Cats are creatures of routine, and a stay away from home is one of the biggest disruptions to that routine you can offer. It is completely normal for owners to feel guilty about booking a boarding stay, worried their cat will spend the whole time hiding under a blanket. This is exactly why our Cat Hotel was built as a Gold Level Cat Friendly facility from the ground up, and why pheromone therapy plays such a central role in every suite.
What Is Feliway, and How Does It Work?
When a cat rubs its cheek against furniture, a doorframe, or your leg, it is depositing a natural facial pheromone that essentially says “this place is safe.” Feliway is a synthetic copy of that same pheromone. Diffusers running quietly in each of our cat condos release a constant, low-level version of that “all is well” signal, which has been shown to help reduce stress behaviours such as hiding, over-grooming, loss of appetite, and spraying.
Fear Free Handling, Beyond the Diffuser
Feliway is one layer of a much broader approach. Our nurses are trained in fear-free handling, which means:
- Reading feline body language (ears, tail, and whiskers) before any interaction
- Moving slowly and letting the cat set the pace, rather than reaching straight in
- Vertical space and hiding spots in every condo, so cats can choose to observe rather than be exposed
- A separate cat-only area, away from the sound and smell of boarding dogs
- Bringing familiar bedding or a worn item of your clothing from home, so their own scent travels with them
Why This Matters for Your Cat's Health, Not Just Their Mood
A calm cat is a healthier cat. Stress in boarding cats has been linked to reduced appetite, and in cats prone to it, flare-ups of stress cystitis (a painful bladder condition). A settled cat eats normally, uses the litter tray as usual, and comes home behaviourally themselves, rather than withdrawn or clingy for days afterwards.
Book a Tour, or Book Ahead
If you would like to see the condos, diffusers, and quiet cat-only wing for yourself before your next holiday, we are always happy to show you through. Popular periods such as the Christmas break book out months in advance, so getting in early is the best way to guarantee your cat a Gold Level suite.
Read more about the science behind feline pheromones at Feliway Australia.
Companion Animal Veterinary Hospital
Address: 38 Baan Baan St, Dapto NSW 2530
Independently owned since 2009.
Fear Free Accredited • Gold Level Cat Friendly Clinic.
