If your cat is typically anxious or feels stressed, then you may not be comfortable leaving your feline at a boarding facility while you go on vacation. However, cat boarding facilities are the safest places to leave your cat while you are away. If you want to make sure your cat stays calm during the boarding period, then read through some of the tips outlined below.

Buy A Cat-Calming Collar

Cats communicate in a special way that may seem foreign to humans. Cats send chemical signals to one another with pheromones. Pheromones are chemicals that are released from the bodies of animals to pass information to another member of the species or to directly change their behavior in some way. When it comes to cats, the pheromones are used to mark things that they consider theirs. If you have ever seen your car rubbing their face against the edge of your sofa or your leg, then they are transferring their pheromones to these objects.

The pheromones that cats use to communicate are called facial pheromones, and they are released from the glands that sit around the face. Specifically, the glands sit around the forehead, mouth, cheeks, and chin. 

The glands around the cheeks leave a specific pheromone behind that allows your cat to mark an area as safe. The scent is calming to your cat, and this same pheromone is placed in certain products to keep cats calm when they become anxious. Feline pheromone sprays are sold for home use, and collars are also made that can be placed on the neck of your cat. Purchase one of these collars from your local pet store and secure it on your cat before they are placed in a boarding facility. You can also purchase a calming pheromone spray and use it to cover the blanket or bed you will be leaving at the boarding facility with your feline.

Give Your Cat Chamomile

If you have ever decided to relax with a cup of chamomile tea, then you likely understand the benefits of chamomile and how it can soothe you. The same calming sensation can also benefit your cat. The dried chamomile plant contains a substance called apigenin. This is the active substance in the plant that soothes, calms, and creates an anti-inflammatory and muscle-relaxing response. Chamomile is also considered a mild sedative and can be used as a natural anti-anxiety remedy. It also can soothe gastrointestinal issues, which is ideal if your feline vomits or experiences an upset stomach when they're nervous.

Chamomile can be administered both orally and externally. You only want to give a small amount to your cat at one time though. About one-quarter to one-half teaspoon of the plant is more than enough to induce a feeling of calm. Purchase a dried chamomile supplement for your feline. Some animals have mild allergies to plants in the aster family, like chamomile. Make sure to give your cat a bit of the dried plant a few days before he is sent to the boarding facility to make sure he can tolerate it. 

If your cat is not bothered by the chamomile, then place one-quarter to one teaspoon in a bag with your cat's daily allotment of food. Create enough bags for every day that your cat will be at the boarding facility. Label each bag with the day of the week the food should be provided as well as your cat's name. Give the bags to the facility and ask that the food be provided on the days labeled on each bag.

If you are concerned about boarding your anxious cat, then there are several ways that you can make sure that your feline remains calm during his stay. You can also ask the boarding facility for more tips and tricks to help keep your feline as calm as possible.