Terms and conditions

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We appreciate that every cat owner needs to be confident that their pets will be well cared for in their absence and fully encourage prospective clients to visit our premises before making a booking. This provides an opportunity for you to inspect the accommodation and ask any questions that you may have as well as telling us about your cat.

It also gives us a chance to discuss any individual needs that you may have for your cat.

a)  All customers are required by the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 Act and our Boarding License to complete a booking form with consent to board.

b)  To ensure your cat is appropriately vaccinated we do require a photo of your cat’s vaccination record to check that it is complete and up to date. (Even if they will require a further booster ahead of their stay).

c)  Bookings can either be made in person, over the phone or by email. 

d)  Bookings are charged on a day basis – this includes the day of arrival and the day of departure irrespective of pick-up or drop-off time. These are full days as we do not ask you to vacate by a certain time.

e)  There will be no reduction in fees for late arrivals or early departures. 

f)  Arrival and departure times will be agreed as part of the booking process; if these need to change please get in touch with us as soon as possible and we will do our best to accommodate this.

g)  All bookings will be confirmed via email once we have received your signed form, non-refundable deposit and proof of vaccination.

h)  All bookings are subject to availability and Hazelwood Boarding Cattery will do its best to accommodate your cat but has the right to decline a booking if necessary.

a)  Our minimum stay/minimum charge throughout the year is 3 days (3 days will be charged even if your cat stays for less time).

b)  The cattery is closed for viewings, drop-off and pick-ups on ALL bank holidays.

c) The minimum stay over the Christmas/New Year period is 5 days. This applies if your cat is boarding for any dates between 23rd December and 2nd January inclusive.

d)  The minimum stay over the Easter period is 5 days if your cat is boarding for any of the dates including Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Day and Easter Monday.

Cats will not be able to be picked up or dropped off during that time unless in exceptional circumstances.

e)  Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and Easter Day all attract a 100% surcharge on our Inclusive rate. To clarify, the suite tariff is double the normal daily rate on those days.

a)  Payments can be made by cash, cheque (up to £1000) or bank transfer.

b)  Charges from the 1st May 2024 are as follows:

Double Suite for 1 cat - £16

Double Suite for 2 cats - £25.00

2 Double Suites for 2 cats - £32.00

2 Double Suites for 3 cats - £40.00

2 Double Suites for 4 cats - £50

Please note: All rates are charged per day, starting with the day of arrival and include the day of departure irrespective of drop off and collection time.

Fees include food from our inclusive menu, litter, heating, provision of bedding and toys during their stay, full room service and veterinary insurance.

You also have our assurance that your cat will receive plenty of care, love and attention throughout their stay.

a)  To secure and confirm a booking a deposit of 25% of the total cost is required within 7 days of making the provisional booking. If the deposit is not received within 7 days the booking may be cancelled. Your booking is NOT confirmed until you have received an email confirming this. If you are unsure then please contact us.

b)  Deposits are non-refundable but can be transferred for cancellations made before 30 days prior to arrival. (See Cancellations)

c)  Balance of payment must be made in full 2 weeks prior to the day of your cat’s arrival and any extra fees that have occurred paid at or before departure.

d)  For long-term stays over 20 days, 50% non-refundable deposit is required to secure the booking.

a)  Cancellations made before 30 days prior to arrival will not be charged. The non-refundable deposit can be transferred to another booking.

b)  Cancellations made between 14 and 30 days prior to arrival will lose the 25% deposit and this will be non-transferable.

c)  Cancellations made within 14 days prior to arrival are charged at 100% of the total outstanding amount. We will do our very best to re-allocate the suite and if we do, we will refund 50% of the total outstanding amount.

d)  In the event a cat is removed before the end of the period booked no refunds will be made.

e)  If you make a change to your booking within 14 days prior to your arrival and the number of days is less than originally booked or the cash amount is less than originally booked, we reserve the right to charge the full outstanding amount.

f)  Cancellations should be emailed to diane@hazelwoodboardingcattery.com. Please note your booking will not be cancelled until you have received confirmation.

g)  We strongly recommend you take out travel insurance to cover you in the event of cancellation.

a)  Whatever the reason for your visit you will need an appointment and to be accompanied by a Hazelwood Boarding Cattery staff member at all times.

