet's usual schedule | A cattery must ask to see each cat's vaccination certificate | International Cat Care |
| Suits | Nervous or home-loving cats, and older cats | Cats that are comfortable around strangers | Cats Protection |
| Price | On Petym, Rs 599 a 30-minute visit in Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Bengaluru, Rs 499 in other cities | Set by each cattery | Not stated |
Why does the choice matter so much for cats?
Cats are territorial and find security in predictability. Changing either is what causes stress.
International Cat Care explains that cats are constantly assessing their surroundings for threats, and that being predictable and keeping daily routines is one of the best ways to minimise their stress. Much of a cat's stress comes from other cats: sharing space and resources with cats it does not like, or seeing unfamiliar cats as threats. A home sitter avoids both. A cattery, however good, changes the territory and puts other cats nearby.
Stress in cats is often quiet. The same charity lists hiding more, eating less or more, overgrooming, and passing urine or faeces outside the usual places as signs. And not eating is serious in a cat: the University of Illinois veterinary college warns that a cat that goes without eating for a few days in a row risks hepatic lipidosis, a liver disease, especially if it is overweight, and advises seeing a vet promptly if a cat stops eating. Who notices, and how quickly, matters on either side.
None of this means catteries are bad. Cats Protection notes that cats who are comfortable around strangers may do well in a cattery, while nervous or home-loving cats generally suit a sitter at home. The choice depends on the cat in front of you.
What should a good cattery have?
From International Cat Care's and Cats Protection's advice on choosing one. Visit before you book; if the owner will not show you where the cats are kept, look elsewhere.
- Escape-proof units and a safety corridor, so the outside door is always shut when an inside door is open. International Cat Care
- Each household's cats housed separately, with barriers such as clear panels or a wide gap so cats can never touch through the mesh. International Cat Care
- No communal runs: most cats do not want to share space with a cat they do not know. International Cat Care
- Units kept clean, with shelves and something to scratch. International Cat Care
- Staff who track each cat's eating and toileting every day and contact a vet if a cat becomes unwell. International Cat Care
- Proof of vaccination asked for, for every cat. International Cat Care
- No dog kennels nearby, or ones that are well separated. International Cat Care
- Willingness to give your cat's medicine as prescribed, and heating or insulation in the units. Cats Protection
- Space booked well ahead: popular catteries fill up in holiday weeks. Cats Protection
How do you make cat sitting at home work well?
Cats Protection's advice on choosing a sitter and leaving the home ready, with Indian flats in mind.
Do
- Arrange visits at least twice a day, or more for very young, old or unwell cats. Cats Protection
- Meet the sitter at home, ideally several days before you leave, so they meet your cat. Cats Protection
- Leave written daily instructions, a full medicine list, your vet's details, and enough food, litter and medicine. Cats Protection
- Show the sitter where the food, bowls, trays and carrier are, and say whether your cat goes outside. Cats Protection
- Test the door locks with the sitter and leave a backup key with someone you trust. Cats Protection
- Check that balcony nets and window grilles are intact before you go: a bored or frightened cat may look for a way out of a high-rise flat.
Don’t
- Don't leave string-like toys such as feather teasers out between visits; cats can get tangled. Cats Protection
- Don't leave lilies in the house. International Cat Care warns that a little pollen licked off the coat can cause kidney failure. International Cat Care
- Don't leave human medicines where a cat could reach them; even a small dose of some, such as paracetamol, can make a cat severely ill. International Cat Care
- Don't rely on one sitter with no backup in festival weeks. Cats Protection
Which suits which cat?
A starting point. You know your cat, and your vet knows its health.
| Cat sitter at home | Cattery | |
|---|---|---|
| Nervous or shy cat Cats Protection | Usually suits: no travel, no strange cats | Often stressful |
| Confident cat, relaxed with strangers Cats Protection | Suits | May do well |
| Kitten Cats Protection | More frequent visits than for an adult, or a sitter who stays | Ask your vet first about vaccinations |
| Senior cat or cat with a health condition Cats Protection | More frequent visits, or a sitter who stays | Only one that will give its medicine and watches eating daily |
| Several cats that get on International Cat Care | Simple: they stay together at home | Can share a unit if from the same household |
| Cat that goes outdoors Cats Protection | Agree with the sitter whether it may go out at all | Kept in its unit throughout |
Which beliefs about cats and boarding are wrong?
You may have read
Cats are independent, so they do not mind where they stay.
Myth
What the sources say
International Cat Care says predictability and routine are among the best ways to keep a cat's stress low, and that cats are naturally territorial. A change of place is a real change for most cats. International Cat Care
You may have read
A cat that hides from the sitter for a day is fine; one that skips meals for days will catch up later.
