What to Expect While My Cat is at Scratching Post Inn

Most of our clients are interested in knowing how their feline companions are faring while at the inn. Whether you want to receive frequent updates, or you just want enough information to be able to put all your concerns out of mind while you are on vacation, we can accommodate you. We send personalized updates for every guest, but in general, there is a common pattern we typically see as guests adapt to their new environment.

During check-in, you will be invited to bring your cat, in their carrier, to the suite or townhouse where they will be spending their stay. After you leave, there are a few phases most cats evolve through when they are new to the inn.

While the descriptions that follow are a broad generalization, every cat is different. And as cat owners (or cat parents, if you prefer) know, cats are definitely unique. Kittens and younger cats tend to transition through the phases more quickly than older cats. One-person cats and those who have not experienced varied environments tend to stay in the earlier phases longer. Indoor-outdoor cats tend to adapt a little differently than indoor-only cats.

Phase 1: Hiding and Hissing

Upon check-in, many guests tend to seek a hiding place down low. In our five-level townhouses, the lowest level is about six square feet with a low-ish ceiling. This is where many new guests gravitate. Added bonus, that’s where the litter box is. Some guests find a fresh clean litterbox to be the most comforting place to settle in. Others will go to the cubicle against the ceiling, peeking out through the cat-face cutout from a height of about 7 feet. They feel secure in this high vantage point, and the roughly one-cubic-foot box makes them feel secluded.

The suites offer similar options. Each has a cat tower, low sofa or a hiding box to shelter the shy new guest. While each suite has a full-length glass door, we can attach a privacy panel if the guest seems to need a little more seclusion.

Some cats eat for comfort during this period, while others do not have much appetite. Likewise, some find it comforting to claim their litter box with an initial deposit, while others will hold it in.

Oh, and there can be lots of hissing if anyone fails to respect their personal space.

During this phase, we tend to check in occasionally with a reassuring word and a quick rub behind the ears. We are accustomed to being hissed at during this phase, but we don’t take it personally. Some of our friendliest guests started out with a few days of hissing, so we just let them take their own sweet feline time. We believe that hissing relieves their stress and our reaction to it gives them a feeling of control.

Phase 2: Short Legs

After a few hours to a few days of cautious observation, curiosity gets the better of most cats, and they are ready to come out and check the place out. We offer all guests daily free-roam time, and we encourage it. Guests from different households are not allowed to intermingle, so we offer three self-contained common areas, and we try to accommodate guests’ preferences for as much free-roam time as they want. They stealthily wander around the common areas they’ve been eying during the H&H phase. The characteristic posture during this phase is low and stealthy – thus we call it Short Legs.

We politely refrain from giggling too loudly as we watch the comically short-legged guest follow a predictable path around the main common area, then to the front or back lounge areas seeking either an escape or another hiding place. Guests typically end up under the sofa in the lobby or the recliner in the back lounge. The more adventurous of them will find the hiding boxes on one of the cat towers to be preferable. At the first unexpected shuffle, rattle or doorbell, the short-legged guest will scurry back to their townhouse or suite.

After a few hours of Short Legs, most cats start to show greater confidence and that insatiable curiosity cats are known for. This is when appetites return and the hissing tapers off.

Phase 3: Exploratorium

We offer a wide variety of interesting spaces and distractions at the inn, such as cat towers, enrichment walls, fuzzy chirpy balls, wand toys, and the ever-popular magic carpet.

Climbers soon discover the rooftops along the row of townhouses, while down low, many guests discover that the basement cabinets under the townhouses are accessible.

The front window is a popular hang-out, and most townhouses and every suite offers visibility to the front window (more in the suites up front). While we usually keep the sheer curtains closed, we are more than happy to throw them open when a guest seems interested in watching the goings-on out there.

Finally, many guests discover that the tower in the back lounge offers a perfect observation point with a view from the back of the house all the way to the front door. This is a popular spot. We also have a TV back there on which we keep our favorite cats and chipmunks video on rotation.

Phase 4: Right at Home

Somewhere between day two and day four, guests will usually show signs that they are settled in and feeling right at home. (Kittens might get here a lot faster!) Not to worry, they will be happy to come home. But they also seem to enjoy the routine here at the inn.

Typically, they’ve found some favorite options in their suite or townhouse, whether the windowsill, the high shelf on the wall, or the hiding box near the floor. Some look forward to visiting their favorite hangouts during their free-roam time, while others follow us around as we clean and organize, reminding us that they are ready for some lap time. The hissers from Day One are often the most dedicated lap cats by Phase 4.

In summary, boarding can be stressful at first, so we’ve designed Scratching Post Inn and our procedures to usher our guests through the stressful phases so that you can have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your cat is relaxed and comfortable.

Previous

1 Comment

  1. Melynda

    Love the the Scratching Post! Kitties are well cared for AND happy here! Fantastic staff who really care. Place is clean and with plenty of toys and climbing opportunities. Highly recommend ed!

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *