Monday, June 15, 2009

Cat Boarding in Klang Valley and Selangor

At some point most of us cat lovers will need to go on a holiday where kitty can't come with us.

Options for kitty when you're away on holiday
So who takes care of kitty if family and friends can't be convinced to babysit?
  1. Leave kitty to fend herself - I've seen this happen often, and I think it's heartless. I would never do this to my babies.
  2. Leave kitty plenty of food and water - OK but perhaps only for a few days
  3. Leave kitty plenty of food and water in an automatic dispenser - Better option than number 2, especially if kitty can't control food intake. But only good for 3-4 days. If it's longer than that, somebody needs to come in once in a while to take care of the poo stench if kitty's an indoor cat. And to check for food and water supplies.
  4. Leave kitty at the pet shop - I've seen this at many pet shops. The kitties look like they've been drugged to sleep.
  5. Leave kitty at the vet's - Hmm... better than number 4. But it would be like leaving your baby in hospital while you're on holiday. Imagine kitty being surrounded by other sick cats!
  6. Cat boarding aka cat hotel aka cattery (not the breeding centre type) - Now we're talking! A holiday home :)

Cat Hotels

Scallywags Malaysia
3, Jalan SS1/1B, Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
I think this is the best cat hotel in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. It's got a really homey feel to it. The cattery is in the lush green garden of the owner's bungalow house. So rest assured that there's always someone to keep an eye on the cats in case of emergencies!

They've got rooms for 2 cats, 1 cat, and even 1 "kampung house" fit for 5 cats! The garden facing room for 2 cats is especially nice because it has multiple floors and nooks and crannies for cats to explore or hide. Each room has a chair, rug, sisal scratch post, a few toys, and even a little fan! The owner, Liz, has a certificate from the Feline Advisory Bureau, a UK organisation which sets benchmarks for feline wellbeing, including hygiene standards at catteries.

This place gets booked up very quickly during festive events (Raya, Christmas, Chinese New Year), so make sure to book ahead.

The downside? Well, the only thing is that the cats get fed dry food only (IAMS, Royal Canin, Orijen...). So no raw meat or canned food during the holidays for kitty...


Pet Epicure
16, Jalan Bandar 2, Taman Melawati, Selangor
This is a pet shop / pet boarding / pet rescue centre. So it definitely DOES NOT fall under my general rule to not leave kitty at a pet shop during my holidays. The owner, Alicia Horsley Ling, is really passionate about animal welfare that some of the rescued cats are actually boarding at the shop. But please, please, don't throw away your cats here just because Alicia has a soft spot!

What I like about the place is that they feed a raw meat diet for their boarders.

And apparently, the cattery is built to FAB standards - complete with sneeze barriers to prevent transfer of disease.

The downside? Well, it could do with a more homey feel to it. The rooms literally look like see-through fridges with a wire mesh ceiling for ventilation. Although there are shelves for kitty to climb, carpet post to scratch, toys to play with, little chair to sit on, and even fan and AIRCON, there just aren't any hidey holes for kitty to get some privacy! And if I'm not mistaken, someone needs to man the place 24x7 if it's truly built by FAB standards.

Verdict? Definitely consider if Scallywags is fully booked.

De'Ritz Hotel @ Pet Safari
Level 2, Ikano Power Centre, Jalan PJU 7-2, Mutiara Damansara, Selangor
If Pet Epicure's cat rooms look like fridges, the ones here look like mini-fridges! Much less homey, no privacy, and not good for the claustrophobic kitty. But at least kitty won't be surrounded by wailing sick cats like at the vets (I hope).

6 comments:

  1. Hi,

    We have just added your latest post "Cat Boarding in Klang Valley and Selangor" to our Directory of Pets . You can check the inclusion of the post here . We are delighted to invite you to submit all your future posts to the directory and get a huge base of visitors to your website.


    Warm Regards

    Petgarden.info Team

    http://www.petgarden.info

    ReplyDelete
  2. thank you for the mention.

    i'd just like to add that cats will get cardboard boxes to hide in. we did consider custome built hidey holes but decided they would just be too difficult to clean thoroughly if they were permanent, as wood is very absorbent :) so we compromise by providing a fresh supply of cardboard boxes which can be replaced regularly.

    also, your comment about FAB standards is corrent. As such, while the facility is built to spec, it is not run to their specification. i have since removed mention of FAB standards as i would hate to mislead anyone :)

    keep up the good work

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  3. Thank you for your blog. I am new to KL and could not find a cattery until I found your blog.

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  4. Thank you! We've just arrived in KL and have been struggling to find a cattery (as well as many other things!).

    Do you have a favourite pet shop in KL? I have been searching for a soft-sided (tasteful) pet carrier and it's difficult...
    I miss Petsmart...

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  5. Boarding could be a much better solution because a veterinary hospital is closer to home meaning no long auto or plane trips and their program can be maintained. Perhaps you are thinking of leaving your animal with a friend or relative entrusting that they will have the time and recognize the way to take care of them. But pet dogs commonly leave or can become ill which is why you will rest at ease if you leave them in the treatment of a well-informed staff that focuses on the needs of boarded dogs. Do not spend anymore of your precious summer stressing over what to accomplish with your animals when you have to leave home, a veterinary medical facility can be the ideal location to board your furry friends while you are away!
    http://dogvacay.com/Chicago-IL-Dog-Boarding

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  6. Hi! I'm a cat owner and have always found boarding my cats a problem so a few friends and I are planning to open our Cat Hotel this year. We appreciate any advise on how to make our cat hotel a place your cats will call home. Do visit our website at www.cathotelmalaysia.com. Looking forward to feedback and suggestions :)

    ReplyDelete