For most cats, a sitter visiting your home is the calmest option; for most dogs, home boarding with a sitter or an overnight sitter at your home is less stressful than a busy kennel. Kennels still suit very social dogs and owners who need a facility with staff on site. Home boarding with PetHome Israel starts at 220 ₪ per day for dogs and 140 ₪ for cats; cat home visits start at 110 ₪.
Three formats, three different experiences
A kennel or cattery is a facility with runs, rooms or cages and staff who care for many animals at once. The advantages are clear structure, fixed opening hours and often a large outdoor area. The disadvantages are noise, many unfamiliar animals and less one-on-one attention.
Home boarding means your pet lives in a sitter's home. The sitter usually hosts one to three animals, so your pet gets walks, company and a home routine. The trade-off is that your pet still has to adjust to a new place.
Home sitting means your pet stays at home. A sitter either visits (cats, small pets, some dogs) or sleeps over (dogs and multi-pet homes). Your pet keeps its own bed, smells and routine.
How to decide for a cat
Cats are territorial. A new environment, a car ride and the smells of other cats can make them hide and stop eating for a day or more. That is why most cat owners choose home visits: one or two visits a day, litter cleaned, food and water checked, a photo sent to you.
Cat boarding at a sitter's home makes sense when:
- nobody can take a key;
- your home is under renovation or you are moving;
- the cat needs supervision several times a day;
- you will be away for a long time and want the cat to have company.
How to decide for a dog
Dogs are social and need walks, so a visit once a day is rarely enough. The usual choice is between home boarding and an overnight sitter.
Home boarding suits most dogs that are friendly and adapt well. It is the best value for one dog, and the sitter's routine is close to a family routine: walks morning, midday and evening, sleeping indoors, attention through the day.
An overnight sitter suits dogs with separation anxiety, older dogs, reactive dogs that should not meet other animals, and homes with several pets. It costs from 380 ₪ per night, which for two or three animals may be close to boarding them all.
A kennel can work well for confident, very sociable dogs that enjoy other dogs and a busy environment, especially if the kennel has supervised play.
Questions that help you decide
- Does your pet eat normally in a new place, or does it stop eating under stress?
- How does your dog behave with unfamiliar dogs?
- Does your pet take medication at fixed times?
- Is anyone available to hand over a key?
- How long is the trip? Short trips are often easier at home.
- Is it a holiday period, when good sitters and kennels book up early?
What to check in any option
Whatever you choose, check these basics:
- Where will your pet sleep, and how many animals will be there?
- How many walks per day, and how long?
- How will you get updates?
- What happens during a siren: where is the protected space, and where will your pet be?
- Which vet will be contacted in an emergency, and how will costs be handled?
- What vaccination documents are required?
A good sitter or kennel answers these clearly and in writing.
Cost comparison in practice
Home boarding with us starts at 220 ₪ per day. A kennel may cost less per day, but compare what is included: number of walks, time with people, photo and video updates, and whether your dog will be in a run all day.
For cats, home visits at 110 ₪ keep your cat in its own territory and avoid the stress of travel.