Choosing a Cattery

First you need a create short list of catteries to check out:

• Use cattery cat's Search by Postcode facility (above) to find a short list of catteries closest to you.
• Ask friends, family, neighbours or fellow cat owners you meet in the park for recommendations. Your local vet may also be able to recommend one to you.

Now get organised. You may have to book a long way ahead, particularly if you need a cattery during school holidays. Take a weekend to visit the catteries on your short list long before you actually need to use catteries to give yourself time to book in. Come prepared with a list of questions, chat to the owners and ask to see where the cats are kept. Consider the following:

• Do the cats look happy?
• Do they all have constant access to fresh, clean water?
• Do the living quarters look and smell reasonably clean?
• Is there adequate space for the cats to run and play? How much time each day will your cat have in the exercise area?
• Consider whether your cat is used to being indoors or outdoors. Is the accommodation suitable? Outdoor cats will prefer having an outdoor run whereas cats which are used to being permanently indoors will probably find the noises and smells of outdoors extra stressful.
• Is there a vet on site or close by? Is the cattery visited by a vet regularly to check for health problems?
• Is the cattery's environment well lit and ventilated?
• Will your cat be warm enough, particularly if booking in the winter?
• If your booking will be for the summer, it is extra important to ensure the accommodation is well ventilated or air conditioned.
• Ask whether vaccination certificates will be required. If not, ask why. Most good catteries will require proof of a vaccination against cat flu to prevent cross-infection.
• Can you supply your own food? Many catteries discourage owners bringing their own food but for fussy eaters it can be important.
• If the cattery provides varying levels of care, ask to see the accommodation for all levels. Even if you only want the highest level of care available, you should ensure that ALL the pets are well cared for as you want to be certain your cats are being cared for by responsible animal lovers.
• Make sure you feel comfortable with, and trust, the owner. We have heard of a case where the large cages at the front of a particular cattery shown to a prospective customer were actually only used on the first and last days of the cat's stay. In the interim the cats were moved to smaller cages out of view. This was reported by a staff member who used to work at the cattery.

Once you are happy with your choice of cattery, you are ready to start preparing to use a Cattery.