b)  All visitors are required to park on the driveway of our home at Broadview. Please ring the intercom at the gates and you will be let in and escorted to the cattery.

c)  We respectfully request that all visitors to Hazelwood Boarding Cattery refrain from stroking or petting any of the resident animals. Visitors may not touch or open any of the suite doors, children must be accompanied by an adult. This request is in place to protect our residents from potential external infection and to protect our visitors from injury.

d)  Prospective new clients – visiting strictly by appointment only and no more than two visitors please.

e)  Smoking is forbidden throughout the premises.

a)  At the time of booking, we will request that you provide us with arrival and departure times. We will do our best to accommodate those timings and will confirm the mutually agreed times as part of your booking confirmation.

b)  It is very important that you drop off and collect on the time stated on your booking. Opening hours are adhered to. This ensures our residents are not disturbed when settling in upon arrival and when settling down for the evening.

c)  We would appreciate it if you could inform us in advance if these arrangements need to be changed. 

d)  All customers are required to park on the driveway of our home at Broadview. Please ring the intercom at the gates and you will be let in and escorted to the cattery.

e)  Please ensure that your cat is delivered and collected in a carrier fit for purpose. Hazelwood Boarding Cattery will not accept any liability if you arrive without a secure carrier which results in the loss of your cat.

f)  It is the responsibility of the customer to carry your cat(s) to the cattery and place them in the allocated suite. We then like to allow them to come out whenever they decide they are ready. 

g)  If you are unable to collect or drop off your cat(s) and you wish for someone else to do this, it will be the responsibility of that person to place the cat(s) into the carriers.

h)  If someone else is collecting your cat(s) on your behalf you must either complete a consent form which can be completed when dropping your cat(s) off or, if you are unable to do this, Hazelwood Boarding Cattery requires a written email as consent that your cat(s) will be collected by another person. This must include their name, telephone number and relationship to you. It must also confirm you are happy for this person to collect. Failure to carry out the above could result in Hazelwood Boarding Cattery refusing the collection.

a)  No cat suffering from, or suspected to be suffering from, an infectious or contagious disease will be accepted. All cats will be inspected on arrival. We reserve the right to refuse admission to any cat showing any signs of ill health pending advice from our veterinary surgeon. You must inform us of any condition or suspected condition your cat has. This is essential to protect and safeguard the health of other resident cats.

b)  Veterinary services will be arranged should this be necessary during your cat’s stay. If we are unable to reach your usual vet, we will refer your cat to our own local veterinary practice. In all cases, we will act in the very best interest of your cat with respect to their health and freedom from suffering. We will follow the advice of a veterinary surgeon on such matters and will, of course, make every attempt to contact you and/or your emergency contact and always keep you informed if you have provided consent. If we are unable to make contact with you or your emergency contact we request consent to act on your behalf and will ask for your consent as part of the checking-in process.

c)  Should the vet suspect or confirm that your cat has an infectious and/or potentially transmittable disease we will transfer your cat into the care of the vet for it to be kept safely in their isolation unit until you are able to make alternative arrangements.

d)  All costs incurred with the vet are payable by you.

e)  There will be an extra charge for transportation to the vet of £15 per visit.

f)  You must inform us of any health, dietary or behavioural problems before boarding.

g)  An up-to-date vaccination record must accompany all cats. All cats must be fully vaccinated against: 

·  Feline panleukopenia (also known as feline infectious enteritis) and 

·  Feline respiratory viruses (feline herpesvirus and feline calicivirus) 

Boosters must be administered 2 weeks prior to boarding. 

h)  Kittens must have received a minimum of 2 vaccinations, given 3-4 weeks apart, starting at 8 to 9 weeks old or older. These must have been given at least 2 weeks prior to entry to the cattery. Kittens under the age of 13 weeks are not able to board with us.

i)  Cats that are not appropriately vaccinated will be refused admission to Hazelwood Boarding Cattery. There will be no exceptions to this rule.

j)  All vaccinations must be valid for the duration of their stay.

Neutering

All cats (male or female) over 7 months old must be spayed/neutered to prevent infection and disruption to other residents.

