Boarding a Cat While You Travel: What Cat Owners Should Know

Cats don't love change, and an overnight away from home is about as big a change as it gets. Many owners reach for a house sitter or a neighbor with a key, and that works for plenty of households. But if you'd rather have your cat looked after at a facility, it helps to know what to expect and how to prepare. Here's a practical guide to cat boarding at Champion Kennels in Sterling, Massachusetts.

What a cat stay looks like

Cats at Champion stay in private indoor rooms. Each cat gets fresh water and daily meals, along with attention from the staff. That's the baseline. For cats who want a little more, there are optional enrichment add-ons at $6 each: an enrichment game, a bedtime story, or cuddle time. Some cats couldn't care less about a bedtime story. Others will take every minute of cuddle time on offer. You know which one you own.

Staff are on site around the clock. Tell the office about anything that makes your cat tick, from an unusual feeding schedule to a nervous disposition, so the people caring for her know what normal looks like.

Rates

Cat boarding is priced per night by the number of cats in your household. One cat is $35 a night, two cats are $60 (whether they stay in separate rooms or together), and three cats are $90. If you have four or more, call the office to work out the details. Enrichment add-ons are extra.

Payment is due at drop-off, and it's cash or check only. There's an ATM on site if you forget, though it's smoother to plan ahead.

Vaccines come first

Cats need to be current on rabies and FVRCP, and they need to be leukemia negative. Ask your vet to send the records or bring a copy yourself. Rabies and shot records are required for every pet, and animals aren't admitted on the day they receive a vaccination, so schedule the vet visit well before your trip. If the kennel has to call your vet to track down records, there's a $10 fee.

Do this early, even if your trip is months away. A last-minute scramble for records helps nobody, least of all a cat who already dislikes the carrier.

Helping your cat settle in

A few small steps make a big difference. Bring the food your cat eats at home, because a new diet and a new room at the same time is a lot. Keep your cat's routine as steady as you can in the week before the stay, and write a few notes for the staff: when your cat eats, whether she hides when she's nervous, what she likes to be scratched behind, and what spooks her. Little details like these help staff read your cat quickly.

Ask the office whether a familiar blanket or small toy is welcome. A piece of fabric that smells like home can be surprisingly comforting. And get your cat used to the carrier ahead of time. Leaving it out in the living room with a treat inside for a few days turns it from a scary box into a regular piece of furniture, and the ride over gets easier for both of you.

Keep it simple. Bring your cat in a secure, well-ventilated carrier, along with her food and your written notes. Label the carrier and anything else you leave behind. Arrive during office hours with your vaccine records and payment ready, and give the staff a few minutes to go over her habits with you. A calm hand-off, without a long goodbye, sets a nervous cat up better than a drawn-out one.

Plan around office hours

The office is open 9 to 11 AM and 1 to 5 PM on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 9 AM to 4 PM on Saturday. It's closed Tuesday and Sunday, and closed every weekday from 11 AM to 1 PM. Weekends, school vacations, holidays and summer, from June 15 through September 15, are peak times, so book early and ask the office for the current cancellation policy before you commit.

Is a kennel right for your cat?

It depends on the cat. A confident, social cat often does fine anywhere. A senior cat on medication or a shy cat who bolts under the bed may do better with a familiar sitter, and that's a perfectly good answer. If you're unsure, call and talk it through. Describe your cat honestly, including the bad habits, and ask what a stay would look like for her.

The team at Champion can be reached at (978) 422-3100, or text 978-990-3364. A short conversation now means a calmer trip later, and a cat who comes home looking like she barely noticed you were gone.