Boarding a cat in India: cattery, sitter and what to check
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
Before a cat boards, its core vaccine (panleukopenia, herpesvirus and calicivirus, the Tricat on many Indian cards) and rabies should be current, and WSAVA suggests a herpesvirus and calicivirus booster one to two weeks before the main yearly stay (AAHA/AAFP: 7 to 10 days). Choose a cattery that keeps each household in its own unit, away from other cats and dogs.
For many cats a sitter at home, visiting at least twice a day, is gentler than any cattery: Cats Protection says nervous or home-loving cats are likely to be less stressed at home. If your cat does board, send its own food and bedding, and watch its appetite: a cat that stops eating for a day needs a call to the vet.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
What should be in place before a cat's stay?
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Vaccines | The core vaccine (panleukopenia, herpesvirus, calicivirus) current, and rabies as local rules and the product leaflet require. | WSAVA |
| Booster timing | A herpesvirus and calicivirus booster one to two weeks before the main yearly stay (WSAVA; AAHA/AAFP suggest 7 to 10 days). Ask your vet at least two weeks ahead. | WSAVAstudy |
| How often | Cats that board regularly count as higher-risk: the herpesvirus and calicivirus parts of the core vaccine up to every year. | WSAVAstudy |
| Space | A room or space of its own with a litter tray, bedding, toys and food, away from other cats. | Merck Veterinary Manual |
| Carrier | Secure and ventilated; feed the cat in it beforehand so it is familiar. | Merck Veterinary Manual |
| Food | Its usual food. If it must change, switch over several days or longer, it can take a couple of weeks, and offer the new food in a separate bowl; mixing the two can put a cat off both. | WSAVA |
| Tick and flea products | Only products licensed for cats: some ingredients in dog products are toxic to cats. In a home with a dog and a cat, ask your vet before using a dog spot-on: cats can be poisoned by grooming or lying against a treated dog. | Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites |
Why is boarding harder on a cat than on a dog?
Because a cat's sense of safety lives in its territory, and boarding takes the territory away.
A dog that goes to a sitter's home brings its main comfort with it: people. A cat's comfort is its home: the smells, the hiding places, the window it watches from, the route to the tray. Move the cat, and all of that goes at once. International Cat Care says most cats do not want to share space with a cat they do not know and will be very stressed by it, which is why good catteries avoid communal runs and keep each household apart.
Stress shows in appetite and health. In a study of 60 cats newly admitted to a shelter, 82% lost weight in at least one week, and cats with high stress scores in their first week were 5.6 times as likely to develop a respiratory infection. A home stay is not a shelter, but it is why a cat's appetite is the thing to watch. The herpesvirus behind much cat flu can hide in the body and flare up under stress, and vaccines reduce the illness but do not stop infection.
None of this means a cat can never board. Some confident cats settle well in a good cattery, and some homes have no one who can visit. It means the choice deserves more thought for a cat than for most dogs, and that the cattery itself matters a great deal.
Cattery or a sitter at home: which suits your cat?
Start from your cat's temperament and health. Cats Protection says cats comfortable with being away from home and with strangers can suit a cattery; home-loving or nervous cats are likely to prefer staying at home.
If Your cat hides from visitors, hates the carrier, or has never left home except for the vet
A sitter at home, visiting at least twice a day or staying overnight. Moving this cat is the biggest stress of the trip. Drop-in visits Cats Protection
If Your cat is confident with strangers, travels calmly and you have found a cattery that meets the checklist below
A cattery can suit. Visit first, bring familiar bedding or a toy, and book early. Home boarding International Cat Care
If Your cat is old
Usually a sitter at home. International Cat Care says older cats do not cope well with changes to their routine. Senior pets and pets on medication International Cat Care
If Your cat is on medicines, a special diet or has a condition such as kidney disease
A sitter experienced with medicines, visiting more than twice a day, or overnight care. Cats Protection says very old cats and those with health conditions may need more frequent visits. Special-needs care Cats Protection
If You have two or more cats that get on
At home they keep their territory together. In a cattery, bonded cats from one household can share a unit, never with other households' cats. International Cat Care
If The trip is long, or a flat-faced cat in the summer heat
Overnight sitting at home covers the nights and the cool room. PDSA says flat-faced cats overheat more easily. Cat sitter or cattery? PDSA
What should a good cattery or cat boarder have?
