cat boarding? .. ..

we are going to be traveling outside of the city for a month in june. i cant take the cats with me and there is no one here that can take care of them until i come back.
i am wondering what u all think of cat boarding?
i am going to visit a couble of them and compare them.
any advice would be great!

thanks

 

I was planning to board Vianne this past Christmas for 3 weeks and did a lot of shopping around and comparing boarding facilities. Luckily I found a friend to watch her at the last minute, saved me a LOT of money.

My advice is to actually go to the different places and ask for a tour. Have a list of questions to ask when you go. Some of the places I looked at were outrageous. They wanted $25 a day just to feed and clean them, plus an extra $5 a day if I wanted to purchase "extra attention" which included petting, brushing and play time outside of the cage! On top of that, many places were going to charge me another $20 fee at the end of her stay for bathing her whether I wanted them to or not! I was pretty peeved. As it turned out, the best deal I found and the nicest, cleanest facility was a 45 min drive away at my old exotic vet I used to use when I had pet rats. He only charged $12 a day and that was all inclusive. Definately check the places out in person tho. Some places I looked were so disgusting I wouldn't wanna leave my baby there one night let alone 3 weeks :shock:

 

i have called few of them and asked about what they offered and the prices. they were all very similar but one that was different. this one, they dont put them in cages all day. the put them in small rooms with windows that open. the room is 4 feet by 6 feet. and the only times they are in their rooms are meal times (twice a day) and at night. otherwise they are free to roam around in a large indoor area and they have free access to a fully enclosed 1000 sq. ft. outdoor court. and the price is the same as the other ones. http://www.exclusivelycats.ca/
the only thing i am worried about is cats fighting. the man there said that if they fight, then they separate them and put them in their rooms. he said usually they calm down after they come out again.
i am going to go and see it and see the cats there. it sounds like a good place.
the other places, they put them in 2 feet by 2 feet and 7 feet high cage..with no window and they never get to come out. and if i pay extra then they will have 1 hour a week of play outside of the cage. it sounds very depressing..i feel bad for the cats there.

 

Personally, there is absolutely no way I would board my cats at a place that allows all the cats to intermingle. You have no idea what diseases the other cats might have or whether or not they'll fight and injure/kill your cats. It can just take one bite from a FeLV+ or FIV+ cat and your cat could get it.

-Chelle

 

t_chelle16 what if they were vaccinated? would it still be a problem if they get bitten?

 

For FIV, yes. There is a vaccine for FIV but it fairly new and isn't normally available. It also doesn't work very well. It only protects against 2 of the 5 strains (one of those 3 strains not protected agains is the most common one in the US).

And on a side note, with the FIV vaccination, the cat will test positive for FIV so if it ever gets loose and is picked up by a shelter, it may end up euthanized even though it doesn't actually have FIV. There's not test that can distinguish between the vaccine and the actual virus.

The leukemia vaccine is more effective than the FIV, but the cat need to have at least 2 shots and they should be given about 4 weeks apart.

-Chelle

 

Max and Mini already have their leukemia vaccine. the vet only gave it to them once and said that the next is due after a year. she never asked me to come back again in 4 weeks. does that mean it is not effective?

 

It's probably not going to be as effective. I've always been told that they should have at least 2 to be fully effective.

-Chelle

 

at least 2...... is that every year..or just the first year?

 

Just to be fully protected and they can't be given any sooner than 4 weeks apart. When we found out Ten had leukemia, we got Romeo his shot, then another shot 4 weeks later. Same with Ghost.

Also, have you checked into licensed & bonded pet sitters? That way your cats wouldn't even have to leave your home.

-Chelle

 

Agree.
I sometimes have to board Foostie when I travel. One time he came back with a nasty respertory infection. Not a good situation, and that was without intermingling!

 

i know what you mean. i asked the owner she said that in the 3 years they have been open, they have never had a cat bite another. she said they would hiss and growl..and they separate them right away.she also said that if my cat Max didnt get along at all with the others, then she will let him out of his room with Mini all night to run around and play while all the other cats are in thier rooms sleeping. and during the daytime when all the other cats are out, Max and Mini would be in their room.
i have searched many places and this is the only one that would let my cat go outdoors in an enclosed outdoor court. Max will be very depressed and will not eat if he cant go outside. all other places put the cats in very small cages and will not take them out for play unless i pay extra and that is only for 1 hour a week which is nothing. Max and Mini are already vaccinated just in case.

 

I would have to say, I would never, never advise taking my cats to any kind of boarder.

Cats get very very depressed in that kind, of envoirment, plus once home, it will take them a long time, to trust you and feel at home again.

I acutally worked for someone who boarded dogs and cats, she was very deceptive and a lot of people believed her. She was gone all the time, for dog shows. I felt soo bad, for all the animals, but I couldn't stay and give them all the attention they needed. They were fed and exerciesed twice a day, but she didn't do any of the training she had promised people. The cats were stuck in a cage!!! arghhhhhhhhh
I did do the best I could. The dogs were ok, but definately not the kitties.

Really look around, even teenagers would be better coming in to your house and looking after them. There are all kinds of people who love to petsit.. and there are tons of petsitting businesses out there.

These are just my own personal strong feelings and observations.
Cats are happiest, in their own homes, they truly are.

Ps: I really believe you can find some fantastic people, that will look after your cats, in your home or even theirs.

Blessings and good luck!
Whispered~