If you can’t bring your cat on vacation, you can get someone to care for them. When you’re away overnight or for a few days, you can either hire someone to watch your cat or find a boarding facility where they can stay.
Leaving your cat at a pet boarding facility can be expensive, but it keeps your cat safe while you’re away. The price of Cat Boarding in 2025 is $15-45 each night. Here are the different places you can board your cat and their costs.
The Importance of Cat Boarding
We can’t always stay with our cats, even though we want to. Sometimes we must travel for fun, work, or health reasons, and putting our cats in boarding may be the only choice. Asking friends or family to watch our cats would be nice, but they might not be able to help.
Places like kennels, pet hotels, and animal hospitals offer safe spots to keep your cat when you’re not home. These places will feed your cat, give them water, and keep their litter box clean. Some places, like pet hotels, also let cats play and get groomed, making it like a fun vacation for your pet while you’re away.
How Much Does Cat Boarding Cost?
Cat boarding is available in four types, with prices ranging from $15 to $45 per night. Each option fits different budgets and cat needs. The place you choose to board your cat will affect the cost.
The most popular places to board pets are kennels and cat-only facilities called catteries. While kennels take both dogs and cats, some cats get scared around dogs. That’s why many cat owners prefer catteries, where there are only cats. Both options typically cost $15-$20 per day, making them the most affordable choices.
Cat hotels cost more than regular catteries and only take cats. They offer better comfort and private rooms for cats if you’re willing to pay extra.
Pet hospitals are costly and best for sick cats that need medical care. Their staff members are trained to give expert medical treatment. Both pet hotels and hospitals usually charge $30 to $40 per day, or sometimes more, depending on where they are.
The 3 Additional Costs to Anticipate
Cat boarding costs include a place to stay, how long your cat stays there, plus basics like food, water, and litter. Extra services may cost more.
1. Early Drop-Off or Late Pick-Up
Pet boarding places may charge extra if you drop off your pet early or pick them up late. Try to arrive at the scheduled time, but if you can’t, expect to pay more.
2. Grooming
Many catteries offer grooming as an extra service. You can often ask them to cut your cat’s nails or clean and trim their fur.
3. Pet Taxi
Many boarding places don’t have pet pickup, but some will bring your cat to and from their facility for an extra cost. This can make things easier when you’re going on vacation.
How Long Should You Board Your Cat?
Cats usually sleep all day and do fine on their own when you’re gone for the day. You can leave in the morning and return at night without worry. For longer trips away from home, it’s better to have your cat stay at a boarding facility.
How long to board your cat depends on your budget and vacation length. For longer trips, a kennel or cattery helps prevent your cat from feeling lonely. The kennel staff or a pet sitter will play with your cat and keep them company.
Ask the cat boarding facility about their rules for how long your cat can stay. This is important whether you need a short stay of a few days or a longer stay of several weeks.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Cat Boarding?
Pet insurance usually won’t pay for cat boarding, but it might cover the cost if your cat needs to stay at a licensed kennel for a good reason. Check with your insurance company to see if boarding is included in your policy or if you can add it for an extra fee.
Many pet insurance companies will pay you back if you need to put your cat in a boarding facility while you’re in the hospital. There may be a cap on how much they’ll pay, especially for longer hospital stays. Talk to your insurance company to understand what your policy covers and how much it costs.
Pet insurance usually pays for cat boarding if you’re hospitalized, but not when you’re on vacation. This is because hospital stays are considered emergencies, which insurance is meant to cover. Finding someone to watch your cat during vacation is just part of being a pet owner.
Alternative Options to Cat Boarding
Cats usually don’t like changes to their daily life. Some cats can handle staying at pet hotels better than others. If your cat gets scared easily and prefers staying in their normal routine, getting a pet sitter to come to your home might be a better choice.
A pet sitter looks after your cat in your home, where your cat feels most at ease. Instead of taking them to a kennel, the sitter comes to your house when you’re not there. They make sure your cat has food, is brushed, has fresh water, and uses a clean litter box.
Pet sitting costs about the same as a pet hotel, usually $15-$40 per day. You’ll pay more if you need extra visits or want the sitter to stay overnight.
Conclusion
Boarding your cat at a kennel usually costs $15-45 per night. While cat hotels are pricier, vet hospitals typically charge the most. Another option is keeping your cat at home and paying someone to visit or stay overnight to keep them company.
