Riverside Cat Hotel Salisbury
Telephone: 01980_611083
Licence Holder: Mrs Pamela Land - LC/202406-7955
Welcome to Our Cattery!
At our hotel for cats, we prioritise the health and happiness of your feline friends. We understand that questions may arise when it comes to caring for your pets, and we're here to address them.
FAQs - We Welcome Your Questions:
How do you ensure that the cattery units are cleaned hygienically?
What type of cat litter do you use, and how are litter trays cleaned?
How do you dispose of cat waste?
How do you monitor the safety and security of the cats?
What equipment do you provide for boarders?
How do you care for cats during extreme weather conditions?
Are there responsible adults on site each day?
What qualifications do you have to run a boarding cattery?
What food types do you offer the boarders?
I have a nervous cat - how will you help settle him in?
How Much Time Do You Spend with Cats in Your Care?
What happens if my cat is on medication?
What is the best way to contact you?
What do you do if my cat needs to see a vet?
What are your opening times and contact details?
How do I view the cattery before boarding?
What will happen if I'm delayed collecting my pet?
How do you ensure that the cattery units are cleaned hygienically?
Our cat units, including tiled floors, cat climbers, trays and beds are disinfected with a DEFRA-approved cleaning solution that is safe for animals. The cat feeding bowls are washed after each meal to help maintain a sanitary environment for all our guests.
What type of cat litter do you use, and how are litter trays cleaned?
We use wood pellet cat litter. Each time a cat uses its tray, we empty and clean it. We spray the trays with a diluted cat disinfectant, wipe them dry, and refill them with fresh litter. Maintaining a clean litter tray is essential for the well-being of our feline friends.
Unfortunately, we cannot offer any other types of cat litter, such as clay clumping litter or corn and paper-based options. Clay litter is very heavy and difficult to handle in bulk and corn or paper-based litter can attract mice.
How do you dispose of cat waste?
All cat waste is double-bagged and placed in a designated skip or trolley. This waste is then collected and removed by our local waste contractor.
How do you monitor the safety and security of the cats?
All cats boarding with us have a spacious tiled PVCu unit featuring a double-glazed door that opens into a secure covered run. All doors have secure fastenings with special door closers because cats can jump on traditional door handles, which could allow them to open the door.
Additionally, there is rust-proof galvanised mesh on the outer run door that leads to the safety corridor. This safety corridor is often referred to as the "catch-all" corridor, ensuring the utmost security for our feline guests. We also operate CCTV cameras.
What equipment do you provide for boarders?
Each unit is equipped with a tall, multi-platform cat climber, allowing our guests to observe the activities in the cattery from their preferred height. We provide washable cat beds, bedding, play tunnels, and a variety of toys to keep our boarders happy and engaged during their stay. Customers are also welcome to bring their cat bed, blanket, and toys if they wish.
How do you care for cats during extreme weather conditions?
Each cat unit features a radiator to ensure that the double-glazed, insulated bedrooms remain cosy during cold weather. In the summer, when we experience high temperatures, our guests can cool off on the shelves inside their bedrooms or our ceramic-tiled floors. We also use fans when temperatures rise significantly, which helps maintain air circulation within the cattery.
We are fortunate that our cattery is built with solar-reflective roofing and is surrounded by large, mature trees, providing ample shade and a comfortable environment.
Are there responsible adults on site each day?
Wiltshire Council grants us a licence to operate, and one of the conditions of our license is that we have at least one responsible adult on-site 24/7 to ensure that your pets are monitored and cared for appropriately. We live on-site.
What qualifications do you have to run a boarding cattery?
While there are no formal qualifications required to operate a cattery, we are experienced cat owners with over 30 years of owning and caring for cats. Since starting our cattery in 2008, we have become well-versed in caring for the cats that board with us and managing all aspects of running a busy boarding facility. Additionally, we completed health check training with Cats Protection in 2009 and a cattery management course with the Feline Advisory Bureau in 2007 (now called International Cat Care).
What food types do you offer the boarders?
We offer a wide selection of popular wet and dry pet food; however, we are unable to supply veterinary-prescribed food or raw diets. Additionally, we have tins of sardines in brine and Applaws chicken in broth, as well as Applaws or Encore tuna in broth and cooked chicken. These options are often well-received by cats, so if your pet is experiencing a decrease in appetite due to settling-in anxiety, Applaws or cooked chicken may help encourage them to eat.