Myth
What the sources say
Hiding at first is common, but not eating is not something to wait out: the University of Illinois warns that a cat going without food for a few days risks hepatic lipidosis. Ask the sitter or cattery to tell you the same day if your cat refuses food. University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine
You may have read
Cats in a cattery enjoy the company of other cats.
Myth
What the sources say
International Cat Care says most cats do not want to share space with a cat they do not know and will be very stressed by it, which is why good catteries avoid communal runs. International Cat Care
Which to pick when
It depends on your cat's temperament and health, the length of the trip, and whether a good cattery is within reach.
If Your cat is nervous, shy or very attached to home
A cat sitter at home: visits at least twice a day, or a sitter who stays. Drop-in visits Cats Protection
If Your cat is old, unwell or on medicine
A sitter at home with more frequent visits or overnight stays; or a cattery that will give the medicine and track eating daily. Special-needs care Cats Protection
If Your cat is confident with strangers and you have found a cattery that meets the checklist
A cattery can suit. Bring familiar bedding or a toy. Boarding a cat in India International Cat Care
If No one you trust can reach your home twice a day
A well-run cattery is better than an irregular visitor. Boarding a cat in India
If You also have a dog
A sitter who stays overnight can look after both at home. Drop-in visits or overnight sitting?
What about catteries in India?
Petym did not find a national standard for catteries in India of the kind some other countries publish, so ask each cattery directly about the points on the checklist above: separate units, no contact between households, vaccination checks, daily monitoring and the vet it uses. Visit in person before you book, see where the cats actually sleep, and ask what happens if your cat stops eating.
Our guide to boarding a cat in India covers what to pack and how to settle a cat into a stay away.
How will Petym's cat sitting work?
Petym is not taking bookings yet; it opens city by city once its sitters have passed its checks. When it does, cat sitting will be at your home, by drop-in visits or a sitter who stays overnight. Every sitter will have their identity verified with PAN, pet first-aid training before the first booking and a named 24-hour vet within reach.
Each booking starts with a free meet and greet at your home. The sitter follows your cat's plan as you write it, logs meals, litter and medicines as they happen, and sends a photo update every day. In an emergency the sitter calls you and takes your cat to the nearest 24-hour vet on the city's list.
Going away soon? Tell us your dates.
A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Questions owners ask
Is a cattery stressful for cats?
- It can be. International Cat Care says most cats do not want to share space with unfamiliar cats and that barking dogs nearby can distress them. A good cattery reduces stress with separate units and no contact between households; Cats Protection says cats comfortable with strangers may do well there.
How many sitter visits a day does a cat need at home?
- At least twice a day, according to Cats Protection, and more often for very young or old cats or those with health conditions. Each visit should cover food, fresh water, the litter tray, play and any medicines, and a check that the cat is eating and behaving normally.
What should I look for when visiting a cattery?
- Escape-proof units with a safety corridor, each household's cats kept apart so they cannot touch, no communal runs, clean units with shelves, staff who track eating and toileting daily, a request for vaccination proof, and no dog kennels close by. International Cat Care lists all of these.
Can I leave my cat alone with a friend checking in once a day?
- Cats Protection suggests visits at least twice a day, and more for very young, old or unwell cats. One visit a day leaves long gaps for a cat to go without fresh water or a clean tray, or to fall ill unnoticed. A friend can work if they can come twice daily.
Do catteries need my cat's vaccination certificate?
- A good one should. International Cat Care says a cattery must ask to see each cat's vaccination certificate, and Cats Protection advises making sure vaccinations are up to date before you book. Ask your vet well before the trip which vaccines your cat needs.
Is a cat sitter better for an old cat?
- Often, because an old cat keeps its home and routine. Cats Protection says old cats and cats with health conditions may need more frequent visits than a healthy adult. If your cat takes medicine at night, a sitter who stays or a cattery that gives medicines may suit better.
Can my two cats board together?
- Usually, if they come from the same household and get on. International Cat Care says cats from different households should never be able to touch each other, so a cattery should house your cats together and apart from other guests.
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Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- International Cat Care: Stress in cats (opens in a new tab)
- International Cat Care: Choosing a boarding cattery (opens in a new tab)
- Cats Protection: Going on holiday (opens in a new tab)
- RSPCA (England and Wales): Pet sitting (opens in a new tab)
- International Cat Care: Cats and poisons (opens in a new tab)
- University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine: Hepatic lipidosis: a serious problem when cats stop eating (opens in a new tab)