Start With How Your Cat Will Actually Live There
Ask how cats are housed before you ask anything else. Are units individual, with solid dividers so cats cannot see or reach a stranger cat? Is there a separate sleeping area and a run, a shelf or perch, and a litter tray placed away from food and bedding? Ask whether cats from different households ever share space, how bonded cats from your home can be housed together, and how much human contact each cat gets in a normal day. A good cattery answers these housing questions plainly, because the unit, not the reception area, is where your cat will spend the stay.
Proof, Health and What Happens If Something Goes Wrong
Ask what vaccination proof they require, when you must show it, and whether they will turn away a cat whose records are incomplete. Ask what they do if a cat stops eating, develops a stomach upset, or seems unwell: who decides, which veterinary practice do they use, how quickly will they contact you, and who pays for transport and treatment. Ask how they handle a cat who needs daily medication or a prescription diet, whether staff are present overnight, and what security and fire arrangements protect the building when it is unstaffed. The answers tell you whether illness in a boarding setting has been thought through or merely hoped away.
Feeding, Familiar Items and Daily Routine
Ask whether you supply your cat's own food or whether they feed a house diet, and how they manage a cat who grazes rather than eating set meals. Sudden food changes upset many cats, so a cattery that welcomes your usual food, measured portions and written feeding notes is protecting your cat's stomach as well as your routine. Ask what litter they use, whether you can bring bedding or a worn item of your clothing, which toys are allowed, and whether scratching posts or hiding boxes are provided or can come from home. For a nervous cat, ask how staff approach, whether the same person tends her each day, and whether handling is kept to what she tolerates.
Updates, Viewing and the Booking Details
Ask to view before you commit, and treat a refusal to show you where cats stay as a serious warning sign. Ask how updates reach you — messages, photos, a webcam in the unit — and how often. Then cover the practical terms: what the daily rate includes, which extras cost more, drop-off and collection windows, what happens if your return is delayed, and how much notice a cancellation needs. Ask what they need from you at drop-off, including an emergency contact who can make decisions if you are unreachable abroad.
Comparing Your Shortlist Fairly
Put the same questions to two or three catteries and compare the written answers, not your memory of friendly phone calls. The place that was specific about housing, illness cover and feeding is a safer bet than the place that was vague but charming. Once you have chosen, keep your question list and their answers with your cat's booking details so drop-off day holds no surprises. The catteries you found through the KinsLe Pet Services Directory can be contacted again from the same place when your next trip needs the same careful comparison.