Choosing a good Cattery continued

Good cattery design should ensure that:    

• The cat accommodation has a separate enclosed sleeping area with its own individual exercise run. This should be of appropriate size, warm, dry and secure.
• There is no possibility of cats within the cattery (excluding those from the same household in the same unit) coming into direct contact with each other. There should also be no direct contact with any animal outside of the cattery.
• Only cats from the same household are boarded together.
• Adequate ventilation and air are present to minimise the danger of spreading air-borne diseases.
• There are gaps between units (minimum 0.6m) or, if the units are joined together, sneeze barriers. Full height barriers are essential to prevent cats sneezing on or touching one another.
• Cats have an interesting view to stimulate them, a scratching post and plenty of toys to play with.
• Cats have a shelf in the run for resting and sunbathing.

Housing which offers any opportunity for cats from different households to come into contact with each other (or each other's faeces) increases the potential for spread of disease and should be avoided. This includes catteries where lots of cats are kept together in large pens and those which use a common area as an exercise run. Cat cages without runs should also be avoided - cats need space to exercise and move around.

 

Happy! resident enjoying home comforts

The sleeping areas may be a full-height house (like a small chalet which houses the cat's bed and litter tray) or a 'penthouse' (a raised box off the ground). The latter is accessed by a solid ladder or ramp and the litter tray is usually placed outside, underneath the house.

Each house should be insulated, lined with an impervious material (i.e. fibreglass, polypropylene, melamine coated hardboard) and enclosed to facilitate heating, but still allow the cats free access to their run through a cat-flap. All units should be individually heated so that each cat's requirements can be catered for. Be aware that elderly or disabled cats may find the access ladder or ramp to penthouses difficult to climb.

Text from FAB site