What if my cat is not vaccinated?
Except in urgent circumstances, we are unable to provide boarding facilities for cats who are not vaccinated. Vaccination is essential to ensure the health and well-being of your cat as well as all our other holidaying cats. If there is sufficient time prior to the dates you require boarding, we may be able to get your cat up to date with vaccinations allowing it to board (in some cases this may necessitate two vaccinations 3-4 weeks apart with the final one being at least 7 days prior to boarding).

What vaccinations are needed?
A minimum of an F3 vaccination is required in order for your cat to be able to board. If your cat has also had a Leukaemia Virus vaccination, then he/she will be allowed access to our outdoor run area (see next question).

Will my cat have outdoor access?
We have an outdoor run area which cats can have playtime in during the day. To make use of the outdoor run, your cat must be vaccinated against the leukaemia virus. If your cat has not previously had the leukaemia virus vaccine, it must have two vaccines 3-4 weeks apart with the final one being at least 7 days prior to boarding. An annual booster vaccination will be required to maintain immunity.

How often does my cat get to go in the outdoor area?
This varies depending on the number of cats that are boarding that are eligible to go into the outdoor area (ie: it depends on how many boarding cats have had the leukaemia vaccination), but generally it will be daily.

Will my cat be in direct contact with other cats?
We never put your cat in direct contact with other cats. Our outdoor runs are also 1 cat per run. We would not want to risk fighting between cats. We happily board family groups together if you wish.

Can I come in to view the cattery?
We are more than happy to give you a tour of our boarding facilities. All we ask is that you make an appointment for a cattery viewing so we have staff available to show you the facilities and answer any questions you may have. We are unable to do cattery viewings in December and early January while we prepare for and look after all our Christmas boarders (we are extremely busy at that time of year). If you will be boarding your cat during these periods, please arrange a cattery viewing in October or November or earlier.

Why do I need an appointment to view the cattery?
Petersham Boarding Cattery is located within Petersham Veterinary Hospital (Petvets). Depending on the demands of the hospital, at various times of the day we simply do not have the staff available to conduct a cattery tour.

How far in advance do I need to book my cat in for its holiday?
Most times of the year, you can book a week or even a few days prior to your required boarding dates. The only exception to this is Christmas boarding! We are usually fully booked by the end of October for Christmas boarding (and each year we seem to be getting full for xmas earlier) so we recommend getting in early. Even if you are not sure of the boarding dates, you can make a tentative booking. We confirm all Christmas boarding by taking a deposit at the end of November so changes to dates can easily be made if needed.

What is the best way to book my cat in to boarding?
We ask that you phone us on 9560 5255 to book your cat into boarding. This allows us to obtain all the information we need and allows you to ask any questions you may have.

What if my cat becomes ill while in boarding?
Petersham Boarding Cattery is on the premises of Petersham Veterinary Hospital so we have immediate access to veterinary attention if this is needed. We will always try to contact you if we have any concerns regarding your cat’s well-being and we ask that you provide a contact number whenever your cat is staying with us. In the event you cannot be contacted, we will treat your cat as we deem necessary with the cost of any treatments being added to their boarding expenses. If your cat does not regularly come to Petersham Veterinary Hospital for veterinary treatment and has any chronic illnesses, it is helpful for us to have a copy of their history or a contact number for your regular veterinarian in case we have any concerns.

Are staff present 24 hours?
We do not have staff present overnight at Petersham Boarding Cattery. All cats are securely contained in their cages at night with sufficient water and food for overnight.

Do I need to bring anything when my cat boards?
You don’t need to bring anything for standard boarding. If your cat has special dietary requirements, please ask us if we are able to provide this particular diet (we have a range of Hills prescription and some Waltham and Eukanuba prescription diets), otherwise we may need you to bring the special diet with you. For any cats on medication, you need to provide sufficient medication for the duration of their stay in a clearly labelled container (please note boarding with medication incurs a surcharge).

What do you feed the cats?
We routinely feed Hills Science diet dry foods. We have a range including kitten, adult, indoor cat, hairball, light and oral care and will choose the appropriate one for your cat. We have most prescription diets as well including for kidney disease, bladder stones and diabetes. We also feed whiskas tin food as a special treat. For fussy cats we will try different foods to ensure we can find something they like – you may like to provide some of your own food from home for the especially fussy ones.

Do they get cuddles?
If they ask!! We find most cats like a cuddle, particularly once they have gotten into the routine of their holiday; a bit of breakfast, a clean toilet, a little nap, a cuddle, a bit of lunch etc.

Do you provide grooming services?
We are happy to do nail clipping if you request it. We can brush your cat if needed. We do not generally do clipping unless your cat is under general anaesthesia. Please ask us for prices for any grooming services.