Frequently Asked Questions
What are your rates per night?
The price per night depends on the suite size that you choose and the number of cats that will share the same suite. Prices per night do decrease if your cat(s) are staying long term or over 30 days.
If you are boarding more than one cat in the same suite, we charge an additional $15 per cat, per night. If your cat requires medication administration, including supplements added to their food, we charge $5-$10 per medicine administration (each medication, each dose)
You can view our rates per night on our rates page using the button below.
What vaccines or health records do you require for boarding?
All cats must be healthy and vaccinated prior to boarding. Proof of vaccination is due prior to arrival. Once you place your reservation you will receive specific instructions on how to send us your cat's vaccination documentation. We require each cat to be up to date with 1. a feline rabies and 2. a felines FVRCP or distemper vaccine. *We prefer that the FVRCP vaccine (but it is not a requirement to stay) be administered at least 7 days prior to your cat's stay to insure they have developed the full immunity before their stay.
If your cat will be staying long term (over 30 days) and they like other cats, you can choose to let them free roam within our cattery with our cattery cats. If so we would also require documentation of a negative FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) & FLeV (Feline Leukemia) blood test as well as a negative fecal test. You can view more about our vaccine policy on our Policies & Procedures page below.
How many cats can stay together at one time?
Most of our suites are large enough to hold 2-5 cats at one time! For those who need more than 5 cats in one suite we offer you the ability to book two connected suites to insure your large cat family has plenty of "purrrsonal" space! *based on availability. Please contact us if you require two suites at one time.
Do I need to provide food and litter for my cat(s)?
We can provide your cat all the food and litter they need. We use stainless steel litter boxes and paper pellet litter. We feed two wet food meals each day, AM & PM. Other feeding schedules can be accommodated. We do believe that it is best for your cat to have the food they are used to eating at home. Therefore we recommend that you provide their current food for them during their stay. We will ask for feeding instructions upon placing your reservation and will try to maintain the same feeding schedule that you provide at home. To learn more about our packing recommendations visit our packing recommendations page!
Are you Able to medicate my cat(s)?
Yes! Our staff has had extensive experience medicating cats. We can medicate cats with both oral pills or injections, i.e. insulin or subcutaneous fluids. If your cat requires medication during their stay you will be contacted by our staff prior to arrival to review their medical conditions and dosing schedules. If we believe that we are not equipped to manage your cat's health condition and/or medication schedule, we will recommend that you seek alternatives to us.
Your cat's health and wellbeing is our highest priority. If your cat requires medicating and may not allow us to administer it (due to fear of new people) we highly recommend that you consult with your veterinarian. In some cases we would recommend that your cat (due to their medical condition) may do best boarding with a veterinarian to insure they have access to medical care 24/7. To learn more, please visit our policies and procedures page.
Will my cat be with other cats during their stay?
NO! We do not allow cats to interact with each other during their stay. When you arrive to our facility you will see that there are free roaming cats that "live" in the cattery. These cats are part of our cat rescue organization that manages Stay Kitty Stay, Felines For Adoption Cat Rescue. The rescue cats are all healthy, cat - friendly cats, and they have all been vetted before they are allowed to join our house cats. Your cat will be able to view these cats in the main room through their glass doors and/or windows. They do NOT come in contact with any cat during their stay, including during their play/recess time. *If seeing other cats causes your cat stress and makes them scared or aggressive, we can easily place privacy window screens on their windows/doors.
*The only exception to this policy is if your cat(s) will be staying long term in our facility (over 30 days) and YOU (the cat parent) prefers that your cat has the opportunity to roam freely in our cattery with other cats. Before any cat can roam within our cattery with other cats, they must meet the criteria which includes a negative FIV/FLeV and fecal test. If your cat is staying long term our director will reach out to you to review these options.
What if my cat is stressed when they see other cats?
Many cats who stay with us are not used to seeing so many other cats. We are aware that this can cause stress and can lead to hiding or aggression. Since all of our suites have glass facing doors and windows we can place privacy window clings on each to block the view. This prevents your cat from getting stressed at the sight of the other cats roaming in the room. We can also remove this privacy cling if your cat begins to show signs of curiosity and is no longer stressed.
What happens if my cat has a veterinary emergency during their stay?
We are located in Northern New Jersey and have access to several emergency veterinary facilities. Oradell Animal Hospital and Blue Pearl Veterinary Group are less than 20 minutes away from our location. We ask for your personal vet when you're booking your reservation, and we also ask for 2 emergency contacts NOT travelling with you.
If there is an emergency, or if we believe your cat needs immediate veterinary attention we will ALWAYS reach out to you and/or your emergency contacts prior to taking your cat to the vet.
How will I know if my cat is doing OK?
We update all cat owners about their cats each day through either email or photo sharing applications. We prefer to use “Google Images” which allows us to send cat parents an unlimited amount of photos and videos. We will also provide you with our director's personal cell phone number upon check-in for direct communication.
