What Cattery Staff Actually Wish You Knew Before Drop-Off
You've done the research. You've visited the cattery, checked the reviews, packed the carrier. But there's a whole side of cat boarding that most owners never see — and the people who work in catteries every day have opinions about it.
Not complaints, exactly. More like... gentle corrections. The kind of things they'd tell you over a cup of tea if you asked, but would never put on their website.
We spoke to cattery staff and owners across New Zealand about the things they wish every cat owner understood. Some are practical. Some are reassuring. A few might sting a little. But all of them will make your cat's next boarding experience better — for everyone involved.
Quick Answer
Cattery staff want you to know three things above all else: fill out the booking form properly (every detail matters), keep drop-off short and calm, and stop panicking when your cat doesn't eat for the first 12 hours. Most of what worries you is completely normal.
"Please Actually Fill in the Form"
This one comes up constantly. Every cattery has an intake form, and most owners treat it like a formality — ticking boxes quickly and leaving half the fields blank.
Here's the thing: that form is how your cat gets proper care when you're not there.
"Does your cat have any dietary requirements?" isn't small talk. If your cat only eats one specific brand of wet food and you write "not fussy," staff will discover the truth on day one when your cat refuses everything they offer. Now they're troubleshooting a problem you could have prevented with ten seconds of honesty.
The same goes for behavioural notes. If your cat hates being picked up, say so. If she's a door-dasher, mention it. If he gets nippy when overstimulated, that's critical information — not an embarrassing confession. Staff aren't judging your cat. They're trying to keep everyone safe and happy.
One cattery owner put it bluntly: the cats whose owners fill out detailed forms almost always settle in faster. It's not a coincidence.
Your Goodbye Is Making Things Worse
This is the one nobody wants to hear, but cattery staff across New Zealand say the same thing: long, emotional goodbyes make drop-off harder for your cat, not easier.
Cats are remarkably good at reading human body language — we've written about the science behind this. When you're stressed, tearful, or hovering at the door saying "Mummy will be back soon, I promise," your cat picks up on that tension. They don't understand the words, but they absolutely understand that something feels wrong.
The best drop-offs staff see? Quick, calm, matter-of-fact. Put the carrier down, hand over the paperwork, say a brief hello and goodbye, and leave. Your cat will adjust faster without your anxiety in the room.
"It sounds harsh," one cattery worker told us, "but the cats whose owners leave quickly are almost always the ones who settle within the first hour. The ones who had a 20-minute goodbye? They're often unsettled for the rest of the day."
They Know Your Cat Won't Eat Right Away (And They're Not Worried Yet)
If you've ever boarded your cat and received an update saying "settling in well, ate a little dinner," you might have panicked at the words "a little." Staff wish you wouldn't.
It's completely normal for cats to eat less — or nothing at all — for the first 12 to 24 hours in a new environment. According to UC Davis Veterinary Medicine, stress is the number one behavioural change encountered in boarding situations, and reduced appetite is one of the earliest and most predictable signs.
Cattery staff monitor food intake carefully. They know the difference between "normal first-day nerves" and "this cat needs intervention." Most NZ catteries have clear protocols around this — if a cat hasn't eaten anything within 24 hours, they'll try different food options, warming the food, or moving the cat to a quieter spot. Beyond 48 hours without eating, a vet call is standard practice.
So when you get that first update, resist the urge to call and ask them to try hand-feeding salmon. They've got it covered. If you want to understand more about what happens in these situations, we've covered cattery feeding protocols in detail.
Stop Overpacking the Carrier
Owners often arrive at drop-off with a bag that looks like they're moving their cat into a studio flat. Three blankets, seven toys, a scratching post, their favourite cardboard box, and a Ziploc bag of treats.
Cattery staff appreciate the thought, but most of it causes more problems than it solves.
Too many items crowd the unit and leave your cat with less space to move around. Toys with small parts can be a choking hazard when staff aren't watching. And that beloved blanket from home? It's genuinely helpful — but one is enough. Bringing four just means staff need to wash and manage four blankets while also caring for a dozen other cats.
The sweet spot, according to cattery workers:
- One item that smells like home (a worn t-shirt is perfect)
- One familiar toy (nothing with loose parts)
- Your cat's regular food (if they're on a specific brand)
- Medications in original packaging with clear instructions
- Vaccination records
That's it. Check our complete packing guide if you want the full list, but the theme is simple: less is more.
"Your Cat Isn't Angry at You"
This might be the biggest misconception cattery staff deal with. Owners arrive for pickup, expecting a joyful reunion — and instead their cat turns away, hisses, or sits motionless in the corner.
"Is she punishing me?" owners ask.
