Most boarding stays do not require a separate veterinary appointment. However, a health check before boarding can be the kinder choice when a cat has new symptoms, recent medication changes, fragile appetite or a chronic condition that is not stable.
The purpose is not to make boarding difficult. It is to avoid placing a cat into a changed environment when they may already need medical attention.
A cat who is not eating normally before boarding should not simply be dropped off and watched. Poor appetite can reflect stress, nausea, pain, dental disease, kidney disease, diabetes or many other problems.
Sometimes the stay can still go ahead after a check or clearer instructions. Sometimes it is safer to delay boarding or arrange a different type of care.
Recent vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained weight loss should be mentioned before the stay. These signs can worsen with stress, diet changes or medication disruption.
A check may help decide whether treatment, testing, diet support or postponing the stay is needed. It also protects other cats if an infectious cause is possible.
Straining to urinate, blood in urine, frequent litter tray visits, crying in the tray or producing little urine should be treated as urgent, especially in male cats.
Do not bring a cat with active urinary signs for routine boarding without speaking to us first. They may need veterinary care, pain relief, testing or emergency treatment.
Respiratory signs matter in a cattery because they may affect your cat and other cats staying in the same environment. Sneezing, nasal discharge, coughing, eye discharge or feverish behaviour should be discussed early.
Vaccination helps reduce risk, but it does not make respiratory illness irrelevant. If your cat is actively unwell, boarding may need to be reconsidered.
A cat who is hiding, resisting handling, grooming less, eating less or toileting differently may be in pain rather than simply being difficult.
If these signs are new or worsening, a check before boarding can help avoid placing a painful cat into an unfamiliar setting without support.
A cat who is suddenly hiding, growling, avoiding touch, missing jumps, sleeping in unusual places or refusing food may be showing illness or pain.
These signs can be easy to dismiss as mood or stress, but they are worth mentioning before boarding. They may change whether your cat needs a check first.
If your cat is due for repeat prescriptions, monitoring blood tests, urine testing or a chronic care review, it may be better to do this before boarding.
That way the cattery instructions are based on current information, and you are not relying on an old routine during a period of change.
Cats who have recently started, stopped or changed medication may need extra care before boarding. The same is true for older cats with kidney disease, thyroid disease, diabetes, arthritis or blood pressure concerns.
A pre-boarding check can confirm whether the routine is stable enough for the stay and whether written instructions need to be updated.
Families sometimes worry that asking about symptoms will make boarding impossible. In reality, early discussion often creates more options, not fewer.
A health check may confirm that your cat can still board, provide treatment before the stay or identify that a different arrangement is kinder. Late surprises leave everyone with fewer choices.
When a cat has a health concern, a check can turn vague worries into clearer instructions. That might mean medication, diet advice, monitoring guidance or a decision to postpone the stay.
The value is practical. The cattery team then knows what is expected, what is worrying and what would require contact while you are away.
Sometimes a health check simply confirms that boarding can go ahead with sensible notes. That reassurance is still valuable when you are about to travel and someone else will be caring for your cat.
If you are unsure whether a change matters, contact us. We can help decide whether a check is needed or whether clearer boarding instructions are enough.
A phone call before drop-off gives us time to think clearly with you. A rushed conversation at arrival is harder for everyone, especially if your cat may be unwell.
If you are unsure whether vomiting, diarrhoea, appetite change, coughing, sneezing, urinary signs or behaviour changes matter, ask early.
Extra preparation for older cats, including appetite, comfort, toileting and medication notes.
Early preparation for diabetic cats and cats with more complex treatment routines.
How contact instructions and veterinary decisions should be arranged before you travel.
Return to the main cattery page for bookings, vaccination requirements and how the cattery works.
If your cat has medication, anxiety, dietary needs, senior health changes or a first boarding stay coming up, talk to us early so the arrangements are practical.
If something changes before boarding, contact us before drop-off so we can decide whether the stay can go ahead as arranged or whether your cat needs extra support first.
Cat-specific advice for appetite, toileting, stress, senior comfort and clinic visits.
Carrier, litter and environment support for cats at home.
Carrier and travel planning can make boarding drop-off easier too.
Watch our cattery preparation video.
