Q: What should I bring for my cat during its’ stay and what is included?
A: A: We recommend bringing items from home to make them more comfortable. You are welcome to bring a blanket, favorite toys or treats. We do not offer a house food for our feline guests, so we do require you bring enough food from home for their stay. If your cat not eating is of concern to you, bring something from home your cat loves to eat that we can add to entice eating. We provide litter, litter boxes & bowls so no need to bring those! We provide litter, litter boxes & bowls so no need to bring those!
Q: Can I bring food that requires refrigeration?
A: Yes, not a problem. We have 2 refrigerators on site.
Q: My cat gets stressed out in a new environment. How will you handle that?
A: We provide a quiet and secure place for your cat to get acclimated. Cats are typically able to settle in with us within 24 to 48 hours. Our boarding area is designed to relieve stress and stimulate your cat. Our cattery was carefully built on the opposite side of the building to our boarding dogs keeping it quiet and calm at all hours. We are equipped and trained to keep your cat’s experience boarding with us as stress free as possible. We do also keep Cat Feliway on hand at all times, if needed.
Q: What kind of cat condos do you use?
A: The cat suites in our boarding facility are designed to keep your cat comfy. Each suite is glass fronted to allow our feline guests to see what’s going on outside their condo but also provides a “cubby” to allow your cat to comfortably hide if they so choose to.
Q: How often will you check on my cat?
A: Our staff does a housekeeping visit to each boarder four times a day. At each housekeeping visit the litter boxes are cleaned and the entire area cleared of any loose litter. In addition, we keep constant tabs on how each cat is eating, acting, drinking & using their litter box.
Q: My cat has a specific feeding and medication schedule; will that be a problem?
A: We can accommodate almost any feeding schedule and all of our staff is trained on administering medications, including diabetic guests, at no extra cost.
Q: I have multiple cats. Can they board together?
A: Absolutely! Cats of the same family can share a cat condo with the limit of 2 cats sharing a space. In the event that we have more than 2 cats from the same family boarding at the same time, we do allow all cats of the same family roam our cattery room throughout the day, all together.
Q: Are cats allowed out of their condo?
A: Cats can stretch and roam around our cattery every day. We alternate cats so everyone gets their chance to roam. As long as the cat is comfortable roaming around and is comfortable letting us handle them, they on average will get 4-5 hours to roam around. We do also offer a variety of toys and activities for the cats to stay happy & stimulated.
Q: What if my cat does not like other cats?
A: That is no problem at all. We NEVER let cats of different families co-mingle. This is why we alternate roam times throughout each day.
The Barking Lot is a family owned business providing boarding, grooming and training for both cats and dogs. You can rest at ease when your pet stays with us knowing that we have some of the most experienced staff in the Greater Des Moines Area, and we treat your pet as one of our family; providing care that is tailored to each pet’s unique needs. Come in for a tour anytime we are open, no appointment necessary. We’d love to add you and your pet to The Barking Lot family.