International Cat Care's checklist, with the questions to ask in an Indian cattery or home. Visit before you book: if they will not show you where the cats are kept, go elsewhere.
- Secure units with no holes or gaps a cat can squeeze through, and a safety corridor so the outside door is always shut when the inside door is open. International Cat Care
- Each household's unit separated from the next by a solid barrier or a wide gap, so cats can never touch through the mesh. International Cat Care
- No communal runs or shared play areas for cats from different homes. International Cat Care
- Space between pens so cats cannot see each other, and pens that can be cleaned easily. Cats Protection
- No dogs on the premises, or dogs kept well away: barking dogs stress cats. International Cat Care
- A shelf to climb and look out from, and plenty of places to hide in the unit. International Cat Care
- Clean bowls, washed in a separate area from the litter trays, and a cattery that does not smell. International Cat Care
- They ask to see every cat's vaccination certificate before it stays. International Cat Care
- They feed your cat's usual food and track its eating and toileting every day. International Cat Care
- They will give any medicine your cat needs, as your vet has written it. Cats Protection
- They ask you to sign a consent form allowing them to contact a vet and give treatment. International Cat Care
- In an Indian summer: good airflow and a cool unit, and a plan for power cuts. In the monsoon: dry bedding and no leaks. RSPCA Australia
- For a home boarder in a flat: windows and balconies netted, and the society's permission to host pets for pay. Animal Welfare Board of India
What do the vaccines on your cat's card mean?
A cattery will check the card. These are the entries you will usually see on an Indian card, and what each one covers.
- Tricat, FVRCP or the core vaccine
- The three-in-one vaccine against feline panleukopenia (parvovirus), feline herpesvirus and feline calicivirus. WSAVA lists it as core for every cat. WSAVA
- Feline panleukopenia
- Feline parvovirus: vomiting, diarrhoea that may contain blood, fever and loss of appetite. It can be fatal, especially in unvaccinated cats, and the virus can survive for years in the environment. International Cat Care
- Herpesvirus and calicivirus
- The two main causes of cat flu. The vaccine reduces the illness but does not stop infection, and herpesvirus can flare up under stress. International Cat Care
- Rabies
- Given as local rules and the product leaflet require. Keep the date of the last dose on the card where a cattery can see it. WSAVA
- Booster before boarding
- For cats that board, WSAVA suggests a herpesvirus and calicivirus booster one to two weeks before the main yearly stay; AAHA/AAFP suggest 7 to 10 days. Your vet decides. AAHA/AAFP (Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2020)study
- Deworming and flea dates
- Most facilities expect worming and external parasite control to be up to date as well as vaccines. RSPCA Australia
How should you prepare a cat for boarding?
Start a month ahead. The carrier and the booster both take time.
Four weeks before
Book early: good catteries are often booked up well in advance, around Diwali, summer holidays and long weekends most of all. Visit before you book. International Cat Care
Three to four weeks before
Check the vaccination card with your vet. If your cat boards, ask about the herpesvirus and calicivirus booster and its timing. WSAVAstudy
From three weeks before
Carrier training: leave the carrier open in a room you use, with soft bedding inside, and move the food bowl closer and then into it over a few days. PDSA
One to two weeks before
The booster, if your vet has advised it. Flea and worm treatment if due, with a cat-licensed product. AAHA/AAFP (Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2020)study
The week before
Pack the usual food, litter, bowls, bedding and a toy. Write how much your cat usually eats and what normal toileting looks like. International Cat Care
Drop-off day
A familiar-smelling item in the carrier, the vaccination card, the medicines with your vet's written instructions, and a signed consent form. RSPCA (England and Wales)
Coming home
Let your cat explore at its own pace. Keep other pets calm, and watch eating and the tray for the next few days.
How do you get a cat to the boarder calmly?
In a carrier it already trusts, in a cool car, with one cat to a carrier.
