Reality Check: Running a cattery

'Mr White'. Photo / Supplied

Concern for animal well-being is the reason Maureen and Dick Boyd set up a cattery at Te Horo, about 60km north of Wellington.

Maureen explains: "Animal welfare has always been high on our priority list. And during our career years it was difficult to find satisfactory places to leave our cats when we travelled.

"It was impossible to find a secure, self-contained space for our cat family where they were not in direct contact with other cats and could go outside as their spirit moved them. In 2000, with both the land and country setting available, we decided to set up deluxe long-term care accommodation for our feline friends."

Their cattery (called Mr White's Place after a stray which came to live with them in 1998) is parallel to a home setting, both in building and daily routines, with standard-height ceilings, glass doors and decor. A family of cats can have their own rooms and adjoining outdoor area. Maureen and Dick do not mix families of cats and all "boarders" must be desexed and have a one- or two-year vaccination certificate.

Morning food is served in the kitchen and families of cats are encouraged to "eat out". Feeding is timed to fit normal house routines to help reduce stress in the guests.

The Boyds have met all local authority and animal care standards and are licensed members of Maf's AsureQuality Pet Boarding Approval Programme.

They say designing the cattery became an "interesting journey with resource consent" as they explained the building's concept and what they were trying to achieve.

The number of felines they can accommodate depends on how many cats from one household they are hosting. "For example, if the family had only one cat, then the total we can accommodate would be 14. Family rooms can have two or three cats staying, and then we would accommodate 20."

Just like a hotel, the rooms are cleaned and serviced daily and, when a guest checks out, rooms are stripped of bedding etc, cleaned from top to bottom, and made up fresh for the next check-in.

"Cleaning of a room can take an hour or more," says Maureen. "It is important to us that a very high standard is set and met. We keep a radio playing for background music 24 hours a day. And an online hotel type booking system is available." Rates start from $18 a night.

Guests' stays have ranged from one night to 57 weeks; with bookings taken up to 18 months in advance. "One to three months' stay is common. We have several guests stay over six months while waiting to join their owners on transfer, overseas or study tours."

The couple love cats and enjoy seeing them relax quickly into their new home. They have a large repeat client base and because of the size and nature of their operation, Mr White's Place provides the couple with "a significant income", thanks to an occupancy rate of 90 per cent-plus all year.

However, finding time out for their own holidays can be difficult because of the long-term guests. "We never close the cattery," says Maureen.

mrwhites.net.nz