Prepare for Visitors Who Don't Like Cats

You can't expect all your relatives, friends or colleagues to love cats the way you do. Preparing your house for their occasional visits will go a long in maintaining a harmonious relationship between you and them, and your cat.

• Clean your house and your cat.  Most people who don't like cats are allergic to them. Vacuum the house and give special attention to areas that the cat frequents and the place where your guests will be sleeping if they'll be staying for more than a day. The allergens actually come from the cat's saliva and are distributed when it grooms itself then shed its fur. So after cleaning any traces of fur around the house, you should give your cat a bath. You should also wipe your cat with damp cloth daily for the duration of your visitor's stay. This will keep the shedding to a minimum and hopefully decreases the chances of an allergic reaction from your guests. If possible keep your windows open to maintain good ventilation in the house or if your guest's allergies are quite severe you might need to purchase a small air purifier and place it where your guest will be staying most of the time.
• Keep your cat out of the way. It might happen that to keep your guests comfortable you will need to confine your cat in one of the rooms. The best choice would naturally be your room. Set up a temporary litter box and place your cat's feeding and water bowl in your room. You will also need to leave play toys to preoccupy your cat. If it's really necessary for your guest's comfort you should be mindful not to let your cat slip out. Take extra precaution at night as cats are nocturnal animals and more active then. You don't want your sleeping guests disturbed by an animal they don't particularly like.
• Warn your visitors about your cat's habits.  Cats have habits and may sometimes display peculiar behavior. They may not like being disturbed while napping or approached while feeding. They may have a tendency to scratch on hard surfaces such as briefcases or luggage. They may not like strangers occupying their favorite couch. It could be any number of things depending on your cat's personality. To avoid any unpleasant encounters between your guests and your pet, explain your cat's habits to them. Lay down a few cat-related house rules, what to avoid, what not to do, etc.

Not everyone likes cats and that can't be helped. But with a little prudence and preparation you can keep both your visitors and your cat happy.