Cats are considered as an easy-going type because they don’t have much demand in their lives. However, it doesn’t mean they are willing to change their habits in a short time, especially when their parents are not around.
In fact, a sudden change to their daily activities and environment may cause problem to both cats and their owners, including many physical and mental health problems. Therefore, if you are in need of finding a place for your cat during your absence, make sure you consider these steps during your preparation period.
1. Understand your cats’ needs
Do your cats always skip breakfast but love to have supper? Do they get allergy to clay litter and can only be adapt to tofu one?
Each cat has its’ own needs which can be pointed out by observing daily activities. If you have spent adequate time with your furry friends, you probably know this.
However, it’s worth listing out everything in a paper so you will not forget. By doing this step, you can re-learn your cats’ routine to have an overview picture of what to look for in a pet hotel.
2. Prioritize the most important needs
Figuring out all needs that your cats have is just a first step. You need to accept that no boarding service can fulfil them all, even in-home cat sitter. As a result, it’s more essential that those demands are put in a priority list.
Will it impact much if there is no supper but only dinner? The clay litter still causes allergy now or it was when your cats were a kitty? You may need a bit of time to validate them.
The purpose of this step is to avoid your being lost from the previous step, especially when the list paper are totally full (we all love our babies in some certain ways, no worry!). Furthermore, if budget is an important factor to your decision, this step will surely narrow your expectation to speed up your finding process.
3. Decide your favourite type of boarding
Now, after having all information in your mind, you will need to do some comparison to find the most suitable boarding type for your furry babies. There are 3 common types many pet owners choose: Veterinary boarding kennels, Pet hotel and In-home cat sitter.
- Veterinary boarding kennels
This option should be the top in your list only if your cats have special needs, mostly related to health issue. At veterinary boarding kennels, they provide closer supervision and fast action in case pets have any pre-warned symptoms.
- In-home cat sitter
You don’t want to move your cats to a totally different environment and prefer to keep them home? An in-home cat sitter is all what you need. Your cats are comfortable enjoying their usual lives while still being taken care by a cat sitter – who visits your house daily to check in them.
However, a cat sitter will not be available out of their supervision time, which you should be aware. Also, cost for a home-based pet-sitter is quite considerably high.
- Pet hotel
If your cats are similar to majority of cats, pet hotel is an ideal option with lower budget and more benefit. Either a standard room or luxury one with more customization, there are choices for you.
For example, at The Tails Zone, we offer various room options based on your need and budget, from Deluxe with all standard benefit to Villa for a superior stay experience.
Also, your cats are ensured keeping healthy lifestyle with more activities including play time, on-time meals and odour-control litter box.
4. Ask for referral
The picture is almost clear once you finish above steps. It’s time to get some help from people around as real experience is always the most trustworthiness.
If you know some cats’ parents, don’t hesitate to consult them if they have a name on their mind to introduce you (of course, it should be the same boarding type you already chose). However, do ask them more to validate their cats’ status are similar to yours, as you don’t want to end up the boarding trip with totally different experience.
5. Talk to the boarding owner
After going through 4 steps and you are not fully satisfied with the priority list in step 2, it’s worth talking to the boarding owner directly. You can be transparent about further expectation that you expect to see during your feline friends’ stay, e.g specific kibble brand…
Most of boarding facilities have their own packages but a good one will put their furry clients first and be willing for some customization. You will for sure find this exclusive benefit at The Tails Zone, so please don’t hesitate to let us know how to make your cats happy.
It’s never been easy to start something new. By choosing a suitable boarding facility, you are 90% sure of your furry babies’ safety and joy while enjoying yours. We are waiting to talk to you once the fourth step is done!