Boarding Catteries

[Mags]

Originally Posted by Kazz

How do you find a good cattery then???? my two never stayed in a cattery but the next ones will from kittens......so how do you find a good one....

This link gives you a check list for what to look out for etc Kazz ...... it will give you some idea...

http://www.pedigreepens.co.uk/goodcattery.htm

This is where Cassie goes and it was the description that first caught my eye...

http://www.manningsmeadcattery.co.uk/

[babycakes]

Originally Posted by Kazz

How do you find a good cattery then???? my two never stayed in a cattery but the next ones will from kittens......so how do you find a good one....

I looked up the ones in my area and visited each one in turn, it pays to visit as you will know where you want to leave your baby

[borderdawn]

Well, the first thing is to have a look, and i mean turn up unnannouced during their opening hours. Ask to look if they say no, or you need an appointment, just leave, if they are expecting a visit, it gives them time to make an impression, you wnat to see the "usual" condition of things.

Is it clean, does it smell? The pens should be light and clean, there should be a litter box, water bowl, bed etc.. Catteries should be heated, can be done by several ways, we use canac heated beds. they run on a thermostat and stay on when its cool and switch off when it gets too hot, we leave them on permanently as the thermo regulates the heat. Look to see if the cat will have access to its tray at night, I expect most will but how is this done? We shut the main door to retain heat, but leave the cat flap open with a ladder down to the floor, some cats dont know how to use flaps, so we pin them open so every cat has easy access.

Ask what they feed, you may want to bring your own food, this shouldnt be a problem. With regards medication, you must bare in mind that a stranger has to put this tablet down your cats throat, given that most owners struggle with this, you must be aware that there may be problems doing this, and if the tablet goes in food, you have to assume your cat will eat immediately which is not the case with some for their fist day or so.

Ask what the price includes. They have to be insured, what does it cover? NO cattery insurance will cover existing conditions, or one your cat may of previously had, so something like "Cystitis" that can be bought on by stress will not be covered if you cat has had it before. Does the price include VAT etc..

Do they ask questions about your Cat? We want to know everything we possibly can about a Cat or dog to ensure we can look after them to the best of our ability. We always ask for a contact number in case of emergency too.

Anything else? Just ask.
Dawn.

[Kazz]

Tell you what Dawn I'll just come to yours but beware I am fussy...Oz and Cleat never got left anywhere I saw a few catteries when they were about 5-7 years old so many years ago and the smell was the first thing that hit me and the darkness .... so they stayed home and family came into them, But the catflap was locked I never "trusted" Oz to come home if I was not there.
But I would have trusted you with them, in your cattery. (no jest) but 'd have to check it out first.

[borderdawn]

Your welcome to check me out!!

[Kazz]

Dawn before I'd leave any animal of mine anywhere I''d even check out St. Francis of Assisi himself.

But I know you should check out a boarding kennels/cattery thoroughly.

[Deb]

Originally Posted by borderdawn

Well, the first thing is to have a look, and i mean turn up unnannouced during their opening hours. Ask to look if they say no, or you need an appointment, just leave, if they are expecting a visit, it gives them time to make an impression, you wnat to see the "usual" condition of things.

Dawn.

