Choosing a cat kennel that is appropriate for your cat is an important responsibility for all cat owners. You know the nuances and fears of your cat and should go about choosing a cat kennel that matches your cat’s personality. At some point, you cat will need to be kenneled and some pre-planning on your part can greatly alleviate any anxiety you may have. A cat kennel provides you with a dependable, secure and safe place for your cat to stay while being taken care of by full-time, knowledgeable and experienced kennel staff.
When choosing a cat kennel, you should not wait until the last minute to locate a reputable kennel. During peak travel times (holiday and summer vacation times), you may need to reserve kennel space weeks or months in advance. Be sure to check with friends or your veterinarian to recommend a kennel or which kennels to avoid! There are associations that inspect and certify cat kennels so you may want to inquire with these agencies to see if they have any members in your area. As a last result, you can look in the yellow pages for choosing a cat kennel near you.
After choosing a cat kennel, you should want to inspect it. Here are some general guidelines to help you decide if the kennel is up to par:
Are the kennels in a temperature controlled environment? Does the kennel offer good lighting and ventilation? Does the kennel look and smell clean? Is there fresh water, clean litter boxes, etc.? How large are the cat kennels? Is there sufficient room for the cat away from the litter boxes? Is there any privacy for the cats from other kennels? Are the cat kennels close to the dog kennels? Some cats may be stressed by the barking dogs.Many boarding facilities do not allow you back where the cats are housed to prevent some animals from being upset by visitors, for security reasons, and to protect the cats from potential disease. If you are not allowed into the kennel area, be sure that they at a minimum let you look into the area to see the cats being housed.
When choosing a cat kennel, discuss with the kennel staff what you can bring with your cat. Some kennels find it easier to feed boarders the same diet if a cat is not on a prescription diet and to not allow or limit toys/blankets from home since these can be hard to track when daily cleaning of the kennels. Be sure to inquire about what are the immunization requirements for boarding your cat. If you cat does not already have the required immunizations, make an appointment with your veterinarian to get your cat the vaccinations so you will be ready for boarding. Be prepared to provide the boarding facility you’re your contact information while gone, your veterinarian information in case of a medical emergency, and any medications and medical information that the kennel needs to know about your cat.
Check to see if the cat kennel offers any other services such as grooming that you can have them take care of while you cat is boarding. Do not be afraid to call and see how your cat is doing while being boarded. Choosing a cat kennel with a little preparation in advance will provide you cat with quality care while you are gone and give you with peace of mind that your cat is being well cared for in your absence.