No. She really isn't.
Cats don't process emotions the way humans do. What looks like resentment is actually your cat's nervous system recalibrating after a period of heightened alertness. They've spent days or weeks in an unfamiliar environment, maintaining a state of watchfulness. Now their person has appeared, the perceived threat is diminishing, and their body is shifting gears.
A viral Reddit post about a cat named Frankie captured this perfectly — she ignored her owner at the cattery, then meowed non-stop the entire drive home and spent the rest of the night sleeping on her owner's lap. The aloofness at pickup wasn't anger. It was transition.
We've covered the science behind post-boarding behaviour in detail — including the fight, flight, and freeze responses and what to expect in the first 24 hours home. But the short version is: give them time, keep things quiet, and don't force affection. They'll come around.
The Booking Form Question That Actually Matters Most
Every cattery form asks about vaccinations, diet, and medical conditions. But the question that cattery staff say makes the biggest difference to your cat's stay is often the one owners skip or answer vaguely:
"How does your cat behave around strangers?"
This single piece of information shapes everything — how staff approach your cat's unit, whether they attempt direct handling on day one or give them space, how they introduce enrichment, and when they start worrying versus waiting.
A confident, social cat who loves attention from anyone will get a very different boarding experience from a timid cat who hides under furniture when visitors come over. Neither response is wrong, but the cattery needs to know which cat they're caring for.
"We had an owner describe their cat as 'friendly' once," one cattery owner recalled. "The cat bit two staff members on day one. Turns out the owner meant friendly with them. With strangers, the cat was terrified."
Be honest. Be specific. Your cat's comfort depends on it.
They're Watching Your Cat More Than You Think
Most cat owners picture their cat sitting alone in a room for hours between feeds. The reality in a well-run NZ cattery is very different.
Under the Code of Welfare: Temporary Housing of Companion Animals, boarding facilities in New Zealand are required to monitor animals regularly and maintain standards around shelter, food, water, and veterinary care. But good catteries go well beyond the minimum.
Staff typically check each cat multiple times throughout the day — not just for feeding and cleaning, but specifically to observe behaviour. They're noting how much has been eaten, checking litter tray output, watching for signs of stress or illness, and tracking how each cat's temperament changes over their stay.
"Even spending ten minutes with each cat quickly adds up to an hour and a half or more," notes one cattery owner who boards 26 cats at capacity. And that's just the interactive time — it doesn't count the ongoing visual checks, cleaning rounds, and end-of-day walkthroughs.
If you want to know more about what a typical day looks like from your cat's perspective, we've written an hour-by-hour guide.
Christmas Bookings: Please, Please Book Early
Every cattery worker we spoke to mentioned the Christmas rush. It's the single biggest source of frustration in the industry — not because they don't want to help, but because by mid-November, there's genuinely nothing they can do.
Peak season in New Zealand runs roughly from mid-December through late January, with Easter and school holidays creating secondary spikes. The best catteries fill up three to four months in advance for Christmas. Some regulars book their Christmas slot the moment they pick up their cat from the previous year's stay.
If you're reading this in October and haven't booked yet, you're already behind. Our peak season booking guide has the full timeline, but the rule of thumb is: book Christmas by August, Easter by January, and school holidays at least six weeks ahead.
And if you do find yourself scrambling for a last-minute spot? Be kind. The cattery that's fully booked isn't being unhelpful. They're being responsible by not overcrowding their facility.
Your Cat's "Weird" Food Request Isn't Weird to Them
Cattery staff have seen it all. Cats who only eat one specific flavour of one specific brand. Cats who need their wet food warmed for exactly 10 seconds. Cats who won't touch anything unless it's served on a flat plate, not a bowl.
None of this is unusual to experienced cattery staff. What is unusual — and genuinely unhelpful — is when owners don't mention these preferences because they feel embarrassed.
"We'd rather know that your cat only eats Fancy Feast turkey in gravy served at room temperature than spend three days trying to figure out why they won't eat," one staff member explained.
The flip side is also true: don't change your cat's diet right before boarding. If your cat has been eating the same dry food for years, boarding week is not the time to switch to a raw diet. Dietary changes cause digestive upset at the best of times — in a stressed cat in an unfamiliar environment, it's a recipe for problems.
Bring enough of their regular food for the entire stay, plus a couple of extra days' worth in case of delays. Label it clearly. Your cattery will thank you.
The Thing About Phone Calls
Cattery staff understand that you miss your cat. They understand that you're worried. But here's a behind-the-scenes truth: frequent phone calls take time away from caring for the cats.