This is the first time I've posted so hello to everyone and sorry to start with a gripe.
It is rather rude to just turn up and expect to be shown round on demand! A cattery proprietior is usually extremely busy and the care and welfare of the cats must come first, over and above the demands of owners to fit into their time schedule. If the proprietor is in the middle of feeding, grooming, medicating or cleaning it can be extremely disruptive to have to drop everything in order to show a prospective client around. As for giving them time to make an impression, this would be very difficult to achieve if the cattery was not usually kept in a presentable condition.
It is amazing and worrying but anybody is actually allowed to open a cattery without having to have had any training or even knowing the first thing about cats. Even if the premises look nice that is no guarantee that the proprietor will know what he/she is doing
The best way to be ensure that the cattery is the best possible choice is to look for a Feline Advisory Bureau (FAB) listed cattery. FAB have a very stringent critera for listing a cattery and both the management of the cattery and the construction of the buildings needs to be top class. Have a look at http://www.fabcats.org/catteries/index.php for more information. Failing this, then check with other cat owners or the local vet as they will usually have an idea of the better catteries in the area. When you do go to inspect, please make an appointment, and then try to find out how knowledgeable the proprietor is about cats, as well as checking out the suitability of the facilities. I visited one cattery that was newly built in UPVC and looked lovely, but the isolation area for any cats that may become poorly whilst there was a dog cage placed in reception Reception actually looked like a hotel reception, but the owner had not thought about the implications of putting a poorly cat in an exposed and totally unsuitable environment. Also check out how the units are cleaned, are there seperate cleaning utensils for each unit, or is there a shared dustpan and brush, hoover and mop which is just asking for spread of infection.
There are some very good catteries around, but also lots of appalling ones.

Hope this helps

Deb

[Mags]

Hi Deb, welcome to Catsey!

If you go to our Introductions section, on the link below, our members will be able to give you a proper welcome!

http://www.catsey.com/forumdisplay.php?f=54

[borderdawn]

Originally Posted by Deb

This is the first time I've posted so hello to everyone and sorry to start with a gripe.
It is rather rude to just turn up and expect to be shown round on demand! A cattery proprietior is usually extremely busy and the care and welfare of the cats must come first, over and above the demands of owners to fit into their time schedule. If the proprietor is in the middle of feeding, grooming, medicating or cleaning it can be extremely disruptive to have to drop everything in order to show a prospective client around. As for giving them time to make an impression, this would be very difficult to achieve if the cattery was not usually kept in a presentable condition.
It is amazing and worrying but anybody is actually allowed to open a cattery without having to have had any training or even knowing the first thing about cats. Even if the premises look nice that is no guarantee that the proprietor will know what he/she is doing
The best way to be ensure that the cattery is the best possible choice is to look for a Feline Advisory Bureau (FAB) listed cattery. FAB have a very stringent critera for listing a cattery and both the management of the cattery and the construction of the buildings needs to be top class. Have a look at http://www.fabcats.org/catteries/index.php for more information. Failing this, then check with other cat owners or the local vet as they will usually have an idea of the better catteries in the area. When you do go to inspect, please make an appointment, and then try to find out how knowledgeable the proprietor is about cats, as well as checking out the suitability of the facilities. I visited one cattery that was newly built in UPVC and looked lovely, but the isolation area for any cats that may become poorly whilst there was a dog cage placed in reception Reception actually looked like a hotel reception, but the owner had not thought about the implications of putting a poorly cat in an exposed and totally unsuitable environment. Also check out how the units are cleaned, are there seperate cleaning utensils for each unit, or is there a shared dustpan and brush, hoover and mop which is just asking for spread of infection.
There are some very good catteries around, but also lots of appalling ones.

Hope this helps

Deb

Who said "demand?" you did! I said unnannounced and people shouldnt need an appointment, why should they? not during the hours they are open. I have managed a kennels and cattery for 15yrs and would never dream of asking somebody to make an appointment, because if you are talking of being extremely busy, then thats all the time, not just when you choose to be. Making an impression is EXACTLY what some kennels and catteries do, I have seen it, I know of one that will allow you to view within the first hour of them opening and thats it, why? because the pens have been cleaned and are probably looking respectable at that time! The type of property that request viewing times are often, no, usually the ones that take animals away from clients at the gate or reception, and dont allow owners to put them in their pens, sorry but whatever you think may not go on, does go on!

FAB? really, send them the membership money and you are on the list! They have REPEATEDLY sent us application forms to be listed, they dont visit, they dont check, they are a list of paid up members, no different to CORGI registered gas fitters!

[borderdawn]

Further to FAB, I have just looked at a few of their listed Catteries and was horrified to see NO SNEEZE barriers in several catteries!! Which of course means cross infection to a MASSIVE degree!