Cat Boarding Health & Safety Requirements in Franklin, MA

If your cat appears ill before their scheduled arrival, contact Kitty Cottage before bringing them to the facility.

Signs that should be discussed before check-in may include:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Persistent coughing
• Sneezing or respiratory symptoms
• Eye or nasal discharge
• Unexplained lethargy
• Significant appetite changes
• Fever
• Open or infected wounds
• Suspected contagious illness
• Fleas or other parasites

Boarding may need to be postponed if a cat is actively ill or presents a potential health risk to other guests.

If you are unsure whether your cat is healthy enough to board, contact your veterinarian first.

Protecting the health of all Kitty Cottage guests sometimes means making the difficult decision to delay a stay.

Health and safety continue after check-in.

Our caregivers pay attention to each cat throughout their stay and monitor changes in normal behavior and routine.

This includes observing things such as:

• Appetite
• Water intake
• Litter box habits
• Activity level
• Behavior
• Mobility
• Medication response
• General comfort

Because we get to know each guest’s normal habits, changes can sometimes become noticeable during daily care.

This is one reason we ask families to provide detailed information about their cat before boarding.

Knowing what is normal for your cat gives our caregivers important context.

First-time families should provide those details as part of the new guest information process.

Many cats require daily medications, particularly senior guests or cats managing chronic medical conditions.

Needing medication does not automatically prevent a cat from boarding at Kitty Cottage.

Our caregivers are experienced with a variety of medication and treatment routines and can accommodate many common needs when they can be safely provided within the boarding environment.

Depending on your cat’s prescription and needs, medication administration may include:

• Oral medications
• Liquid medications
• Topical medications
• Eye or ear medications
• Inhalers
• Injections
• Subcutaneous fluids
• Other treatments when approved in advance

Medication should always be provided with clear instructions.

Please tell us about all medication needs before your cat’s stay rather than waiting until check-in.

Accuracy matters when administering medication.

For every medication your cat receives, please provide clear information including:

• Medication name
• Prescribed dosage
• Frequency
• Administration times
• Method of administration
• Storage instructions
• What the medication is treating
• Any important veterinary instructions

Whenever possible, medication should remain in its original veterinary or pharmacy packaging with the prescription information clearly visible.

Do not combine different medications into an unlabeled container.

If your cat’s medication schedule changes shortly before boarding, make sure Kitty Cottage has the updated instructions.

Medication administration charges vary depending on the type of treatment and frequency.

View our current Medication & Boarding Rates for pricing.

Some cats require more than a simple daily pill.

Kitty Cottage has experience caring for feline guests with a variety of additional needs, but all medical requirements should be discussed with us before booking.

Examples may include:

• Diabetes management
• Subcutaneous fluids
• Inhaled medications
• Chronic conditions
• Mobility limitations
• Special diets
• Wound care
• Senior-cat care

Whether we can accommodate a particular need depends on the cat, the treatment required, and our ability to provide that care safely during the requested dates.

Please provide as much information as possible when completing our Request a Stay form.

Senior cats often have established routines and additional medical or mobility needs.

We encourage families of older cats to tell us about:

• Current diagnoses
• Medications
• Arthritis or mobility limitations
• Appetite changes
• Prescription diets
• Litter box habits
• Vision or hearing changes
• Past medical concerns
• Normal activity levels

Providing this information helps our caregivers better understand what is normal for your cat and what could indicate a change requiring attention.

Our Accommodations page also explains more about how we approach senior and special-needs guests.

We hope your cat never needs veterinary attention while staying at Kitty Cottage.

However, responsible boarding requires planning for unexpected situations.

Before boarding, Kitty Cottage requires written authorization allowing us to make necessary medical decisions if your cat becomes ill or injured while you are unavailable.

We also keep important information on file, including:

• Your veterinarian’s name
• Veterinary phone number
• Veterinary address
• Relevant medical history
• Your contact information
• Local emergency contact information

Make sure this information is current before every stay.

If your phone number, veterinarian, medications, or emergency contact changes, please tell us.

If your cat develops signs of illness or another health concern during their stay, we will assess the situation and make reasonable efforts to contact you.

When appropriate, we may also contact your regular veterinarian.

If veterinary treatment is necessary and your regular veterinary office is unavailable, Kitty Cottage currently uses Tufts Veterinary Emergency Treatment & Specialties in Walpole for emergency care.

The exact course of action will depend on the urgency of the situation and the medical authorization you have provided.

Veterinary care and transportation-related charges are the responsibility of the cat’s owner.

For current Kitty Cottage service charges associated with veterinary visits or medical care, please review our Rates.

We strongly recommend providing a local emergency contact who can be reached while you are away.

Ideally, this person should:

• Know your cat
• Be aware that your cat is boarding
• Be reachable during your trip
• Be authorized to help with decisions if needed

Your emergency contact is particularly important if you will be:

• Traveling internationally
• On a cruise
• Camping or in a remote area
• Unavailable during parts of your trip
• Difficult to reach because of work or travel

You should also provide Kitty Cottage with the best phone number for reaching you during your trip.