Your suggestions on what a good cattery should have.

[Penny29]

Hi,

We are just about to embark on the long business of setting up a cattery in the Northern Dordogne. Don't hold your breath as this will take a long while!

I'm off to the Mairie next week to see if permission will be granted, and if it is, then down to the SLV to arrange to study for my Certificate of Capacite (I am also attending a formal course in cattery management in the UK as a way of extending my knowledge). After that will come all the bureaucracy of setting up a business with the authorities and building the cattery itself.

As we are in the position of being able to design and build our cattery from scratch I thought I would canvass ideas from the cat lovers amongst you as to what would feature in your ideal holiday home.

These are some of the ideas we already have - please add to them on this thread:

1. Concrete built individual (escape proof)runs with double roofing, individual outside spaces, tiled floors & walls (for easy discinfecting), and with no contact possible between cats from different households.

2. Raised sleeping platforms (and possibly other multi-level platforms), cat flap type egress to each outside run.

3. A three door (locked) human security door system for entering the cattery (both ends - in case of fire or emergency).

4. Dedicated cat kitchen for food preparation including sterilisation units for feeding bowls, litter trays etc.

5. Heating system (obviously).

6. Scratch posts and individual comfy chairs in each run.

7. Fire alarms and a fire evacuation strategy.

8. Isolation runs for cases of sickness etc.

9. Local vet on call.

10. Grooming as an additional extra.

11. Insistance that all guests have current innoculation certs and that the owners apply Frontline and wormers in front of us on the day of arrival.

12. A couple of larger pens for family groups from the same household.

13. Unannounced visits/inspections welcome between certain hours.

14. A seperate reception/booking in area.

Other things we are considering are: A pick up/delivery service, a long term quarantine-waiting-out-time service (including final vet check and delivery to French-side port), and kennelling for other small animals such as rabbits. pet mice, rats etc.

What else do you think we should build into our plans?

Do you think owners would prefer to provide their own food, bedding and toys?

What have we missed out????

We need to get this right first time, especially the design of the kennels so any suggestions will be gratefully received.

Penny (Not touting for business here - will be ages and ages before we get this thing started).

[Russethouse]

Penny - It sounds just wonderful, the only possible little thing there may be a question over is
>>Do you think owners would prefer to provide their own food, bedding and toys?<<
but only from a hygiene stand I am sure the courses you attend will clear up any possible question over that.

The only other thing you may need to do is harden your heart - you are bound to attract every feline hard luck story going.....we had a neighbour who had runs for cats in their garden for Cat Protection, at first all was well, but then she had a feral that wouldn't settle so he was let out, then she had to hand rear a couple of kittens and couldn't bear to part with them......need I go on...she ended up with 15 cats!
I know yours will be a commercial enterprise but I daresay you will still get boxes of kittens left on the doorstep!

Every good wish for the future

Gay

[Laotze]

Good luck Penny.
1 question - what are you proposing for the litter trays?
2 suggestions - a "hidey place" for the scaredey cats (some may be a little anxious)
- grass trays for those that like to graze. Some of mine like catmint which ends up squashed flat when they roll on it.

[Chrissie]

Hi
Sounds marvellous - wish you were near us!
My only problem with your list so far would be:
>
>11. Insistance that all guests have
>current innoculation certs and that
>the owners apply Frontline and
>wormers in front of us
>on the day of arrival.

Certificates yes, but the rest - I've never been asked to do this and would prefer not to stress my pet out on the same day they are thrust rudely away from home. Perhaps, if you feel it is necessary on health grounds, you could ask that YOU be allowed to do this shortly after their arrival, so as not to overlap doses. Also be aware, some cats, like one of ours, are allergic to Frontline.

>
>Do you think owners would prefer
>to provide their own food,
>bedding and toys?

Would think that most cats have a preferred make of food amongst the top three sellers so you could stock those and anything more exotic could be provided by owners. A favourite toy/teddy is always desirable. If you are worried about cats bringing in fleas etc, I would avoid allowing own bedding.....


>What have we missed out????
...... any suggestions will be gratefully received. >

Our last cattery had Radio 2 going (not too loudly) for a lot of the day and they said most cats seemed to feel it gave a more home-like atmosphere and it relaxed them. Depends on the sort of home your cat comes from I suppose!!!! Ours seemed quite happy.
They also had a sort of little house (sorry that sounds twee, but it was more like a basket-sized box with a lift-off lid.) This gave the cats somewhere to hide, and yet they could be got at by liftng off the lid if necessary for medication etc.

Good luck in your new venture.
Chrissie

[Mops]

You seem to have thought of most things - our cat approves and wants to know when he can try one of the suites. Where are you thinking of setting up? There are a couple of catteries already established in the northern Dordogne area, one close to Riberac and the other near La Roche Chalais. Please let me know more.

Angela

[Candc]

We like to take some favourite food and also ask if the cat gets some human contact . Ours loves company . I saw an idea about gardens in another forum............why not offer to send a regular digital photo by e mail for long stay guests in quarantine. Costs little , but would be a service Id value .

Bonne chance! Carol

[Fay]

LAST EDITED ON 06-May-04 AT 03:05 PM (BST)

I think the Feline Advisory Bureau website has a list of their criteria for a good cattery - they certainly give their 'seal of approval' only to those that comply with their guidelines and (I think) have gone on their training course (maybe it's the one you're doing?).

I've always relied totally on their recommendations and have always been very happy with the catteries we've used (well, as happy as I can be deserting Pyewacket our Devon Rex, who makes her displeasure very evident). Not having to leave her behind when we go to France is just one of the many reasons for the current househunting plans!

Good luck with your enterprise!

[Paulgun]

Penney, just a few points.
use only brick, block or plastic, never, ever wood for short term boarder.
wood..can cause problems, ringworm can live in such for upto 7 years.
chairs..plastic, with vet bed, then can be cleaned daily.
scratch posts, use little wooden logs, after each client burn on fire do not use for other cats. If you have rope posts then they must be changed after each client unless they are the long term boarder, never ever allow other cats the use such without changing the rope/carpet etc.
grooming stuff..must clean between use, never ever share.
cleaning materials..no Phenols ? spelling, ie, any product that turns white with water added, use only, parvoviricide or vircon, only use bleach if you really know what you are doing.
two vital bits of equipment, a "woods" lamp for ringworm, USA does not look at this problem for export certificates,and a really good "scanner" for chips etc.
good luck
kind regards
Pauline.