Every call means a staff member stops what they're doing — cleaning, feeding, monitoring — to answer questions and provide reassurance. In a small cattery with one or two staff, that's significant. Multiply it by several anxious owners calling daily, and you've lost hours of hands-on cat care.
Most good NZ catteries now offer photo or video updates — some daily, some on request. This is a far better system for everyone. You get visual proof that your cat is fine, and staff can send updates efficiently without interrupting their workflow.
If your cattery offers updates, use them. If they don't, ask if they'd be willing to send a photo every couple of days rather than fielding daily phone calls. It's a reasonable middle ground, and our guide on staying connected during boarding covers all the options available.
They Can Tell When You've Lied About Vaccinations
This one's serious. Under the SPCA's recommendations for boarding establishments, all boarding facilities should verify vaccination status. Every reputable cattery in New Zealand requires proof of current vaccinations — and for good reason.
Upper respiratory infections spread fast in boarding environments. Basic disease control principles mean cats from different households should never be able to touch each other, but even with excellent hygiene protocols, an unvaccinated cat puts every other cat in the facility at risk.
Staff can't always tell from looking at a card whether vaccinations are genuinely current, but they know the signs when a cat arrives already symptomatic — sneezing, runny eyes, lethargy. And when it turns out the owner "forgot" to mention their cat had been sneezing for a week before drop-off? That's not just dishonest. It's potentially dangerous for every other cat boarding there.
If your cat's vaccinations have lapsed, say so. Most catteries will work with you — some will accept cats with a vet visit and booster within a certain timeframe. But showing up with an unvaccinated cat and hoping nobody notices? That's a fast way to get your booking cancelled and your cattery relationship ended permanently.
For the full rundown on what's required, read our vaccination requirements guide.
"We Actually Love Your Cat"
Here's the thing cattery staff most want you to understand: this isn't just a job to them.
Running a cattery in New Zealand is demanding, often thankless work. The hours are long, the pay is modest, the holidays are non-existent (your peak season is their busiest period), and the emotional toll of caring for anxious animals — while managing anxious owners — is real.
People do this work because they genuinely care about cats. They notice when your cat finally starts purring on day three. They celebrate when the shy one comes out from behind the bed to accept a treat. They worry about the elderly cat with kidney disease and check on her more than the care plan requires.
"It's not a job, it's a total way of life," says one NZ cattery owner who sold her house to fund building her facility and spent two years navigating planning permission before boarding her first cat.
When you leave your cat at a cattery, you're not leaving them with strangers who are watching the clock until home time. You're leaving them with people who chose this life specifically because they wanted to spend their days caring for cats.
Trust them. They've got this.
FAQ
How far in advance should I book a cattery in NZ? For Christmas and summer holidays, book at least three to four months ahead — ideally by August for December stays. For school holidays and Easter, six weeks is usually sufficient. Outside peak periods, two to three weeks' notice is typically fine.
What should I actually pack for my cat's boarding stay? One comfort item from home (a worn t-shirt works well), one safe toy, enough of their regular food for the stay plus two extra days, medications in original packaging with written instructions, and vaccination records. That's genuinely all you need.
Why does my cat ignore me when I pick them up from the cattery? It's not resentment or punishment. Your cat's nervous system is transitioning from a state of heightened alertness back to feeling safe. This can look like indifference, hiding, or even hissing. Most cats return to their normal behaviour within 24 to 72 hours.
Is it normal for my cat not to eat at the cattery on the first day? Yes, very normal. Most cats eat less or nothing for the first 12 to 24 hours in a new environment. Cattery staff monitor food intake closely and have protocols for cats who refuse food beyond 24 to 48 hours.
Should I call the cattery every day to check on my cat? Frequent calls take staff away from caring for the cats. If your cattery offers photo or video updates, use those instead. If they don't, ask about receiving a photo every couple of days rather than calling daily.
What vaccinations does my cat need for boarding in NZ? Most NZ catteries require an annual F3 vaccination (feline parvovirus, calicivirus, and herpesvirus), administered at least two weeks before boarding. Some also require flea and worm treatment. Always check with your specific cattery and bring your vaccination certificate.
Summary
- Fill in the booking form thoroughly — every detail helps your cat settle faster
- Keep drop-offs brief and calm — your anxiety makes things harder for your cat
- Don't panic about first-day appetite — reduced eating is normal and closely monitored
- Pack light — one comfort item, one toy, regular food, medications, vaccination records
- Your cat's not punishing you at pickup — it's a neurological transition, not resentment
- Be honest about behaviour and health — cattery staff need accurate information to provide proper care
- Book early for peak season — Christmas fills up by August at the best catteries
- Trust the staff — they chose this work because they love cats
