Cat Boarding - kennel care for your cat

Cats are generally very self sufficient pets. Usually we can go away for a couple of days or a long weekend, leave enough food and water out, and fresh litter and our cat will do just fine. There comes a point, however, when a responsible owner must take further steps to care for their pet.

Leaving a cat for extended periods of time without the company and affections of its owner can very hard on it. Depending on your cat’s personality, even having a family member or neighbor stop over once in a while may not be enough. For some cats, that may be suitable, but for others, the choice of a cat boarding kennel may be the best option. If you are looking for information on portable cat kennels or "at home" kennels or play areas, please see my other article on this topic entitled Cat Kennel - care for your cat.

A kennel is essentially a hotel for pets while their owners are away. A good pet kennel facility should be able to provide proper feeding services tailored to meet your cat’s requirements, along with ample exercise opportunity, attention, grooming, clean sanitation and even veterinary services. Check your local listings for cat boarding kennels near you, and I’d highly suggest going on a tour before you commit. If a “cat only” kennel is available near you, it may be more suitable over a mixed pet kennel, if your cat is at all timid. Time away from you, the owner, can be a shocking experience, especially for a cat, and it’s important to board it in the warmest, friendliest environment available. It may be helpful to bring along your cat’s favorite toy, to ease the experience.

Animal vaccinations will undoubtedly be required, as it is very necessary to keep illnesses away in an environment such as a pet kennel. Even still, take special note of the kennel environment during your tour. Is it clean? How does it smell? Are the animals “quarantined” in tight little cages or do they have ample room and freedoms. If they have an outdoor area, how clean and safe is it? Also, importantly, talk to the kennel operators, you will find out pretty quickly if they are actually animal lovers as well.