I SENT my male cat, Mimi, to a lodging facility at a pet shop before leaving for a five-day holiday to Singapore and Johor Bahru recently.
That was the first time I sent my furry friend to a lodging facility. It was a decision that was hard for me to make. I’d prefer Mimi to stay at home and be visited by someone I know. That was the arrangement in the past. But alas, this time, all my family members were going to Singapore and Johor Bahru as well.
Although the cat boarding was going to be stressful for Mimi, I had no choice.
“But at least, at the lodging facility, Mimi’s basic needs, such as food and water, will be taken care of and it will be staying in a safe environment while I’m away,” I consoled myself.
I sent Mimi to the lodging facility one day before I left for Johor Bahru. I used a leash to restrain the cat as I drove my car to the pet shop. As I took it out of the box in the car and held it, it tried very hard to break free.
Perhaps it was unhappy about being moved to the boarder for a week or so while I was away.
The pet shop charged me RM20 per night and I had to bring a week’s supply of cat food and cat litter for Mimi.
Normally, I liked to take pictures of events but that afternoon, I was so sad I had to leave Mimi at the lodging facility that I forgot to take any pictures. The last thing I heard as I walked out of the small room containing metal cages was Mimi meowing loudly at me.
I did not look back. Besides Mimi, there were at least two other cats at the lodging facility. Surprisingly, all the other cats were quiet that afternoon.
Mimi stayed at the lodging facility for a total of seven days. On the day I took it back, I was surprised to hear workers at the pet shop singing praises of it.
“It is the friendliest cat we have ever come across. It likes to be patted,” they told me.
I was startled to hear such praises of my cat. “Mimi a friendly cat?” This wasn’t the Mimi I knew.
Whenever my nephew, my son or other family members came to my house, it would rush inside and hide itself in a corner.
In my house, so far, I am the only person who can pat Mimi.
Can a change in the environment affect a cat? In Mimi’s case, it apparently did.
I collected a slimmer cat seven days later. I suppose at the lodging facility, there are fixed feeding times for the cats. At home, Mimi can eat anytime it wants because I refill the cat bowl whenever it is empty.
In my home, my dogs, Cookie and Bailey, like to eat cat food, too, and will help themselves often to the cat bowl.
Besides that, staying in the lodging facility must have been stressful for Mimi. There were changes in its routine, unfamiliar smells and sounds, separation from me, its owner, and the presence of other cats.
After returning from lodging, I noticed that Mimi was extra clingy. It would follow me around, lay next to me as I sat on the sofa and rub against me, seeking attention to make for the time I was away.
“Don’t worry. I love you, Mimi. I’m sorry I had to leave you behind when I went to Singapore,” I told my cat as it pretended to sleep next to me on the sofa.
I knew it was pretending to sleep because the minute I went to the kitchen, it followed me there.
My love for Mimi will not stop me from travelling and leaving it at the lodging facility again.
To be honest, I am pleased that the staff at the pet shop love Mimi and consider it the friendliest cat they have ever met.
The next time I leave Mimi at the lodging facility, I will do so with a happy and peaceful heart, knowing that the staff there love it and are taking good care of it.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at adelinel888@gmail.com.
