Vaccinations
Every guest must have a current vaccination prior to checking-in. Cats that have not been vaccinated for more than 12 months should be vaccinated no less than ten (10) days before arrival.
The minimum vaccination for boarding is F3 – we are unable to accept cats with the F2/Ducat vaccination.
By law; vaccination certificates must be sighted by Catshack upon or prior to arrival. If you are unable to locate the certificate, please request your vet email us a copy prior to your booking at Catshack. Please note we are unable to contact vet clinics for these details by telephone.
Medications and Injections
Medications (including sub-cutaneous injections) can be administered at no additional cost.
All medications must be:
- provided by the owner
clearly labelled with dosage and administration details from your vet. - We would be grateful if tablets are pre-cut according to dosage instructions.
For cats requiring injections:
- our policy is to use a needle a maximum of two times.
- Please ensure you provide an adequate supply of needles for the duration of the stay.
- Diabetics: Our preferred time for insulin administration is 0730 and 1930.
Please ensure there are extra medications and injections available for us should the collection of your cat be delayed.
Flea and Worm Treatment
All guests must have had recent flea and worm treatment prior to arrival as per the Victorian Code of Practice for Boarding Kennels and Catteries. If fleas or worms are detected throughout the cat’s stay, these will be treated, and the owner charged accordingly.
Diet
At Catshack, we believe every step should be taken to minimise the stress and disruption associated with boarding. As such, we aim to provide your cat(s) with the diet they usually receive and will feed them at their usual times.
We are able to provide any cat food (wet and dry) available from supermarkets and other pet retailers.
- Special/prescribed diet: If your cat requires a special/prescribed diet, we ask that this be supplied, and a discount will be applied to the booking fee.
- Supplying your own food? Let us know! A 5% discount will apply to the booking.
Collars
For safety reasons, we have a strict ‘No Collar’ policy. Please ensure all collars are removed prior to arrival at Catshack.
Monitoring
Catshack is dedicated to providing a calm, peaceful and attentive environment for every cat that boards with us.
All guests are monitored to ensure their “intake and output” are adequate – the daily charting forms part of our handover to you when your furry family member/s are collected at the end of their holiday.
Veterinary Attention
Our continual monitoring allows us to determine if a guest requires a vet visit.
If veterinary attention is required, this will be at the owner’s expense. Our preference is to attend your usual vet clinic, however, in the event that we are unable to do so, we have a number of excellent local vets available.
Care Plans for Senior Cats and Cats With Complex Medical Conditions
Oftentimes, furry friends in their senior years or those with complex medical conditions come to us for boarding.
To ensure we can provide the best care for them, we ask you to take the time to complete a care plan with us upon arrival.
We understand there may be difficult issues to discuss and think about but it is of paramount importance to us that we are able to honour your wishes should your furrby become unwell during their stay.
Cat Flu: Catshack’s prevention policy
Cat Flu is a disease usually caused by a virus and is very similar to the human cold and flu. It is generally not life-threatening unless a cat has a severe problem with its immune system. Symptoms may last from a couple of days to several weeks.
“Cat flu” is a common disease in unvaccinated cats of all ages but tends to be particularly severe in young and purebred cats.
Vaccination is used in the prevention of Cat Flu and is effective. It is important to realise that vaccination of your cat will not stop it from getting the virus however it will reduce the severity of the disease.
Despite our best efforts, and because of the reasons outlined above, occasional outbreaks of “cat flu” will occur.
To reduce the risk of spreading cat flu, Catshack takes the following steps:
- Our guests are unable to have physical contact with others, both indoors and outside;
- Veterinary strength disinfectant is used for cleaning of all rooms, beds, bowls, litter trays and furniture daily (F10);
- No items (bowls, beds, brushes, toys, trays etc.) are shared;
- Excess hair/fur is removed from cat trees and bedding on a daily basis;
- Floors are vacuumed and mopped daily;
- State-of-the-art ionizers/air purifiers in each level of the facility;
- Provide daily ‘quiet time’ and use of Feliway to minimise stress (stress can decrease the immune system of a cat, leaving them vulnerable to illness).
- Staff are trained to be vigilant in detecting the first sign of illness of any description and maintain infection control practices when dealing with all guests;
- A strict protocol is employed if a cat is determined to have a cold or be unwell in any other way;
- Transparent communication to clients when collecting their fur-kids if there have been any symptoms of illness;
Insistence that all guests have current vaccinations – F3 is the minimum level of vaccination accepted in boarding facilities.
Should your cat show any signs (sometimes these may appear after they have departed Catshack), please seek veterinary advice/treatment.
Catshack reserves the right to refuse admission to the facility if a cat is clearly unwell upon arrival and this has not been brought to our attention prior.
Have a question about your cat’s health and wellbeing at Catshack?
Don’t paws – contact us and we’ll clear it up!