For many cats the carrier is the worst part of the whole stay, because it has only ever meant the vet. PDSA's advice is to build a good association over days: leave the carrier open where you spend time, put comfortable bedding in it, scatter treats near it, and move the food bowl closer and then inside. Once your cat goes in by itself, the carrier can live in a quiet spot as a resting place. Merck also suggests feeding the cat inside it beforehand.
International Cat Care advises a strong carrier that is easy to clean, not cardboard or light plastic except for very short trips, placed in the footwell behind a front seat or belted onto the back seat, one cat to a carrier. Never put a cat in the boot, where ventilation may be poor and it may overheat. In an Indian summer, cool the car before the cat goes in, travel in the early morning, and never leave the carrier in a parked car. In an auto-rickshaw or a two-wheeler, the carrier needs both hands and a firm lap; a cab is far safer.
Put an item that smells of home in the carrier, as the RSPCA advises. A towel over part of the carrier lets a nervous cat hide. Do not open the carrier until you are inside the cattery unit with the door shut: a frightened cat can bolt in an unfamiliar car park or society compound.
Which problems at a cattery need a vet?
Ask the cattery to call you the same day for any of these, and to call the vet. For anything urgent, the cat goes to the vet first.
If Your cat has not eaten for a day.
Cornell says loss of appetite can harm a mature cat's health in as little as 24 hours. The vet, not a wait-and-see. Cornell Feline Health Center
If An overweight cat refusing its meals after arriving.
Merck lists boarding and other environmental stress among the reasons cats stop eating, which in overweight cats can lead to hepatic lipidosis, a serious liver disease. Merck Veterinary Manual
If Straining in the tray, frequent trips with little urine, or crying while trying to pass urine.
A urinary blockage is an absolute emergency, most often in male cats. Straight to the 24-hour vet. Cornell Feline Health Center
If Sneezing, runny eyes or nose, or mouth ulcers.
Cat flu, which stress can bring back. The vet, and the cat kept apart from others. International Cat Care
If Panting, fast breathing or weakness on a hot day.
Possible heatstroke. Move the cat somewhere cool, slowly pour cold tap water over the body away from the nose and mouth, use a fan, and call the vet. PDSA
If Hiding all day and refusing food, or soiling outside the tray.
Signs of stress that can also be illness. The RSPCA lists eating less and toileting outside the tray among signs of a cat in distress; ask the vet. RSPCA (England and Wales)
What do owners believe about catteries that is not true?
You may have read
Cats enjoy the company of other cats at a cattery.
Myth
What the sources say
International Cat Care says most cats do not want to share space with a cat they do not know and will be very stressed by it. Good catteries keep households apart. International Cat Care
You may have read
A cattery is always the safer choice for a long trip.
Myth
What the sources say
Home-loving or nervous cats are usually less stressed at home, and many cats are stressed by the carrier alone. Cats Protection
You may have read
A cat can stay home alone for a weekend with an automatic feeder instead.
Myth
What the sources say
PDSA says never leave a cat without anyone checking at least a couple of times a day, even with an automatic feeder or cameras. PDSA
You may have read
The dog's flea treatment will do for the cat before boarding.
Myth
What the sources say
Some ingredients in dog products are toxic to cats, and International Cat Care says dog flea products must never be used on cats. Use only products licensed for cats. International Cat Care
You may have read
A cat that stops eating at a cattery will eat when it is hungry enough.
Myth
What the sources say
Not eating can harm an adult cat's health within a day, and in overweight cats can lead to serious liver disease. Call the vet. Merck Veterinary Manual
You may have read
Vaccinated cats cannot catch cat flu.
Myth
What the sources say
Vaccines reduce cat flu but do not stop infection, and stress can make herpesvirus flare up. International Cat Care
What about Diwali, thunder and other loud days?
Plan for them. A frightened cat in a strange unit cannot run to its usual hiding place.
Frightened cats hide, crouch, flatten their ears or may spray. At home, PDSA, the RSPCA and International Cat Care advise giving them several hiding places they already like, with a litter tray and water nearby, rather than shutting them in one room. In a cattery, ask where the units are, how close to the road or a society's festival ground, and whether the cattery covers part of the unit so a cat can hide. Any medicine for noise fear is your vet's decision, made well before the festival.
