Cat Boarding: Catteries

Doctor Benway

Hi,

I'm hoping to place my cat in a cattery fairly shortly (well, not hoping to put her there, as I doubt if she'll like it, but hoping to find somewhere that will take her).

Can anyone recommend a good one within a reasonably short drive from Dublin (preferably North Dublin, but we'll travel) and give details of what they provide - i.e. are they just cages, or are there cat runs as well.

Also, if anyone knows of any bad ones, which should be avoided, could they let me know (maybe by PM, as it mightn't be a great idea to name names publicly).

Cheers for any help!

Wishbone Ash

The dog kennels at Lissenhall, Swords on the R132 (old N1) have a cattery.

Tel. 8401776

Micamaca

Dr Benway,

would you mind telling me did you get a cattery in the end? I'm in North Co. Dublin too and am just looking for catteries now... would you mind telling me how you got on?

many thanks

micamaca

Leax

this might help
http://www.irishanimals.com/care/kennel.html#train

Micamaca

Hi Leax

thanks for the link...I've got that from another search but while they list a few names of catteries, they don't endorse them...was hoping to find someone who might have used one and could give me some feedback...state of cattery, what people were like, mental state of cat on departure! that kind of craic! but thank you anyway... mica

Leax

If you join http://board.irishanimals.ie or http://petsireland.invisionzone.ie you can ask for recommendations for northside catteries. as far as i know the ones on irish animals are put forward by people who have uised them, and that is how the list gets populated, so it's not just a list taken frojm the goldenpages if you know what i mean.

Maybe pick a couple from the list and go see them, nothing beats gut instincts and actaully eyeballing a place yourself and meeting the owner good luck

Micamaca

Hi Leax,

You know more about this than I do so! I just zoomed straight into the list of catteries and ignored the rest! thanks, I'll try joining and looking for feedback there, that would be a help.

I am thinking of ringing a couple of places today to see if they are available and if I can view them...poor cat is asleep on the couch not knowing what's going on! Am a bit worried as she is old to be going to a cattery for the first time so I'm going to ring her old vet first for advice.

thanks for the advice re the websites again! cheers mica

Jumpy

You need to have your vaccination cert, or a cattery will not take your cat.
Most catteries are also a kennel for dogs, and some are mainly dog kennels with a very slight afterthought for cats.
Dont go to the latter, a good cattery should have a good amount of space and access to an outside area. If they dont have this I wouldnt touch it with a ten foot pole.

KTRIC

I left my two cats with a certain cattery off the Nass road last Feb for 2 weeks and they came back severly under weight.

I'm not going to give the name , but you could probably work it out.

Micamaca

Oh God, that's not good...I was just going to ring one in that region but now I'm afraid to! Its difficult as there doesnt' seem to be many catteries in the first place and then to find one with good feedback is even harder.

I've joined the irishanimals.ie forum for more info. but keep the info coming...underweight is not a good sign...

mjffey

Definately visit the cattery first.
We have a cattery ourself and if new customers call, we always invite them to come and have a look or, if that's not possible, to check our website.

If you only have mixed boardingkennels in your area, check if there is a very good distance between the kennels for the dogs and the kennels for the cats. You want your cat to have a nice quiet holiday where she/he can relax, and not a holiday disturbed by dogs barking all the time.

Micamaca

I don't suppose you're remotely within driving distance of North Co Dublin are you!

Jotter

I live in West dublin but travelled to Newbridge to put cats in cattery there as it had come with a recommendation, very happy with it and the cats seemed to be too - they have plenty of space and a nice little hut and the owners are very nice - its called Harkins. Worth the trek imo! Numbers should be on the irishanimlas list.

mjffey

Micamaca wrote:

I don't suppose you're remotely within driving distance of North Co Dublin are you!

No sorry, we are in County Mayo, near the Roscommon/Sligo boarder, but I see that Jotter recommends one around Dublin.

Sometimes you have to travel a bit further to get a good one. We have customers from Galway/Leitrim/Roscommon and Sligo. People drop their cat of on their way to their holiday destination being it from Galway to Knock airport or further up north and the other way around. People from Manorhamilton bring their cats on the way to Dublin aiport.
If it's a good cattery then it's worth driving that little bit extra.

Micamaca

Hi Jotter,

thanks for that. I just rang them but unfortunately it's not possible this time so I'll have to look elsewhere! And it looks like a lovely place with plenty of room to run around!

bummer

I'll keep at it though, have to find somewhere for her!

if anyone else has a recommendation, I'd appreciate it! cheers mica
You're right Mjffey, it will be worth the extra drive although she 's not fond of the car either! she's not too bad though... I'll keep looking anyway, thanks.

