For so many cat lovers, making arrangements for your cats while you are away from home can be at best stressful and time consuming, and at worst panic attack-inducing, with a touch of guilt thrown in for good measure. The agony of writing down exactly how kitty needs to be cared for (“Be sure to feed Snowball from the bowl in the kitchen and Rocket Raccoon – the kids named him – from the bowl in the hallway, but feed Snowball first or she gets upset. And be sure to sprinkle some tuna flakes on both bowls, but only at dinner, unless they seem a bit forlorn, then the morning is fine, too.”), the thought of kitty escaping from the house as your sitter opens the door, the sickening feeling that the hard-won, tenuous truce between your cats will be in shambles by the time you arrive back from your vacation – these are the real fears of cat people just trying to take a long weekend for themselves!

Fortunately, the Cat Connection offers an alternative to these nightmare scenarios in its award-winning boarding facility. While boarding with us, all cats receive special attention from a trained staff of cat lovers: meals are provided on a regular schedule; medications are administered on time; litter boxes are cleaned hourly; and cats receive quality time in our catified play room. We care for your cats as if they were our own and strive to make your time away as stress-free as possible for both you and kitty.

But before your cat arrives at the Cat Connection, we ask that all pet parents review the following ways to help make kitty’s stay with us as enjoyable as possible.

• Bring enough of your cat’s preferred food for their entire stay and do not make any diet changes beforehand. To help your cat ease into boarding, it is helpful to keep their diet consistent with what they receive at home. Sudden dietary changes can upset a cat’s digestion, making for an unpleasant time with dangerous health consequences. Please bring enough food for the entire length of kitty’s stay, especially if the brand of food is not carried by the Cat Connection.
• Bring a favorite, clean blanket, article of clothing or toy to accompany your cat in her condo. Any item that smells strongly of home (and you!) will provide extra comfort to your cat as she adjusts to boarding.
• Bring all medications, instructions, and the contact information of your cat’s vet. Be forthcoming about your cat’s health concerns. The Cat Connection is able to administer most medications to your cats, but all medications must be correctly labeled with instructions to ensure kitty is properly cared for. Please provide us with your vet’s contact information for any questions or in the event of an emergency. Similarly, if your cat is struggling with a significant health concern, please be upfront about this when scheduling your boarding. In some instances, the Cat Connection will not be able to board your cat if the health concerns are a danger to other cats, but in most cases, knowing your cat’s medical issues will simply provide our caregivers with more information to better assess how your cat is faring while boarding with us. We do board cats with FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) and FLV (Feline Leukemia Virus), though they will not have access to the communal playroom. Please note: cats with Feline Upper Respiratory Infections cannot board at the Cat Connection, as it is highly contagious to other felines.
• Provide copies of your cat’s vaccination records and proof of spay or neuter. For the health of other cats in our boarding facility, all cats must be up-to-date on their vaccinations, and all cats must be spayed or neutered if more than 6 months old.
• Be sure your cat is up-to-date on flea treatments. All cats are checked for fleas upon arrival at our facility. In the event fleas are found, a Capstar capsule will be administered at the owner’s expense. To ensure kitty does not have fleas, be sure she is current on all treatments.
• Honestly assess how long kitty will need to board with us and book accordingly. Our boarding facility often operates at full capacity, especially during the holidays. While at times we are able to accommodate sudden extended stays, there are periods where we simply do not have the room. If you believe there is a chance kitty will need to stay with us longer than you had hoped, be sure to schedule appropriately with us. It will give you peace of mind that kitty is taken care of for as long as you need and will help us accommodate other customers.

For more information on boarding or to schedule your kitty’s vacation, please call the store at 866-386-6369.

Enjoy your time away knowing that your cats are well cared for by people who get how hard it can be to leave them behind. We care for your cats like our own, so rest assured they will be loved.