Cats: Luxury Hotels for Cats

Luxury Hotels for Cats
Elijah Merrill

Are you treating yourself to a relaxing vacation that consists of beautiful scenery, daily pampering sessions and delicious meals? Why not treat your beloved cat to the same experience?

"Cats are hot right now," says Charlotte Reed, an author who specializes in pet lifestyle and etiquette issues. "After years of booming business for fabulous doggy day care facilities, we're seeing this surge in facilities for cats."

"Before, boarding facilities were just a kennel with a cage," says Wendy Diamond, pet lifestyle author and animal welfare advocate. "Now, these rooms are spacious and luxurious with beautiful beds. The whole world of animal boarding has changed. They're not even called kennels anymore; they're called hotels."

5-star Service for Felines

Longcroft Luxury Cat Hotel in the U.K., established in 2010, claims to be the "world's first truly 5-star cattery." But the trend and the use of the term "luxury" by cat boarding facilities are actually about five years in the making. If you live near a major airport, chances are you'll find such a place.

Of course, there's no true rating service to determine the difference between 3-, 4- or 5-star boarding, and exactly what "luxury" means in cat terms is relative. But since you'll be paying a premium (as much as $40-$50/night), the following are some considerations to take into account when rating your hotel of choice:

Personal Space

Typical boarding facilities offer a basic cage or a two-tier enclosure. "Any place using the term 'luxury' ought to be offering at least three-tier enclosures," says Reed, "but many offer an entire room or more of unshared personal space." Top-level suites have premium bedding, a climbing tree, a window with a perch, and decorative touches with bird or fish themes.

Webcam

"More and more, pets are like our children," says Diamond. "We want to know what they're doing, whom they're playing with." The technology to let people log in for a live feed of their pet is readily available, and more and more facilities are adopting it.

Medical Care

"The one thing pet parents worry about most when leaving their pets behind is the possibility of a medical issue arising," says pet lifestyle expert Kristen Levine. A high-end facility will have someone on call, if not on staff, and can also accommodate special medication needs.

Cats-only?

Even if your cat lives with dogs, be wary of luxury hotels that also cater to canines. Such places will separate cats and dogs within the facility, but cats are sensitive and have an advanced ability to sniff out enemies. "It could be extremely stressful," says Reed. "Even if the dogs aren't visible, your cat might be able to hear or smell them and may be stressed the whole time." Consider bringing your cat for a quickie tour and see how it reacts.

Playtime

"While luxurious accommodations are intriguing, I believe what cat owners want most is a comfortable, stress-free environment with sufficient human-pet interaction each day," says Levine. If you pay a premium, you should expect someone to spend regular, quality time with your cat.

Food

"Kennels used to stock one kind of food, so you had to bring your own," says Reed. "The luxury places are stocking lots of popular brands, so hopefully you just need to tell them which one." Other facilities might offer choices like fresh fish -- for a price.

One thing that all three experts stress is to check out the hotel before you make a decision. And if you can't find a luxury facility near you, just wait. "Are we going to see more of these facilities? Absolutely. This is just the beginning," says Reed.

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