Cattery recommendation? Cats + building work worries

[redjam]

We're just about to start some major building work and have planned to escape from it for a week's holiday in the middle of it. Which is all very well, but I'm now worrying about our cat, who I think might freak out or - worse - do a runner if she's left with a whole load of builders/chaos and a catsitter coming in just once a day to keep an eye on her (her usual arrangement when we're away).

Has anyone had experience of this? Should we put her in a cattery and does anyone know any lovely local catteries that they can recommend? And any general advice on dealing with cats and building work? She normally has a catflap and freedom to come and go out into the back garden, but we were thinking of providing a litter tray inside during the course of the work so she can stay inside if the chaos out the back is too much for her. She is ex-Celia Hammond and quite nervous, though mainly scared of other cats as opposed to humans so I don't know if it'll be worse for her to be in a cattery as opposed to a building site.

Any thoughts, cat people out there?

[beansprout]

Grear local woman in Croxted Road that use to do cattery - your vet should know or perhaps soneone on Forum knows ho I am talking about. Only other thought would be to lock her with all her bits and pieces in a room but that doesn't solve nerve issue or noise. Personally, would put her in cattery - at least quiet and safe.

[redjam]

V good thought to ask vet's advice - thank you!

I am dreading putting her in a cattery again as it reminds me of when we first saw her sitting in a little cage in the rescue centre :-( But I guess you're right, better for her to be safe and we'll know she can't bolt.

[beansprout]

Wimsn I am talking about in Croxted had big pens in her garden snd only half a dozen but was years ago so memory rusty!

[IlonaM]

I think I would book her a holiday as well. Given the noise, dust and strangers in and out of a house under 'major building work' I would not want to traumatise the cat. It could cause all sorts of issues in keeping her safe and sound while you're away.

As well as asking the vet, you could check out this old thread on local catteries: http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,1404648. There might be some others on the Forum as well.

[redjam]

Really helpful, thank you. Maybe I just need to reframe my idea of catteries (like the idea of giving her a holiday!).

[PeckhamNicola]

We've used both Moggie Minders (Catford) and Red Lion Cattery (Shooters Hill) and been pleased with both.

[Monkey]

I?d call Celia Hammond and ask for advice. Whatever you do, don?t go for oakley Cat Hotel where the cats are kept together. My cat got a viral infection there and died 18 months later. Make sure sneeze barriers are in place and that owners understand about contagious diseases.

[IlonaM]

Are there any local catsitters who might have a cat stay at their home as an alternative to a cattery?

[redjam]

Blimey, Monkey, that sounds awful, your poor cat. I've never heard of a cattery with a communal situation, didn't know they existed. There's no way my cat could cope with that as she's very fearful of other cats (God knows what happened to her in the past).

Thank you for all this advice, everyone - I will be following up on all recommendations.

[Monkey]

Well I wasn?t an experienced cat owner at the time. Arrived at the hotel and saw a communal pen. Should have run really. Still feeling awful about it.

[Growlybear]

Double post!

[Growlybear]

I used the Oakley Hotel for several years, and they were always brilliant. The individual pens are spacious and two storey with duvets and heating, and the cats are housed in several blocks with about ten pens in each. The cats are let out into a much larger communal area, and my understanding is that because they are not in their own territory, the cats don't fight. The staff were always really caring, and were happy to cope with my cats, one of whom is extremely difficult. I've also used Moggie Minders, the cattery in Croxted Road, Lordship Lane Vets, and the vet in Peckham near Lyndhurst Way; they have all been fine, but in my opinion, nowhere near as good as the Oakley Hotel. The facilities at both vets were far more cramped and basic than the other catteries, and in the past, I was told that the cats were let out into a communal area together.

One of my cats is very timid, and each time she stayed at the Oakley Hotel, she stayed in her own pen for most of the time and wasn't pressured to come out into the communal area. It's by far the best cattery I've used, and I would recommend it without hesitation.

They also used to provide a pick up and drop off service, although I'm not sure if they still do this.

[Monkey]

Communal areas in catteries should not exist. Simple as that. A lot of councils forbid those as part of the licence. I don?t know why Bromley doesn?t regulate more stringently.

https://icatcare.org/advice/keeping-your-cat-safe/choosing-boarding-cattery

[Growlybear]

I never found having a communal area was a problem, and I assume that Bromley Council don't either. At the Oakley hotel, the cats weren't forced to leave their individual pens if they didn't want to, and they were large enough that they still had plenty of room; however, if they go into the communal area, this gives them access to a lot more additional space. They only take cats that are fully vaccinated and microchipped, and are very quick to consult a local vet if any cat shows any signs of being unwell. Having a communal area is not something that I've ever questioned, as the local vet where I used to board my previous cats, as well as my current ones, going back over a period of about 35 years, used to allow them out into a communal area each day. I've seen the cages where the boarders are kept several times in the past, and they are tiny in comparison with the Oakley hotel, Moggie Minders etc.

[Monkey]

It?s actually defra guidance - posted on Bromley?s website- which states that communal areas are not acceptable.

https://www.bromley.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/3576/guidance_boarding_for_cats.pdf

[Growlybear]

The regulations came into force from November 2018. If you look at the Oakley hotel's website, they make it very clear that the chattery has been refurbished and the cats can no longer mix. I don't know how long ago the refurbishment was carried out, but There was a change of management in 2013, which is probably when I last took my cats there.

[Monkey]

Oh good. Went there a while back and other catteries I saw right afterwards were already using private pens and sneeze barriers. Anyway my own fault for not doing my research at the time.

[lavender27]

There's a cattery over in south west London luxury hotel for cats, heated bed when chilly and loads of toys and a peaceful relaxation for moggy.

Link below

http://www.thecatswhiskerscattery.co.uk/accommodation/

[Siduhe]

I'm just about to do exactly the same thing (board cats for first time due to building works). I've gone for Moggie Minders in Catford which isn't the most high end local option but I like the approach of the owner and the set up, particularly that our cats can share a space, which they will prefer. Will report back on how it goes!

[Sazzle30]

I had floors laid in our flat and the work too 4 weeks. Cfer cat was restricted to our kitchen with access to the outside (& all the living room/ bedroom furniture. She had food and water and the builder ( a fellow cat fan) was banned from the kitchen (left him the kettle etc in the living room). We were back every night and she was fussed over and she was fine, might have helped with the dreamies we gave her ever night.

When we had the kitchen and bathroom done we did take her to stay at my mums in Wiltshire or prison as she?d call it as she couldn?t go out!

If it?s short term she should be fine but if you are really nervous you could lock her in and ask someone to feed your cat

[redjam]

Thanks again all - and yes please do report back on Moggie Minders, Siduhe! I'm currently checking out cattery options in the hope of booking her in for the week we're away, though that's a very good thought re asking one's parents, Sazzle30. Hadn't considered that but that might be the best answer...

[Siduhe]

I was just reminded that I hadn't posted any follow up on Moggie Minders - it all worked out really well. Even our nervy cat seemed to settle well and was fine for the week. Really liked the way that the cattery is run and kept clean and managed.

[redjam]

Thanks for the follow-up, Siduhe, and for all the recommendations. We did try a couple but they were both booked up, so decided to go for our regular catsitter. Then - to cut a long story short - for various annoying reasons we ended up having to cancel our holiday at the last minute so we never did get to go away after all! After all that... Think our cat was happy with that outcome, even if we weren't.