10 TIPS FOR BOARDING YOUR CAT
- Always ask to see where your cat will stay. Check to see if the Cat
Hotel Condo is clean and if bedding is provided. Notice if the
setting could be stressful for your cat. Is a current Business License
posted? Beware of any feline facility that will not allow you beyond the
front desk due to insurance restrictions! There is NO insurance that does
not allow safely escorted tours.
- Make reservations early, especially during
peak Summer months,
Christmas, and other major Holidays.
- As you begin packing for your trip, talk to your cat and explain your
plans, describe the Boarding Cattery and emphasize you will return and bring
it home again. Cats that have been informed of their Cat Hotel vacation are
calmer and adjust better to boarding.
A flea control strategy is strongly recommended for all cats planning to
visit a boarding cattery. Indoor-outdoor cats often encounter and harbor
them, even indoor-only cats may harbor fleas introduced to their
homes aboard unwary owners, and unwittingly infested cats will inadvertently
carry their infestation into a cattery.
- Because your cat may be uneasy about your preparations, it may disappear
outside or hide indoors. On the day you plan to bring it to the Boarding
Cattery, keep your cat indoors and confined. Frantic clients have had to
cancel their cat boarding reservations and leave their cat to the elements
because they couldn't find their feline friend at the time of departure!
- Bring something familiar from home a favorite toy, a small blanket,
pillow case, or towel, or even a small piece of your clothing (such as a
T-Shirt), which will help make the adjustment for your cat to new
surroundings easier. The item should be clean and small enough to fit into
the Condo. (Of course, all bowls, a cat bed, litter, and the litter box are
provided). If your cat enjoys being brushed or combed or is a long hair cat,
bring a favorite brush and comb so PurrInn Cats Hostelry staff can
groom
your cat during play time.
- It helps to bring food that your cat likes. Your cat will eat better,
and an abrupt diet change that could cause diarrhea or other digestive
upsets will be avoided. Don't forget to bring vitamins, medications, and/or
any special treats.
- If your cat is prone to carsickness, remove water and food the night
before you bring your cat in to the Boarding Cattery. After your cat settles
into its Condo at the Cat Hotel, it will find fresh water and food to nibble
when its tummy settles.
- Transport your cat in a
clean plastic or fabric escape proof cat carrier. If
you have 2 cats, bring them in separate clean cat carriers. The tensions of the
car ride can make them irritable and being shoved together can and does
start catfights with even the best of friends. PurrInn Cats Hostelry prefers
plastic carriers because they are the easiest to clean and the best escape-proof transportation for
your cat in the unlikely event of an emergency evacuation.
Rinse your cat's carrier with a cleaning solution (include bleach for
plastic carriers) long enough in advance of transporting your cat to allow
plenty of time for the cat carrier's interior to completely dry.
Cats have a very acute sense of smell and will object strenuously to
entering a carrier that smells of fear pheromones, vomit, urine or feces.
Place an easily washed small towel or disposable absorbent pad in the
carrier during transport for your cats comfort and to absorb any
"accidents".
- You might be surprised by your cat's behavior when you bring it into the
Boarding Cattery. Cats are, by nature, solitary animals, and when placed in
a new territory inhabited by other cats, they sometimes display some
defensive hissing and growling behavior. However, by the next day, most cats
sense the territorial boundaries, snuggle into their condos, accept
pampering from the Staff, and usually become quite affectionate and even
playful.
- Returning home requires another adjustment for your cat. Hiding or
carefully re-exploring the entire house are common behaviors. It is a good
idea to keep your feline friend indoors for a day or two while your kitty
settles into being home again.
