Boarding out at the cattery.

In our last post, we discussed the best practices for finding a carer while you go away from your cat. Sometimes taking your cat is simply not possible, and we must be prepared in the event that we must leave them at home for a few days or even a few weeks.

The most ideal situation is that you find a friend or neighbour to pet sit for you. This is because the cat will feel the most secure and safe in it's own home, however, if you have a lot of high value items in your home, this might not be the best choice for you as theft does happen. The other choice is to board out your cat.

What is boarding out your cat?

So you've decided to look for a place to take your cat for care whilst you're away. The best place to start is to ask your vet for a list of their approved catteries. In-fact, many vets have boarding facilities of their own. You can of course ask your friends for recommendations too. Make arrangements well in advance of you departure as the best boarding catteries may be booked up for months ahead. It's also a good idea to visit the cattery before hand to see if the environment and atmosphere will suit your cat. Most will prefer that you make an appointment before hand.

When you arrive, there will be questions the owner of the cattery will ask you. The two most crucial are whether the cat is healthy, and whether it has up to date vaccinations. You will also need to provide the cattery with details of your vet's name, it's address and telephone number. Of course, your own contact details will be needed as well.

Once things are checked through, you will be required to sign a consent form regarding appropriate treatment in the case of illness and your acceptance of any necessary veterinary bills.

Here are some checkpoints for cattery boarding :

• Are their individual runs?

• Are the runs and houses inside or outside, are they adequately heated?

• Are the pens sheltered, clean and safely out of the reach of dogs?

• Are the beds and bedding disposed of or thoroughly disinfected for each new resident?

• Are the feeding bowls sterilised between residents?

• Do the staff seem happy, bright, and cat loving?

• Does your cat have plenty of things to watch?

• Are their climbing posts permanently available?

• How often are the cats visited during the day? What is their feeding schedule, and what do you feed them?

As long as you ask these questions thoroughly and are happy with the answers, then you are well on your way to boarding your cat at the cattery and can have some what peace of mind when you go away for a while. Obviously, don't do this too often as 1) it can be quite expensive, and 2) it can be traumatising for your cat to constantly be taken away from home and staying at an unfamiliar place.