Boarding Catteries - A Necessary Evil?

You’ve booked your holiday of a lifetime, chosen your new beachwear and laid in ample supplies of suntan lotion - but what about your cat? What arrangements will you make for his care whilst you are away? Many people have good friends or neighbors who will pop in twice a day and feed your pet but many owners don’t have this luxury. Their only option is to book their cat into a cattery.  And here’s the problem. Many business owners care more for their balance sheet than for the cats in their care and often poor regulation means that operating procedures are badly thought through. A lack of understanding of proper cat care inevitably results in unhappy and unhealthy conditions. No loving owner wants that for their pet!   So what should you look for when choosing a boarding cattery for your lovely cat?  Here are my top five recommendations: 

1. An Owner-run establishment. Not just a name on a letterhead but real hands-on involvement. If the owner is willing to put in the work, they obviously get pleasure from building up a relationship with each individual animal - cuddles included!
2. High-quality, suitable and clean accommodation. Each chalet should have an indoor area with clean, separate bedding for each cat. There should be a heat source for cold periods - after all, what cat doesn’t appreciate a bit of warmth to snooze in?  There should be access to an enclosed run and there should be ’sneeze barriers’ to prevent the spread of any infection to other cats. THERE SHOULD BE NO POSSIBILITY OF DIRECT CONTACT WITH CATS IN ADJOINING CHALETS AT ALL!
3. Access to clean water at all times and regular food of a type that your cat enjoys. All this should be noted as a matter of routine at the time of booking. Also, litter trays should be placed away from feeding bowls and cleaned twice a day.
4. A willingness to administer any necessary medication by the owner/staff who are competent to do so.
5. And finally, a happy and open attitude from the owner or staff. This doesn’t really form part of ‘How To Run a Cattery’, of course but if the people you come into contact with are chatty and open, then you can all but guarantee that they will care for your cat willingly and well during your absence.

If you can cover all these points, your cat should have a happy stay and be returned to you as healthy as when they went into the cattery. You will have enjoyed your break secure in the knowledge that your pet is being well cared for and loved and will be pleased to see you on your return. Post a comment about your experiences of boarding catteries - good or bad - so that other owners will know what to look out for in the future