How to Prepare Your Cat for Their First Cattery Stay

The first time you book your cat into a cattery, it’s completely normal to feel a little uneasy about it. Cats are creatures of routine and territory, and handing yours over to somewhere new, even somewhere as calm and countryside as Crookedstone House & Cattery, can feel like a bigger step than booking a kennel for the family dog. The good news is that with a little preparation, most cats settle far more quickly than their owners expect. Here’s what actually helps.

Start with the paperwork, well before your stay

Every reputable cattery in Northern Ireland will ask for proof of up-to-date vaccination before your cat can stay. At Crookedstone House & Cattery, [CONFIRM: exact vaccination requirements, e.g. up-to-date Feline Herpesvirus, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia (F3) vaccination, certificate required at drop-off] If your cat is overdue a booster, or you’re not sure when they were last vaccinated, contact your vet as soon as you know your travel dates. Some vaccination schedules need a week or two to take full effect, so this isn’t something to leave until the day before drop-off. We’ve written a full explainer on what vaccinations your cat needs for a cattery stay in Northern Ireland if you want the detail.

Book earlier than you think you need to

Popular dates (half-terms, Easter, and especially the summer holidays) can book out weeks in advance. If you already know your travel dates, get in touch as soon as you can rather than waiting until closer to the time. We go into more detail on timing in why July fills up fast, but the short version is: the earlier, the better, and the more likely you are to get your preferred drop-off day.

Let your cat get used to their carrier before the day itself

If your cat only sees their carrier once or twice a year, usually for a stressful vet visit, it’s worth changing that association before their first cattery stay. A few days beforehand, leave the carrier out in a room your cat uses often, door open, perhaps with a blanket or a few treats inside. Cats are naturally curious, and a carrier that isn’t only associated with the vet becomes a much less alarming object. This alone can make the actual journey to us noticeably calmer.

Keep their routine as normal as possible in the days before

Cats pick up on change quickly, and a flurry of suitcases, visitors, and packing in the days before you travel can unsettle them before they’ve even left the house. Where you can, try to keep feeding times, play sessions, and general household routine as close to normal as possible right up until drop-off. It sounds like a small thing, but a cat that’s already a bit thrown by a chaotic house is more likely to arrive at the cattery already anxious.

Pack thoughtfully, not excessively

You don’t need to bring your cat’s entire bed, scratching post, and half the contents of the kitchen cupboard. What genuinely helps:

• Enough of their usual food for the full length of their stay, to avoid any sudden diet change
• Any medication, clearly labelled with dosage and timing instructions
• A small blanket, cushion cover, or toy that smells like home, if you think it will help them settle
• A written note of any quirks, preferences, or things that reassure them: we genuinely read these and use them

What doesn’t help is over-packing. A cattery pen is a different environment by design, and cats generally adapt faster than owners expect, provided their basic needs (food, warmth, a clean litter tray, and a calm space) are well met, which is exactly what a private pen at Crookedstone House & Cattery is set up to provide.

Choose the right kind of stay for your cat

Not every cat needs the same thing. A confident, easy-going cat will likely do fine with our standard boarding. An older cat, or one on daily medication, benefits from the closer attention we give under medication and special care. And if you have two or more cats from the same household, keeping them together in one of our family pens (see multi-cat families) often makes the whole experience considerably easier for everyone involved, cats included.

What to expect on drop-off day

Arrive within our opening hours (Monday to Friday 10.30am–3.30pm, Saturday 10.30am–1.00pm, or Sunday 11.00am–12.00pm) and bring your cat’s paperwork, food, and any medication with you. We’ll take a few minutes to run through their routine, any concerns you have, and settle them into their pen while you’re still there, rather than rushing the handover. Most owners find this reassures them more than anything else: seeing exactly where their cat will be staying, and knowing Primrose personally, rather than a rotating team of unfamiliar staff.

A quick pre-stay checklist

• Vaccination certificate confirmed and up to date
• Booking confirmed with correct dates and drop-off time
• Enough food packed for the full stay
• Medication packed and clearly labelled, if needed
• Carrier introduced calmly in the days before travel
• Emergency contact details left with us in case we can’t reach you

First stays are almost always more worrying for owners than for cats. With a little preparation and the right cattery, most cats settle within a day or two, and plenty come home looking like they’ve barely noticed you were gone.