Cat hotel

Booking a vacation as a cat owner can be tricky since it’s often difficult or plainly impossible to take your cat along on the trip. Thankfully, in this day and age, there are many possibilities to guarantee a great vacation for you as well as your cat. One of them, are cat hotels.

What are cat hotels?

Cat hotels are a more luxurious variation of a normal cattery. The principle is quite simple, you take your cat to the hotel before you depart and pick it up upon your return. While some cats don’t really mind switching locations, others have a harder time supporting changes to their environment. Cat hotels usually host more than one cat so having other animals around can be stressful.

A cat hotel can offer a wide variety of services, but the basics usually consist of various play areas with suitable furniture, comfortable sleeping areas and a well fenced outside area. A good cat hotel is furthermore wel ventilated and kept clean and tidy. It should have various protocols in place in case of an accident or escape and its staff should consist of profesional animal caretakers.

Additional services can range from a vet on site to grooming services. The additional services are what set them apart from the usual catteries, which is, of course, also reflected in their generally higher prices per night.

Things to consider

In order to find a suitable cat hotel near you, there are various thing to consider, depending on your personal wishes and character and needs of your cat.

Do your research. Make sure to find out if the hotel follows laws and regulations and check their security policy. See if you can find online reviews and compare various establishments. Once you think you have found the perfect cat hotel, it is advisable to pay a visit to the establishment to verify your research.

Your cat has to feel comfortable in his temporary home so ask to see the areas where it will be sleeping and eating. Most cats are very attached to their homes and have a great sense of territory. It is therefore important to make sure that your cat will get along with the other hotel guests. Anxious or shy cats can have a hard time adjusting to a new place.

Costs of a cat hotel

A cat hotel is usually more expensive than a cattery. There are different cat hotels who offer different services and can charge vastly different prices depending on the length of the stay and the luxuries of the facility. The most luxurious hotels can charge over $100 per day. In general, cat hotels in Melbourne or Sydney are more pricey than in smaller cities.

One thing that you have to keep in mind before deciding on a cat hotel or a normal cattery, is that only because an establishment calls itself a hotel for cats, does not mean that it actually provides more luxury or added facilities than a normal cattery.

Furthermore, there might be added and sometimes hidden charges for extra services. If you choose a cat hotel based on the added services it provides, such as a vet on site or grooming services, you have to check if these are included in the price or require an extra fee. Do not let the small print surprise you on your return!

Alternatives to a cat hotel

Cats are extremely territorial and often do not fare well in a new and unfamiliar place. An anxious or shy cat can have a hard time in a new place with unknown humans and animals, which can have a permanent negative impact on his mental well-being and might even result in him trying to escape the establishment. Finding a lost cat is extremely difficult. Therefore, while finding a cat hotel might seem like the easiest option, it is recommended that you also consider the alternatives.

Friends and family

An alternative to cat hotels is to ask friends and family for help while you’re away. This solution offers the advantage of being very easy to organise and it’s usually cheaper than booking a hotel or a pet sitting service. Your cat, who might already know your friends and family, can remain at home where it’s comfortable and spend a stress-free vacation - just like you.

Specialised pet sitting companies

As family and friends are not always available, pet sitting services are another great alternative to cat hotels. Companies such as Holidog make it easy for cat owners to find the perfect person to take care of their kitty during their absence.

There are a great number of pet sitters in Australia offering cat sitting services in the pet owner’s home. Booking a cat sitter through our website is as easy as turning to a friend and your cat will be able to stay in a familiar and safe environment. Browse through our database to find the perfect cat sitter near you.

Our search tool allows you to see all pet sitter’s prices displayed directly on their profile which makes it easy to select the person that fits your needs and budget best. Simply enter your information and get access to a list of registered cat sitters near you.