The busy boarding season is an exciting — and demanding — time for catteries. As pet parents prepare for vacations, holidays, parties, and warm-weather trips, the need for reliable and comfortable feline boarding skyrockets. For cattery owners, this is a golden opportunity to attract new clients, strengthen relationships with existing ones, and showcase the exceptional standard of care your business provides. But to make the most of the season, preparation is key.
Whether you’re a long-established cattery or just entering your first high-volume season, we're here to help you fine-tune operations, elevate the guest experience, and ensure a smooth, successful stretch of bookings.
1. Refresh and Deep-Clean Your Facility
A clean, inviting environment gives cat owners immediate confidence in your services — and it sets the tone for a safe, stress-free stay. Before booking numbers spike, schedule a thorough deep cleaning of your entire facility:
- Sanitize all enclosures, including walls, floors, litter areas, and resting shelves.
- Replace worn bedding and rotate in fresh toys.
- Declutter storage areas and remove any broken or outdated equipment.
- Check ventilation, especially in older facilities, to maintain fresh airflow and reduce odors.
- Inspect for maintenance issues such as loose latches, cracked tiles, or damaged scratch posts.
This is also a great time to refresh communal or play areas. Cats may be creatures of habit, but they enjoy variety — a new climbing feature, window perch, or puzzle toy can enrich their stay and impress their owners.
2. Review and Update Safety Protocols
High occupancy increases the importance of robust health and safety practices. Before the rush begins:
Review vaccination and health requirements
Make sure your policies clearly outline which vaccinations are required and how recently they must have been administered. Many catteries require feline distemper (FVRCP) at minimum, while others also request proof of FeLV testing or flea prevention.
Revisit emergency procedures
Staff should know exactly what to do in case of illness, escape attempts, extreme weather, or facility issues. Update emergency contacts, partner veterinary clinics, and internal communication workflows.
Prepare isolation spaces
Even with strong screening practices, illness can arise. Ensure you have designated isolation units that are fully stocked and easy to access without disrupting other guests.
3. Streamline Your Booking and Check-In Processes
A smooth check-in process reduces stress for cats, staff, and owners. With more clients arriving daily during peak season, efficiency matters.
Use online booking tools
Revelation Pets makes it simple for clients to book online, upload vaccination records, and sign waivers in advance. This not only saves time at drop-off but helps you maintain cleaner, more organized client records.
Prepare digital intake forms
Collect details about feeding preferences, medical needs, behavioral quirks, and emergency instructions. Having this information ahead of time ensures staff can focus on providing attentive, personalized care from the moment the cat arrives.
Create a clear drop-off flow
If space allows, set up designated areas for arriving and departing cats. Minimizing traffic reduces feline stress and prevents unpredictable interactions.
4. Optimize Staff Scheduling and Training
Your team is the backbone of your cattery’s success — and during the busiest season, every hand matters.
Review staffing needs
Look at historical records or upcoming reservations to forecast busy days. Ensure you have enough staff scheduled for feeding, cleaning, enrichment, check-ins, medication management, and customer service.
Offer seasonal training refreshers
Brushing up on protocol and proper care is never a bad idea. Topics may include:
- Feline body language and stress signals
- Safe cat handling and transport
- Proper sanitation techniques
- Emergency response
- Using your software tools effectively
- Even experienced staff benefit from a refresher before high-volume periods.
Encourage communication and accountability
Hold regular check-ins throughout the season to resolve issues quickly and keep morale high.
5. Enhance the Guest Experience
Happy cats make happy customers. The boarding season is the perfect time to refine your enrichment offerings and create a memorable experience for pet parents and the cats they love.
Create customizable care packages
Offer add-on services such as:
- Extra playtime
- Brushing or basic grooming
- Social sessions (for sociable cats)
- Puzzle feeders and enrichment toys
- Photo or video updates
These not only elevate the customer experience but also create new revenue streams.
Focus on stress reduction
Boarding facilities, kennels, and resorts are all about creating comfort and care for their residents. As you know, cats thrive in calm, predictable environments. Consider investing in a few upgrades, like:
- White-noise machines to mask outside sounds
- Soft lighting
- Hiding spaces within enclosures
- Synthetic pheromone diffusers
Small touches like these can significantly impact a cat’s well-being during their stay.
6. Communicate Clearly With Clients
Great communication builds trust, reduces misunderstandings, and ensures smooth operations.
Send pre-arrival reminders
Include notes about:
- Required documents
- Vaccination policies
- What clients should pack (food, medication, comfort items)
- Holiday or peak-season pickup/drop-off hours
Set expectations on updates
Let pet parents know how often they can expect photos, texts, or progress reports about their cats. Automated messages through Revelation Pets can help streamline this process.
Provide transparent pricing
If you offer peak-season rates, premium suites, or optional add-ons, make pricing clear before clients book to avoid confusion.
7. Prepare Your Inventory and Supplies
Nothing slows down a busy season like running out of essentials! Build a checklist and restock:
- Litter and litter-box liners
- Bedding and blankets
- Cleaning supplies and disinfectants
- Food (if you offer facility-provided meals)
- Medications you routinely administer, such as flea prevention (if supplied by your facility)
- Toys and enrichment items
Ordering early can also help you avoid seasonal shipping delays.
8. Use Your Software Tools to Stay Organized
Peak season is the perfect time to lean on automation and digital tools designed to make your days more efficient so you can focus on the cats and less on backend operations.
Leverage Revelation Pets for day-to-day efficiency
Use the software to:
- Manage reservations and waitlists
- Track feeding schedules and medication reminders
- Send automated confirmations, reminders, and follow-up messages
- Organize staff schedules
- Keep up-to-date client and veterinary records
When the season gets hectic, having a centralized digital hub helps you maintain accuracy and professionalism.
9. Showcase Your Cattery to New and Returning Clients
The busy season naturally brings increased visibility — make the most of it!
Refresh your online presence
Update your website, Google Business Profile, and social media pages with:
- Current photos of your facility
- Seasonal promotions
- Updated hours and policies
- Positive reviews and testimonials
Send email newsletters
Announce:
- Booking reminders
- Travel-season tips
- Updates about new services or facility upgrades
Encourage reviews
A successful season often brings a wave of satisfied clients — invite them to leave reviews on Google, Facebook, or Yelp.
10. Evaluate and Adjust Throughout the Season
Preparation is essential, but ongoing evaluation keeps operations running smoothly.
Collect staff feedback regularly
Your team may notice workflow inefficiencies or opportunities to improve daily tasks.
Monitor reservation trends
If you're consistently filling up weeks in advance, you may decide to expand hours, increase capacity, or add seasonal pricing.
Track client feedback
Use follow-up emails and in-person conversations to learn what guests loved and what you can improve.
Continuous improvement helps your cattery grow year after year.
Take the Stress Out of the Holiday Rush
The busy boarding season is a tremendous opportunity for catteries to shine. With thoughtful preparation, strong communication, and efficient management tools like Revelation Pets, you can deliver exceptional care while keeping your team organized and energized.
By refreshing your space, streamlining operations, preparing your staff, and enhancing the experience for both cats and their humans, you'll set your business up for its most successful season yet.
Revelation Pets is here to lighten the load. Try us free for 14 days!
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