*You can also now rent a "pet cam" which can be ordered for $5 per day and you gain 24 hour access to your cat's suite.
Do you have Pet- cameras that allow me to view my cat?
Yes, Stay Kitty Stay offers you the ability to view your cat(s) through a "Ring" security camera which is located inside each one of our cat suites. You are able to log into this camera via a smart-phone or tablet through the "Ring" application. Our camera feed allows you to view and even speak to your cat(s) in their suite during their entire stay. The pet-cam is $5 per day and the camera feed is available 24 hours per day.
Will my cat be held in a cage?
NO CAGES! We custom built our cattery without the use of any cages! All cats that stay with us will spend their time in one of our lovely large kitty suites. The kitty suites are independent rooms available in various sizes. Each suite features windows and all glass doors that give your cat plenty of space to feel comfortable and secure!
Why can't I find your physical address & where are you located?
We are located in Northern, New Jersey within 45 minutes of NYC. We do not advertise or provide our exact address to anyone other than those who have paid reservations. This is our policy.
We understand that you may want to visit the location that your cat(s) will be staying in while they are away from home before you make a reservation. We have done our best to display our cattery through our photo gallery & virtual tours. Our previous guest reviews will also give you a sense of who we are, and how well we care for the cats that stay with us.
We are owned and operated by a cat rescue organization, Felines For Adoption Cat Rescue, a 501c3 non-profit organization who's priority has always been focused on the cats in our care. Our cat parents can feel confident that while their cat is in our care, the only people coming in contact with them is our staff. This also helps our guest cats feel more secure in our cattery's environment since activity & interruptions are low, creating a peaceful space, which allows our guest cats to feel safe.
We never leave anyone who is NOT part of our team alone with the cats, including other cat-parents.
Please visit our virtual tour page to see the various suites available for your cat(s) stay!
How can i find out if you have availability for the dates I need?
The best way to find out if we have availability for the dates you need your cat to board is through our reservation site.
Through our reservation site you can easily enter the dates you need to board your cat(s) and it will let you know if there is space available. If we do have availability, we recommend that you proceed with a reservation request which will hold the space for you. Once you submit your reservation request, our staff will confirm with you within 48 hours. *We may have availability but your preferred suite size may not be available for your dates of stay, you have the option to cancel your request up to 5 days prior to the start of your cat's stay.
Waiting List- We are a small cattery and book up quickly. If we do NOT have availability for the dates you need, we HIGHLY recommend that you send us a reservation request so that we can add you to our waiting list. Our waiting list places you in line in case there is a cancellation and a suite opens up during your dates, you will be notified and if you agree, your booking will be confirmed.
Will my cat(s) get time out of their suite?
Yes, we give all of our guests "recess time" What is Recess Time? Recess time at Stay Kitty Stay is the time your cat is allowed out of their suite to roam freely on their own. It is also a great time to get their exercise and play time with our staff. We use laser toys and other fun, cat stimulating toys all cats love! We even throw cat nip parties! There are no other cats in the room during recess, just your cat alone with our staff. We will only allow your cat to play outside of their suite if you agree to it. If you prefer your cat stays in their suite, our staff will visit and play with your cat inside their suite. We can also provide fun puzzle toys and games to keep your cat's mind active. Each cat staying with us gets 30-45 minutes of recess time multiple times each day.
What is a catio and Does my cat have access to the outdoors?
Any suite with a window has the option to at private "catios" (enclosed outdoor spaces). These are private enclosures that are custom built that allow our guest cats to safely enjoy the outdoors and get fresh air, bird and squirrel watch. Each suite with a window has it's very own catio space and no cat shares this space with any other cat. The cat houses are built to fit directly over the window and each have been tested to be 100% safe and secure. The door to the catio is always locked and no one has access to the garden area they look out onto except for our staff. Each catio is accessed through a swinging cat door located in the window space within the suite. There are steps in place to make it easy for the cats to navigate in and out.
We do lock the catio entry door each night or during times of adverse weather. Your cat DOES NOT have to use the catio and the catio door can be locked to prevent your cat from accessing the catio. If it is locked your cat can still look outside through the window and the catio does not impact seeing outside. To view our new window catio please visit our photo gallery!
*if your cat will be accessing any one of our outdoor enclosures/catios we do recommend applying a flea/tick topical prior to their arrival. *We do spray the area around and near the catios with a all natural cedar based flea and tick repellent.
Can I Tour Your Facility Prior To Booking?
NO, we do not allow in person tours at this time.
As stated above regarding our location, we do not have our address available until a booking has been made and is paid for. This policy was put into place as we believe the safety and wellbeing of your cat(s) should never be put in jeopardy. Random strangers gaining access to our cattery can breach our security and we will not take that risk. We also believe in maintaining a low stress environment for our guest cats, which includes ensuring that a low number of people are able to enter our cattery.
The good news is, you can see our facility via our virtual tour videos on YouTube! Our channel displays all you would see in a live tour including the main facilities, and the various sizes of suites we offer for overnight accommodations!
