Right, so the time came around when I actually had to find a spot for my little terror, Mittens. Going on a trip, you see, and couldn’t take her with me, much as she’d probably try to sneak into the suitcase. First thought, like everyone else, was “easy, just search online for catteries near me.” Yeah, right. That was the start of a whole thing, let me tell you.
So, I punched it into the search bar. And BAM! A million results. Some looked fancy, all professional pictures, you know the type. Others looked like they were run out of someone’s garden shed. It was a real mixed bag, and honestly, a bit overwhelming. You just don’t know who to trust from a webpage, do you? Everyone can make themselves look good online. It’s like those companies that say they use one simple tool for everything, but then you find out it’s a massive patchwork of different stuff barely holding together. That’s what that initial search felt like – a lot of shiny fronts with who knows what behind them.
Getting Down to Brass Tacks
After staring at the screen for a bit, getting nowhere fast, I figured I had to get a bit more hands-on. Websites are one thing, reality is another. So, I started making a shortlist. Ignored the ones that looked too slick, and the ones that looked, well, a bit dodgy. Tried to find a middle ground. Then, the phone calls started. That’s when the real work began, sifting through the talkers and the doers.
And that’s where you start to get a real feel for a place. Some folks on the phone were lovely, answered all my silly questions – and trust me, I had a few. Others sounded like I was interrupting their nap. Big red flag, that. If they can’t be bothered to talk to a potential customer, how are they going to look after my cat? It’s like dealing with those big companies where you get bounced around departments, and no one actually wants to help. You want someone who sounds like they genuinely care, not like they’re just ticking boxes.
My checklist was pretty simple, really. I wanted to know:
- How much space do the cats get? I didn’t want Mittens cooped up in a tiny box. That’s just cruel.
- What’s the cleaning routine like? Super important, that one. You can tell a lot by how a place smells, or doesn’t smell.
- Do they get any playtime or interaction? She’s a social beast, my cat. Can’t just leave her to stare at a wall.
- What about food? Could I bring her own? She’s a fussy eater, and the last thing I need is her going on a hunger strike.
- And, of course, what’s the damage to my wallet going to be? Got to be realistic.
After the calls, I narrowed it down to a couple of places that sounded alright. Then came the next step: the visit. You absolutely have to visit. No excuses. Don’t just take their word for it. I arranged to pop by. One place, the pictures on their site must have been taken ten years ago and by a magician. It was… not great. Smelled a bit funky too. A quick “no thanks” from me. You wouldn’t believe the difference between online gloss and real-life grime sometimes.
The other place, though, was much better. Clean, didn’t smell, and the cats actually looked pretty chilled out, not stressed. The person running it showed me around, explained everything, and didn’t rush me. They even asked about Mittens’ personality, her quirks. That’s what you want. Someone who actually seems to like cats, not just your money. It felt like a small, well-run operation where people knew what they were doing, not some chaotic mess where no one’s in charge.
So, yeah, finding a good cattery isn’t just a quick search. It takes a bit of legwork. You gotta filter through the noise, ask the right questions, and definitely go see the places for yourself. Don’t just trust the shiny photos online. It’s like anything, really, the good stuff usually takes a bit more effort to find. But it’s worth it, for peace of mind. Mittens had a decent time, from what I could tell. Didn’t even give me the silent treatment for too long when I got back, so that’s a win in my book.