We will only feed your pet according to your instructions, using the brand and quantity you specify. Please note that we cannot stock supermarket foods or certain niche brands. If we don't stock your pet's favourite food, please provide sufficient food for their stay with us, as this helps prevent digestive issues.
Clean, fresh drinking water is provided for all cats and replenished twice daily.
While it is not possible to stock every brand, we do offer a good variety of popular proprietary brands - see here
I have a nervous cat - how will you help settle him in?
Cats are territorial and can become very stressed when taken from their home and then placed in a car, which can exacerbate their anxiety. Cats can and do experience motion sickness, which can cause them to hyperventilate (drool) or be sick and pass faeces during the journey here.
We advise against feeding your pet just before bringing him in, and to use newspaper or a paper liner so that if he has an accident during travel, we can quickly clean his travel carrier.
A couple of squirts of Feliway inside your cat's container around 30 minutes before you set off can sometimes help keep anxiety at bay. If you are concerned about how your pet will cope with the journey, please let us know so that we can apply Feliway to the cat unit before you arrive. Bringing a familiar and loved item from home (such as his favourite blanket or cushion) will also help settle him in.
Feliway: This mimics the cat's natural Pheromones, which are a type of olfactory chemical communication that cats use to interact with each other and their environment. Produced by specific glands around their bodies, all felines produce a range of pheromones to send messages to other cats and to influence their behaviour or emotional responses.
We ask customers to leave their cat's travel container under the bedroom viewing shelf so that the cat can retreat and hide until it has become comfortable and familiar with its new surroundings.
How Much Time Do You Spend with Cats in Your Care?
We often get asked how much time we spend with our boarders. While cats appreciate human companionship, and we love their company, they also spend a significant portion of their day napping or relaxing and tend to become more active at night.
We have an established routine: breakfast begins at 7:00 am, followed by cleaning the units and sorting the litter trays. This process takes about three hours when the cattery is at full capacity. Our routine allows us ample time to observe any unusual behaviour and to spend quality time grooming and petting our feline guests.
Cats, like humans, have distinct personalities; some enjoy more physical affection than others. We take our cues from them because, after all, we are here to serve them during their holiday!
When the cattery is closed for arrivals and collections, our cats enjoy a peaceful environment to relax in, with views of the garden. This quiet time allows us to prepare any empty units for the following day, respond to emails and phone messages, and manage various business tasks. We reopen at 4:00 pm, at which point we resume feeding, preparing litter trays, and arranging bedrooms to ensure our guests have a pleasant, clean environment to settle into for the night.
What happens if my cat is on medication?
For cats requiring prescription medication, please bring their medication in a clearly labelled box or bottle, along with the dosing instructions. We can administer various veterinary-prescribed drugs, including insulin for diabetic cats.
What is the best way to contact you?
If you are getting in touch to arrange a viewing before booking with us, please call and leave a message on our phone or email us, and we will respond promptly. We are working in the cattery from 7:00–11:30 am and aim to respond to your phone or email message from 11:30 onwards. If your cat is already boarding with us and you need to contact us urgently, please leave a phone message, and we will respond to you immediately.
For our business, we do not use WhatsApp as a method of contact. Please use our business line and email instead. We send new customers who are concerned about their cat's well-being a short settling-in report and photo via WhatsApp.
What do you do if my cat needs to see a vet?
If your pet becomes ill during their stay with us, we will consult your veterinarian and contact you first. We will follow your guidance and your veterinarian's recommendations regarding any necessary treatment. We also request that you sign a permission form during your first visit, which will allow us to take your pet to your veterinarian if necessary.
For elderly cats, if the veterinarian advises euthanasia, the decision will be made between you and your vet. If your vet is more than 5 miles away from our cattery and your pet needs to be seen urgently, we will take them to our vet, where they can speak with your vet and you. Our vet is Jaffa's Cat Clinic, Salisbury.
What are your opening times and contact details?
Opening Hours: please see here.
NB. Sundays and Bank Holidays: We do not monitor our phone or email (except in cases of emergency involving cats that are already boarding with us).
Getting in touch:
Email: info@riversidecathotel.com
Phone: 01980 611083
Please leave a clear message with your phone number, name, and the dates you would like to book.
How do I view the cattery before boarding?
If you wish to view before making a booking, please call or email us to make an appointment to book a mutually convenient time to visit us.
What will happen if I'm delayed collecting my pet?
If you are likely to be delayed by 30 minutes to an hour, then we may be able to accommodate your late arrival. If there are delays beyond that time then your booking will be extended (if we have space in the cattery) and the extra day will be chargeable.