Taking pets on holiday

[Daisy]

One of the reasons we have a caravan is so we can take Eva on holiday with us, so I've been checking out the beaches in the area we are going to later this month. To my surprise dogs and even cats are mentioned everywhere, but did you ever imagine you could take your ferret on all Brittany Ferry routes? They are clearly in competition with P&O Ferries who also allow ferrets. The Mudeford Ferry goes one better - not only can you take you cats or dogs on it - you can take your parrots as well, and all are free, whereas a child's bike costs 50p!

I'm sure you will all find this information really useful!

[Gemini]

If ever we get a ferret or parrot it will be very useful Daisy 😊

[Daisy]

Gem, glad to be of service!

[Nanto2girls]

Next door have got a ferret and a parrot. I'll pass on the info to them.

[Daisy]

Nanto - they'll be spoilt for choice, won't they!

[Oma]

Well I never 🤣🤣🤣
To be honest when we had our Cockatiel we never went on holiday as not many people will look after a bird so that would have been handy to know we could have gone on the ferry with him 🤣

[Enfys]

Goodness , who,knew?? DD always has to get cat sitters if we all go away together, she would never consider taking them with her, they would hate it. DD looks after her friends parrot if they go away. It’s name is Jack and he’s 20 years old. Last year “he” laid an egg!! He learnt to copy the cats when he was with them, drove his owners mad when he went home.

[Oma]

Enfys they are very clever arnt they 😁 DD could never put Storm in kennels he would be too stressed .
We love having him for a week and he spends lots of time with us but he still starts after about 4 days missing DD
He will go off his food and mooch around .
The cats couldn’t care less as long as they get fed and have a few cuddles , 🙄🤣🤣

[Daisy]

Enfys, I'm always a bit surprised when I see cats in caravans. I've always assumed they're indoor cats, but I've seen one on a collar and lead (walking to heel far better than Eva, if the truth be told!) I had to smile at "Jack" laying an egg, although I have known of parrots missing their owners and losing feathers if they go away and leave them.

Oma, Storm is such a cuddle-monster I can imagine he'd be really stressed in kennels.

[Plantaholic]

We had a blind elderly cat we took on a caravan holiday once, we walked him on a lead into a bit of woodland. Loved him to bits

[Daisy]

Aww, Plant, I bet he loved the experience of different places with all his other senses.

[Gemini]

I have a friend living on the Scottish borders who has 2 Siamese cats. Having no children or GC they are her babies.
As she isn't a camping or caravanning person and didn't like to the leave the cats it meant finding holiday lets which allow pets. She has found a few over the years. Both cats were trained to walk on harness and I took one for a walk once 😊

This of course meant holidays abroad were off the agenda. I think she now either books them into a cattery or has a cat sitter, as she does occasionally go abroad.
OH and I have gone to cat sit there twice a few years ago.

She was a stingy owner though! Didn't offer to pay for our travel and left not even the bare essentials in the fridge! I pay our cat sitter's petrol money plus a bit extra, ask what I can get on the supermarket order for her, and leave a couple of treats. Considering what petsitters charge it's the least we can do.

[Daisy]

Gem, your friend with the 2 Siamese certainly wasn't very generous if she didn't even stock the fridge for you, plus travelling expenses. A friend used to dog sit for us for an odd couple of nights when necessary when we had the Yorkies, and I always made sure the fridge was fully stocked with things she liked, plus wine and treats, flowers in the house etc. I agree, it's the least we can do as it means we can be away with out worrying quite as much knowing our pets are in their home environment.

As a matter of interest, when you walk a cat on a harness and lead do they just trot along or do they want to stop and sniff at things like dogs do?

[Gemini]

When I walked her she certainly didn't stop and sniff, just walked along!

As a teenager I tried one of my cats with a lead and he lay on his back and just chewed and played with the lead!
OH tells an even funnier story of attempting to get her cat to walk with one. She slunk to the ground, flat on her belly and crept along!

We both gave up on cat walking