WHat to do with a (yard) cat whilst on holiday ?

[Stormin]

I'm already making plans for 2010 so I know this is a little early but hoping you might have great ideas out there !

Chooster - cat who adopted us after we found him under a hedge in the horses' field. He spends his days outside (to do what cats need to be doing !) and comes in most nights to eat and sleep.

Holidays - I don't get to see my family very often and we're trying to plan a meet-up for a week in 2010.

I just don't know what to do with Choos bearing in mind that he's only sociable with myself and my OH (ie, he'll flee and hide all day if we have family or visitors at home).
Thought about asking OH's parents to drop by once a day to feed Choos in the stables (because he won't have access to the house, obviously, and he won't come to strangers) but there's a risk that other cats in the neighbourhood find the feeding area. Also bearing in mind that Choos is used to being fed twice a day but that'll be too many miles for OH's parents to be doing :(
Thought about boarding cattery (uhm, not sure about the term :o ) but I think Choos'll go nuts as he's used to being a very independant outdoor cat.
Thought about leaving him with OH's parents but he hates it at their place (took him once) plus he does have his little character which could be a problem with OH's nieces ...
I can't really take him with me (he travels really bad and we'll be doing hundreds of miles ...)

Anyone have any interesting options / suggestions ?

Thanks

[ginny!]

we get either our neighbors to feed or the person who looks after the horses. we had a cat, sweep, set in her ways, and hadn't had any jabs (vet told us by then she would be immune) all they did was leave some food out and left it there, on the step where she always used to get fed, so she new where to look for it.

we worked on the basis that if another cat ate it, she would probably hunt for food (i mean what else did she do when she was away days on end:rolleyes:)

if i was you start getting him used to where he will be fed, so he knows if its not where he's usually fed, its there:)