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If you're worried about your cat's paws getting chilly when you go away on holiday, never fear.
Luxury cat accommodation is available, with under-floor tile heating, private decks, and special menus.
Finisterre Cattery in Albany, Auckland, describes itself as the "Hilton Hotel for cats".
Finisterre offers a climate- controlled wing (air-conditioned in the summer, heated in the winter), a communal area with a fireplace and fishpond for entertainment, and each cat gets its own pillow on arrival. Miniature beds in the shape of thrones have scratching posts on the sides and hanging toys to play with. Room service visits twice a day with meals, and workers give cats individual attention each day.
Cattery worker Emma Condron said staff try to accommodate cats' special requirements, within reason. Ripley, a hairless sphinx, had frothed milk served in his own coffee cup, with half an avocado, for breakfast. "He was a real character."
For entertainment, there is a television in the main exercise area. "Some of them like to watch Oprah or Dr Phil. And we have a radio on all the time," Condron said. However, it's tuned to Classic Hits, so bad luck for any feline rock or classical fans.
Such decadence can cost $50 per day, although there are a range of prices depending on cat requirements.
Moggy Manor, a purpose-built cattery in Massey, Auckland also offers a luxury experience. It's top suite is a 3x1.5m room with a small bed, heated floor tiles in winter, and a 1x1.5m private deck. That costs $20 per day for one cat, compared with $11 for the semi-communal main cattery.
Co-owner Tony Kistemaker, who runs the cattery with his wife, said the suites are often booked well ahead of the main accommodation offered.
Some cats receive postcards from owners who are overseas, and he sometimes emails the absent owner pictures of their beloved moggy.
The extra cost does not deter owners, according to Christchurch's Riverside Cattery owner Carole Boudreau.
"Pets are so important these days," said Boudreau.
"People don't mind how much they pay, and the luxury suites are always full. People love them."
- HERALD ON SUNDAY
