The vaccination record a cattery asks for first
The first document most catteries want for a Havana Brown is her vaccination record, showing her core vaccinations are current and signed off by her veterinary practice. Where rabies vaccination is legally required or part of the cattery's policy, they will want the rabies certificate itself, with the date given and the date it runs to, rather than your assurance that it was done. Boarding brings cats into shared airspace and adjoining pens, so facilities protect every guest by checking paperwork before arrival, not at the door. If her record is a booklet the vet stamps, a clear photograph or copy of the relevant pages usually satisfies a booking, with the original available if asked.
Flea prevention and general health declarations
Many catteries also ask for evidence that a boarding Havana Brown is on regular flea prevention, and some want a declaration that she has shown no signs of contagious illness in the days before the stay. This is not bureaucracy for its own sake: fleas and respiratory infections move quickly through a building of cats, and one unprotected arrival can mean a whole cattery treated and deep-cleaned. Be ready to state when her last flea prevention was applied and what product class you use at home, and be honest about recent sneezing, runny eyes, or off-colour days. A good cattery would rather rebook a recovering cat than admit her quietly and infect the row.
Identity and contact paperwork that travels with her
Alongside health proof, assemble the identity paperwork for your Havana Brown: her microchip number if she is chipped, a description or photograph that clearly shows that rare chocolate coat and green eyes, your contact details, and an alternative emergency contact who can actually act. Catteries deal with lookalike cats less often than with tabbies, but paperwork is what reunites any cat with the right owner after a fire alarm, an escape, or a medical transfer to a vet. Include her vet practice's name, address, and phone number in the same packet, because in an emergency the cattery should not be searching the internet for your vet while your cat waits.
The emergency treatment authorisation
Send a signed note authorising the cattery to seek veterinary treatment for your Havana Brown if she becomes ill or injured during the stay, stating your own vet or the cattery's vet as appropriate, and how costs will be covered. Facilities vary in what they require, and some have their own form at booking, so ask rather than assuming your note replaces theirs. Note anything the treating vet should know immediately, such as a known sensitivity, a long-term condition you manage, or how she typically presents when unwell. A Havana who goes quiet and stops seeking people is waving a flag, because this breed is normally in the middle of everything, and that observation belongs on her paperwork.
Check the facility's list early, not at drop-off
Confirm the cattery's exact paperwork requirements when you book your Havana Brown's stay, weeks ahead if you can, because a lapsed vaccination discovered at drop-off can mean a refused admission with your holiday already started. Ask whether copies by email are accepted in advance, whether they keep records on file for future stays, and what they need again next time. That small administrative habit turns boarding from a scramble into a routine. Keeping the whole packet permanently assembled is the job of KinsLe's Pet Passport, which holds a Havana Brown's records together in one portable packet, ready for boarding, vet visits, and travel.