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Kitties Coping with Long Term Visits | Cat's Castle
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Kitties Coping with Long Term Visits

The length of stay varies quite a bit for our visitors depending on their reason for boarding! The average stay with us is approximately 1-2 weeks, but we’ve had kitties stay with us for as little as under 24 hours – although we don’t recommend this if it can be avoided – and for as long as two years! Regardless of the length of the visit, most pet owners are concerned with how their kitty will settle in and cope with boarding.

Every kitty is different, but in general it will take a cat 24-48 hours to settle in and acclimatize to their new environment and caretakers (therefore, kitties that are here for less than 24 hours may still be a little upset when they are picked up). Once they’ve settled in, our cat-crazy staff members do everything they can to make the kitties feel comfortable and at home. We brush the ones who like to be brushed, play with the playful ones, cuddle the quiet guys, and let the explorers roam! Each kitty gets a turn to roam their room by themselves daily, so they are not cooped up all day! This is also in addition to the time we spend cleaning their suite daily – when they get to roam and play while we work! This gives them the chance to stretch their legs, explore and burn off some of their energy. We think this is a huge contributing factor to keeping the kitties happy, healthy and stress free while they are boarding! The domestic cat sleeps around 16 hours a day, which is what they spend a lot of time in their suite doing! That being said, the suites at Cats’ Castle are very spacious and can get as big as 5ft tall by 4ft wide – so even when the kitties are in their suites they still have the space to walk around and play when the mood strikes them!

Often if a kitty is here long term it has to do with the owners living situation, whether they are selling their home, or are unable to have the kitty where they are staying. If you are still in town, you are more than welcome to come in and visit your kitty during our hours of operation! This will give your kitty their usual snuggle time with mom and dad, and usually helps them settle in a little better (not to mention giving you the peace of mind seeing/knowing that your cat is A-Okay!). But, for some this is not an option. We also have volunteers that come in several times throughout the week to socialize the kitties. These volunteers generally focus their time on long term visitors, or kitties with special needs. This extra attention and playtime keeps kitties active and happy so they are not stressed and are able to cope well with long term stays.

If your kitty is more shy than the average cat, and you are thinking about leaving them long term, worry not. Our team are literally crazy about cats, and love to spend the time to get to know these shy guys, and make them feel comfortable (everyone knows how rewarding it is when a recluse kitty finally warms up to you and seeks your TLC!). It can take kitties with this kind of personality a week or so to warm up to us – and in the meantime we will give them a privacy tent. This is a safe place for them to hide where they do not have to see any other cats or humans if they choose not to! We have even had owners of shy cats tell us that their kitties come home better off than when they were brought in. We find that cats get more socialization and exposure to strangers in a boarding facility than they normally would at home. This can translate into them becoming more brave or outgoing in the long run.

Given the daily out time, spacious suites and one-on-one cuddle and playtimes with staff and volunteers a vast majority of kitties cope extraordinarily well during their long term stays!

Cats Castle Cat Hotel is a cat boarding that specializes in both short term and long term cat boarding. Our cattery provides a luxurious alternative to pet sitting. Our facility is located in Oakville Ontario, just minutes off of the QEW. Our customers come from all over Toronto and the GTA, Markham, Milton, Hamilton, Mississauga, Burlington and more

2016-03-29T23:15:06+00:00 March 29th, 2016|