FlutterinBantam

Estuary kennels in Swords take cats I'm sure

Micamaca

Hi Flutterinbantam,

have you ever used the Estuary Kennels? Were they good?

SMK

I can highly recommend the Irish Rosettes Kennels/Cattery in Lusk, Co Dublin. I left my cats there for two weeks in March. Neither cat had been in a cattery before. They both got on great, lady in charge there must have spent some time with them cos she knew somethings about their characters when I got back that she could only have learned by spending time with them. She even managed to groom them - one of them won't let me groom him!!!

FlutterinBantam

No I havn't but I'm sure that they are reputable...well... they are always walking dogs on the Swords estuary.

There is a cattery advertised along to old N1 road out of Swords before you come to Blakes Cross... they spell cattery as "catterie" I think... if you are from the area check it out.....

FlutterinBantam

Irish Rosettes ...that could be the one I am referring to....

eachtrannach

Hiya,

we recently used http://www.moggiemotel.com/ for our two cats and were very satisfied. Spacious accommodation, enthusiastic owners ... and the cats were satisfied too (I think). This is the only FAB-endorsed cattery in Ireland ... if I am not mistaken.

Located near Navan, drive from Dublin Airport via N2 took us less than 30 minutes.

Micamaca

Hi guys, thanks for that...that one is quite close so I can check it out, but I will be going to see a few of them as I'm not sure what to expect...and the only way to compare is by going to see a few of them and then coming to a decision. Shop around or look around in this case!

I want to get her somewhere nice so I can enjoy my holiday


As it happens, am going out to Moggiemotel tomorrow to check them out as someone else mentioned them too.
Can I go by the N2...I told the guy I was coming from Skerries and he gave me a whole load of directions cos of roadworks at Dunshaughlin... so you think the N2 is okay instead? If I can avoid Dunshaughlin, then I'll def to by N2...please write back, ta!

eachtrannach

Hiya, just woke up (joking ... the internet just woke up) and hope I'm not too late - the directions "the guy" gave me are lost, but it involved going up the M2 past Ashbourne, then turning left towards Navan and finally being there. Sorry, does not make much sense. At the moment the N3 ist quite OK (slight delays in Dunshaughlin, but not suicidal ...), so you might easier be folloing the directions on their website, a right at Tara Na Ri and so on ...

Did this help? Methinks not ...

Otherwise give him a buzz, ask about the M2 and Ashbourne, that was quite OK.

Micamaca

Good afternoon! I think you may have just woken up then, am searching for
M2 on the map, its in the North...so will safely assume you meant the N2!

No, seriously thanks for getting back. The guy gave me a ream of directions on the phone the yesterday, problem being I can't read my own writing so have little clue... I have my trusy Shell Ireland Map out now and I can see the N2 heads to Oldtown which is where I want to go, so might be safest for me that gets lost going up the stairs in cars, if you know what I mean...:D

thanks a mill, hope this works out...hubby afraid we will never go on holiday cos of cat! cheers mica

eachtrannach

Micamaca wrote:

Good afternoon! I think you may have just woken up then, am searching for
M2 on the map, its in the North...so will safely assume you meant the N2!

Wasn't that clear?:D
No, I had a fleeting hypoglycemic episode and got a little confused ... you are right, it is the N2 ... thought it was M already because so well built ...

mjffey

Hi Mica,

How was your visit to the catteries? Any luck?

Mariejeanne

Micamaca

Yes! Yes! Yes! It took me awhile to get there but now I know the route its not so bad. The people came out to meet me immediately. ( or to stop me from reversing into their house! )

Both lovely people, they brought me around to the enclosure where there were some very happy kitties! they were all pleased to see the owners of the cattery. The cats have a good bit of room and can see out to the garden and I spent a good few minutes learning how everything works and finding out what the people running it are like. They are absolutely great, very enthusiastic about cats and very down-to-earth, they seem to have everything covered. They were just real cat people though!

But I think the best thing was the cats, I never saw so many contented moggies! They were all in great form, a real testament to the good work done there.

Am delighted now, feel my little girl will be well looked after there and have no qualms about leaving her in. Thanks for all the advice, it was a great help!

mjffey

Glad to hear you fond a nice cattery. I wish your cat and you a nice holiday.

Mariejeanne

Micamaca

Cheers Mariejeanne!

such a relief to find somewhere...you go from someone who can't go on holiday to someone who can.

I'm looking forward to it and hopefully many more in the future, all going well! fingers crossed

mica

eachtrannach

Phew ... glad to hear your holiday (and marriage) are saved!:D

Micamaca

Yeah, things were really looking rocky there for awhile!

Its just not easy sometimes but a little help really goes a long way! At least my boy is mad about the cat too otherwise we really might have some marital problems!

cheers again, mica