pets while traveling

I am one of many retired grannies who house/petsitters on an occasional basis. I charge a small fee (less than kennels) but if you live in a city or interesting area, there are many, many housesitters who do it for free - for the 'experience' of being in another part of the country or world. Trusted Housesitters is the main one, and they have a rather expensive joining fee (around £100 I believe) but then you have the free sits.

We used to have fish and I was told the main problem is that non-owners overfeed them. jusnoneed's advice sounds better!

If you are happy to have someone in your home perhaps you could look at getting a house & pet sitter. There are a number of websites dedicated to this, and I am sure you would find the ideal sitter from one of those.

The odd times we've gone on holiday my cats have gone to a cattery but we used to take them with us to an apartment we had an hour away. They were fine once there but not allowed out. Do you let your cat out when you take it with you?

You can buy fish feeding blocks for aquariums which release food slowly over days. I think they are supposed to last a weeks or so.

DS lives at home so when DH and I go away we don't usually have to consider the cat. On the very rare occasion DS comes too the cat goes to the cattery.

My cat goes to a lovely cattery - judging by the wails of protest in the car on the way home, I think she'd be happy to live there permanently.

I've always left my cat at home, with a pet-sitter as well as family members calling in. I've also got fish, but mine are cold-water ones.