To view our facility and the overnight accommodations, use the button below to be taken to our YouTube channel. If you have specific questions that are not answered within our FAQ's or in the tour videos, please contact us! The best way to reach us is through email as we spend most of our time taking care of our feline guests and it takes us a while to return phone calls! Thank you!
What is your cancellation policy?
We ask for payment in full within 5 days prior to the start of your cat's stay. If we do not receive payment at this time we will reach out to the cat parent to confirm the reservation via email and phone. If we do not contact you for confirmation we may then cancel your reservation to open the suite to another kitty guest. Please always check spam folders for our communications!
If you have paid in full and need to cancel your reservation up to 6 days prior to the start of your booking you will receive 100% of your payment back.
If you cancel within 5 days of the start of your cat's stay we can offer a 50% credit of the cost paid for your reservation. You can use this credit for any future bookings and there is no expiration of the funds.
If you have changes to your travel or you need to remove your cat before the end of your paid reservation we may be able to partially refund you. This is considered on a case by case basis and is usually available only to our long term guests. In this case it would be likely that we would be able to fill their vacancy vs. a short term stay. In other words, if you are due to check out on a Friday but choose to check out on Thursday because your travel plans have changed, we do not refund the one night's stay. If you are booked to stay for a month but only end up using 2 of the 4 weeks we may be able to refund part of the additional days that you previously paid. Again, this is a case by case basis and we always strive to be fair. Please understand that once you have paid in full, and checked in with your cat, we have turned away other reservations making it difficult to refund early check outs.
You can learn more about our cancellation policy below.
My cat has never been away from home, how will he/she respond to staying somewhere new?
Most cats do NOT like change, yet every cat reacts to our cattery differently. Some cats will feel comfortable right away and they will actually show no signs of stress being away from home. This is not the norm, however. We anticipate that most cats will respond with hesitation. Many cats will do what comes naturally when they are in a new place. They will look for places to hide (which is why we give each cat a hide-a-way bed), they will likely eat less than they normally do, they may not use their litter boxes right away, some cats will hiss or growl, and other cats will stay in their carriers most of the day. This behavior is completely NORMAL and expected by our team. No matter how they first respond, we have modalities to help your cat to relax.
It can take 2-3 days for your cat to finally feel at ease in our cattery and around our staff. We insure that we do all we can to keep your cat busy and distracted which lowers their levels of anxiety. We have windows looking outside to serve as a distraction...we place bird feeders outside of their windows too. Many will enjoy watching our "Cat Television" which plays on our cattery TV most of the day. Even cats who do not like other cats will enjoy watching the other cats roam and/or play in the room. We use proven feline stress-reducing tools including; "Feliway" pheromone spray, catnip toys, various kinds of delicious treats, cat puzzles, and cat stimulating toys.
We play "cat" music 24/7 which is a playlist of songs created to help cats relax. We do not use vacuums or any other appliance which could increase stress levels. If your cat is not responding well to the sight of other cats, we can cover their doors with privacy clings. Most of the time cats do finally learn that they are safe, fed, and can relax. All of your cat's behavior and daily activities will be communicated to you with our daily recaps!
Are you bonded and insured?
Yes, we are bonded and insured. Stay Kitty Stay is owned and managed by an all cat rescue organization, a registered 501c3 non- profit organization, Felines For Adoption Cat Rescue (www.savingfancycats.org) We not only have an umbrella liability insurance policy on the property which houses our cattery, BUT, we also have a private pet sitter's insurance policy through PCI (Petcare Insurance Company). This policy does cover our overnight cat sitting services.
When can I drop off or pick up my cat?
Our check-in/out times are by appointment only during our operating hours. During the high season, holidays and summer months our check-in and check-out windows change and we may ask that you check in later and check out earlier, depending on the number of cats in our cattery. Our seasonal check-in and check-out hours are;
Check-In is between 3 - 6 PM, Monday - Saturday
Check-Out is between 9 AM - 12 PM, Monday - Saturday
Closed Sundays and ALL major US holidays. Your cat(s) can be picked up the day before or day following any day that we are closed.
You will receive a communication prior to the start of your booking requesting a time you prefer to arrive. We space all appointments so that each cat is provided our undivided attention during the process.
What is the free "upgrade policy"?
Our FREE upgrade policy gives every cat the chance to upgrade (or move into) into one of our possible larger suites if they are available.
Many times a larger suite, or a suite with a window/catio will be available and we do not let it sit without a kitty guest. This can occur due to a booking change, a cancellation or an early check-out. All cats in our cattery, regardless of the suite size originally reserved & paid for, have the opportunity to be moved/upgraded. We offer this first to the cat's staying in our smallest suites (The Mini-Suite)
Of course, if you want the security that your cat will stay in a specific suite during their stay, you must reserve this suite size through our booking system. Upgrades to a larger suite are ALWAYS free of charge, and the cat-parent is always notified of this option before we move any cat from their original suite size.