If your trip falls over Diwali, the New Year or a wedding season with late-night fireworks, a sitter at home may be the calmer choice, because your cat keeps its own hiding places. Ask the sitter to keep windows shut and the cat indoors after dark, and to never pull a hiding cat out.
Can you take your cat with you instead?
Sometimes, on some airlines and trains. For most cats a trip is more stressful than a stay at home.
Air India carries cats in the Economy cabin and Akasa Air on domestic non-stop flights, both up to 10 kg including the carrier. IRCTC's online pet booking covers cats in a whole First AC or First Class coupe or cabin. SpiceJet's terms describe the pets it carries as dogs and do not mention cats. Check the current terms with the airline or railway before you book, because they change.
Think about the trip from your cat's side: hours in a carrier, an airport or a station, then a new room at the other end. Many cats find that harder than staying in their own home with a sitter they have met. Petym's pet travel guides cover flights, trains and road trips in India if you decide to take your cat.
How will Petym look after cats?
Petym is not taking bookings yet; it opens city by city once its sitters pass Petym's checks. For cats, that means drop-in visits and overnight sitting in your own home, so your cat keeps its territory. A free meet and greet comes first, so your cat meets the sitter on its own ground. Every visit follows the plan you write, with meals, the tray and any medicines logged as they happen, and a photo update every day of the booking. In an emergency, the sitter calls you and takes your cat to the nearest 24-hour vet on the city's list.
Going away soon? Tell us your dates.
A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Questions owners ask
What vaccines does a cat need before boarding?
- The core vaccine against panleukopenia, herpesvirus and calicivirus (often written Tricat or FVRCP on Indian cards), and rabies as local rules require. WSAVA suggests a herpesvirus and calicivirus booster one to two weeks before the main yearly stay; AAHA/AAFP suggest 7 to 10 days. Ask your vet at least two weeks ahead.
Is it normal for a cat to stop eating at a cattery?
- Stress and eating are closely linked in cats, and a cat that stops eating needs attention. Cornell says loss of appetite can harm an adult cat's health in as little as 24 hours. Tell the cattery to call you and the vet rather than waiting a set number of days.
Is a cattery or a cat sitter better for my cat?
- It depends on the cat. Cats Protection says home-loving or nervous cats are likely to be less stressed at home, while cats comfortable away from home and with strangers can suit a cattery. Old cats and cats on medicines usually do better at home with a sitter.
What should I look for when visiting a cattery?
- Secure units with a safety corridor, each household kept apart so cats cannot touch, no communal runs, no dogs nearby, hiding places and a shelf, clean bowls and no smell. A good cattery asks for the vaccination card, feeds your cat's food and records its eating and toileting daily.
Can two of my cats share a unit at a cattery?
- Yes, if they are from the same household and get on. International Cat Care says cats should be housed alone unless they are from one household and socially bonded. They should never share a unit or touch through the mesh with cats from other homes.
How do I get my cat used to the carrier before boarding?
- Start weeks ahead. PDSA suggests leaving the carrier open in a room you use, with soft bedding inside, scattering treats nearby and moving the food bowl closer and then inside over a few days. Once your cat goes in on its own, it treats the carrier as a resting place.
Can I take my cat in the cabin on a flight in India?
- On Air India (Economy) and Akasa Air (domestic non-stop flights), if the cat and its carrier weigh 10 kg or less. IRCTC's online pet booking covers cats in a whole First AC or First Class coupe. Check the current terms before you book, because airline rules change.
What should I tell the cattery about my cat?
- How much it eats and when, what its tray habits are, any medicines with your vet's written instructions, what scares it, where it likes to hide, and your vet's number. Sign the consent form so the cattery can get vet treatment, and give a backup contact who can make decisions.
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Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
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- Air India: Travelling with pets (opens in a new tab)
- Akasa Air: Pets on Akasa: policy and FAQ (opens in a new tab)
- IRCTC: Online ticket booking of dogs and cats: general terms and conditions, and user guide (opens in a new tab)
- SpiceJet: Terms and conditions of carriage: carriage of live animals (AVI) (opens in a new tab)
- WSAVA: Core and non-core vaccines for pet cats (opens in a new tab)
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