Companion Animals

Cat Boarding Welfare and Pheromone Support

Boarding in catteries causes significant stress for most cats, with welfare measures including pheromone therapy and familiar-scented bedding providing important support.

Key Facts

Cats rely heavily on olfactory cues for security in their territory
Novel cattery environments lack familiar scent marks, triggering anxiety
Feline facial analogue pheromone (Feliway) reduces stress indicators in cattery cats
Familiar bedding and owner-scented clothing reduce cortisol in boarded cats
Individual pens without adjacent cat visibility reduce inter-cat stress

Welfare Considerations

Cattery boarding causes real stress for most cats through territorial disruption, novel scents, and unfamiliar handling. Some cats experience urinary tract disease triggered by boarding stress. Choosing catteries that use pheromone diffusers, provide individual pens, and use minimal handling reduces welfare impact.

What You Can Do

Choose catteries with individual pens and Feliway diffusers for less stress
Bring familiar bedding and owner-scented clothing to the cattery
Consider home-based cat sitting as a lower-stress alternative to cattery boarding