Fleas

We require that all cats that come to Hazelwood Boarding Cattery are treated against flea infestation BEFORE arrival ( 7 days recommended) preferably with an appropriate veterinary-recommended application. Fleas spread rapidly among a cat population and can be easily detected by combing the cat and by small black deposits on their bedding. All cats will be inspected on arrival. The management reserves the right to apply flea treatment to any resident cat found to have a flea infestation on arrival or if the flea treatments are not up to date. The cost of treatment will be charged to the owner. Please note that flea collars are not considered adequate protection. 

Flea Treatment (Frontline Plus charge £15 per dose)

If your cat is due to have its normal flea treatment whilst in our care we are happy for you to supply this and we will administer it for you.

Worms

We require that all cats that come to Hazelwood Boarding Cattery are treated against worm infestation BEFORE arrival preferably with an appropriate veterinary-recommended application. Hazelwood Boarding Cattery reserves the right to apply worm treatment to any resident cat found to have worm infestation during their stay or if the worming treatments are not up to date. The cost of treatment will be charged to the owner. 

Worming Treatment (Dronspot £15 charge per dose)

If your cat is due to have its normal worm treatment whilst in our care we are happy for you to supply this and we will administer it for you.

Medication

Please read the following important information as this may affect your booking:

a)  We are happy to accommodate prescription diets (supplied by you) or cat(s) medication that is mixed with food. 

b)  Any prescription diet food or medication must be provided by the owner in clearly labelled containers stating the cat’s name, the frequency and/or dosage requirements. 

c)  More than one cat from same household? Cat(s) that require medication in food should be booked into a separate unit to make sure the correct cat(s) receive the medication. Should you decide to keep them together we suggest you bring a chipped feeder to be used during their stay. If you decide to keep them in the same unit, you do so at your own risk.

d)  We are happy to administer any medication that has been prescribed by your vet and your cat is accustomed to receiving. The owner must provide full and clear instructions and written consent for us to administer the medication.

e)  We do not charge extra to administer medications.

f)  If for some reason we are unable to administer their medication, we will contact you.

FLUTD

You must inform us if your cat has been diagnosed or has symptoms of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) before boarding. Studies suggest there is a connection between FLUTD symptoms and stress or change in the environment. Common things that you may not see as stressors might cause a lot of stress for your cat, such as certain scents, noises, and even furniture changes. In some circumstances this can cause issues with urinating during their stay at the cattery and it is important that we can monitor this. You will be required to sign a consent form when dropping off your cat acknowledging that you are aware of this during their stay.

FIV

We are happy to board FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) positive cats although we do ask owners to notify us if they are aware their cat is FIV positive so we are able to closely monitor them for any symptoms associated with FIV.

Food

a)  We are happy to feed your cats their wet food at any time between 8am and 8pm. If no preference is expressed, wet meals are served at 8am and 5pm.

b)  Ad lib dry food will always be made available for your cat. Please advise if this is not appropriate.

c)  We provide a choice of wet food of either:Whiskas 1+ or Felix As Good As It Looks

And dry food of either:Whiskas 1+ Complete dry food for adult cats or IAMS Adult complete dry food

A Friday-night treat of one Applaws pouch is also included.

d)   We do not offer any discount for clients who bring their own food supply.

e)  We regret that we are unable to provide any special prescription diets, and these will have to be provided by the owner. We prefer all cats to remain on their usual diet during their stay to reduce stress or digestive upset. 

f)  In the event that a cat(s) does not eat we will try natural foods. If they still do not eat we will contact you.

g)  Fresh water is available at all times.

Behaviour

Please tell us if your cat has behaviour problems:

-  This could be anything from biting, scratching or if they are likely to attack for no apparent reason. 

-  Issues such as these do not necessarily exclude your cat from boarding but we will need to assess their behaviour with you to ensure that these behaviours do not put your cat or cats at risk in the event of needing medical treatment or in the unlikely event that the cattery would need to be evacuated. 

-  In extreme circumstances it may be necessary to contact you to arrange collection of your cat.

Daily cat observations

All cats are visited and observed formally 5 times a day to check that they are feeding and drinking normally and that the cat(s) are using the litter tray provided. They are also checked for signs of stress or illness. The run temperature is also monitored to ensure that the temperature is between 15 and 26 degrees in their sleeping area. 

In addition to these mandated checks we also perform a daily health check. This is required when cats are sharing but we feel that it is important to formally check and record how your cat is to quickly address any health concerns. This is a detailed review which we will perform during our daily interactions. We also record their weight on arrival, once during the week and upon departure.

Whilst every care and precaution is taken to safeguard the health and wellbeing of all cats during their stay it is not always possible to notice certain signs, for example if two cats are sharing we are unable to tell which one has eaten, drunk or used the litter tray therefore Hazelwood Boarding Cattery would suggest that if this may be of concern that cats from the same family do not share the same unit.

Kittens

All kittens under the age of 1 year old are required to have their collar removed before they start boarding with us, all kitten toys are left at the owner’s own risk and Hazelwood Boarding Cattery will not accept any liability for accidents involving toys.

Litter

Cat litter is provided for every cat during their stay. We used dust-extracted wood pellets, these are 100% natural and we find that most cats like them. We always keep the litter to around the recommended depth of 3cm and we will change the litter every day unless it has not been used or we will remove any clumped excrement. If your cat(s) suffer from any medical conditions that means they require more litter then please inform us before boarding. 

If this litter is not suitable for your cat, please bring enough of their usual brand for the duration of their stay. 

Property

Cats will be comforted by familiar items and smells from home. You are very welcome to bring your own beds, blankets, bowls, scratching posts or toys but this is at your own risk.

Please bring a list of the items you are leaving along with you as this will speed up the drop-off process.

Please wash their bedding at least one week before their arrival so it carries the scent of home.

Hazelwood Boarding Cattery will accept no responsibility for damage or loss of these items. 

Carriers are required to be left with us in case of evacuation. These will be labelled with the customer’s and cat(s) names for identification.

Toys

Hazelwood Boarding Cattery can provide toys for your cat(s) but this is at your own risk. If you would prefer to bring your own toys these are accepted.

Grooming

If you would like us to groom your cat during their stay, please bring your cat’s grooming brushes and combs with you. 

We will make every effort to groom your cat(s) during their stay especially if they are long haired. Grooming is not always possible and will be dependent on whether the cat(s) allow us to do so.

It is important that during their stay they do not become stressed at any point. Please check your cat for any large knots that could be causing the cat(s) discomfort before you arrive. 

Collars

We require all collars on cat(s) over 1 years old to be quick release collars. We do recommend that you remove your cat’s collar during their stay and will not be held responsible for any accident caused by a collar.

Family sharing

Only cats from the same household may share accommodation. If there are behavioural or health conditions affecting the harmony of the cats it may be necessary to separate them. This will incur an extra fee if another suite is taken for this purpose. Hazelwood Boarding Cattery will not accept responsibility if a cat(s) from the same family sustains an injury from another family member.

Cat suites

We make every effort to make sure the unit your cat(s) is kept in is safe. The units are built to the standards of the Animal Welfare guidelines and are checked daily during the cleaning of the suites. Hazelwood Boarding Cattery will not be held responsible if any cat(s) cause injury or, in the worst circumstances, death to themselves from either chewing on unit materials or climbing and jumping on and off mesh, doors or shelves.

Our procedures and policies meet the stringent requirements of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 Act. They have been reviewed and approved by Maidstone Borough Council and our Preventative Healthcare Plan has been reviewed and approved by Newnham Court Veterinary Hospital.

In the unlikely event that we must evacuate the cattery we will contact the owners or emergency contacts to see if they are able to collect their cat. If this is not possible, we will make arrangements for your cat to stay at another licensed boarding premises until it is possible for them to return to Hazelwood Boarding Cattery or be collected by you.

Hazelwood Boarding Cattery is fully insured. Our current insurance broker is Cliverton Insurance which is underwritten by Aviva Insurance Ltd.

Full details of cover are available on request.

Our insurance policy does not cover the loss of a cat while transporting it from your vehicle into the cattery. It is important to make sure all carriers are secure before leaving your vehicle or leaving the cattery.

Hazelwood Boarding Cattery takes no responsibility for any damage caused to any vehicle while on our property and you park at your own risk.

Whilst every care and precaution is taken to safeguard the health and wellbeing of all cats, they are boarded entirely at the owner’s own risk. If any animal is not collected within 14 days of the stated departure date and no communication is received either from the owner or their emergency contact, we reserve the right to re-home the cat.