Conference misery::feline_v1

2248.0. "The Kitty Hotel" by SCRUZ::CORDES_JA (Clogging is my life!) Wed Feb 22 1989 21:44

    Article reprinted from San Jose Mercury News "Extra" Section
    2-22-89   (reprinted without permission)
    By Tim Goodman
    Mercury News Staff Writer
    
    
    KITTY HOTEL IS THE CAT'S MEOW
    
    Inside the hotel, guests were seeking comfort from the brisk cold
    and pounding rain.  There was light conversation, but most preferred
    a cat nap.  Everyone loved the hotel immensely, except one guest
    who kept hissing.
    
    In the Kitty Hotel, it's not a dog's life.  Cats lounge around in
    comfortable cages, eating and drinking and meowing it up.  The
    occasional newcomer, like Black Satin, who did all the hissing,
    sometimes takes a while to settle in.  In another 24 hours, she'll
    be clawing to stay.
    
    The Kitty Hotel, located "kitty corner" to the Pruneyard Shopping
    Center on Bascom Avenue in Campbell (California), has been putting
    up cats for more than three years.  Most need a place to stay because
    their owners are going out of town on vacation.  Sometimes a house
    needs to be fumigated or a mother-in-law is coming to stay and she
    can't stand fur, either way, kitty has to be dealt with.
    
    Maurice Martin and his daughter, Tami Anthony started the Kitty
    Hotel because, as Martin said, "We're animal people."  Martin had
    owned a kennel in Campbell and found that there was a big draw for
    boarding cats.
    
    People liked our facility but didn't like the fact we had dogs around,"
    he said.  Now there's nary a dog to be found in the Kitty Hotel.
    There's a big fish tank that the cats eye with wonder, but man's
    supposed best friend is in the dog house at the Kitty Hotel.
    
    Martin said he and his daughter started boarding cats for the fun
    of it.  "Well, we'd like to make some mondy at it," he said with
    a laugh.  Now retired, Martin fills in whenever his daughter and
    her assistant can't watch over their guests.
    
    But boarding the little furry ones could turn out to be the wave
    of the future, animal care wise, Martin said there are at least
    10 million more cats as pets in America than there are dogs.  However,
    Martin knows of only two places in California, other than the Kitty
    Hotel, that board only cats.
    
    "It's very unusual to find someone dealing exclusively in cats,"
    he said.  "We think it's a business that can blossom."  One of the
    reasons Martin and his daughter got into the business was the need
    for good cat housing.
    
    A member of the American Boarding Kennels Association, the Kitty
    Hotel follows strict guidelines on cleanliness and monitors incoming
    cats for sickness.
    
    Before any feline, regardless of breeding, checks into the Kitty
    Hotel, the owner must fill out a form certifying the cat has current
    shots and is in good health.  Martin said the Kitty Hotel will
    administer medication for non-contagious conditions.  The number
    and name of the cat's veterinarian must be left in case of illness,
    he said.
    
    The Kitty Hotel has housed more than 2,000 cats and has 49 cages.
    
    The Kitty Hotel has cat art throughout the place; there are cats
    pawing things, jumping, staring at insects -- the usual images of
    cat life.  When you're in a cage for a couple of months, these things
    are important.
    
    And the rooms, or cages, are shiny and clean, complete with disposable
    pieces of rug and food and water.  The litter boxes are disposable.
    Various pieces of cat entertainment can also be put in the cages,
    if so requested.  The rate is $7 a night, and there's a 10 percent
    reduction if the total exceeds $50.
    
    Martin said the usual fear from cat owners is that little Patches
    won't have any space to play and exercise.
    
    "People worry about cats exercising but they never exercise," Martin
    said.  "When they do, they exercise isometrically.  They don't need
    an open space.  If you put a cat in the middle of a field, he'll
    look for a place to hide.  They don't need exercise.  They need
    security."
    
    The cats at the Kitty Hotel are almost smug about their security.
    Martin said this is because they can see you coming; you can only
    approach the cage one way.  When his daughter takes the cats --
    individually -- out of the cage for a little play time, they almost
    always prefer to be back in the cage, lounging.  Cats are just like
    that, he said.
    
    Mostly they wait out their time.  A little card is placed in the
    corner of the cage with the cat's name and owner's last name.  It
    lists the time they came in and when they're going out, along with
    any pertinent feeding hints.
    
    "We're filled up completely here over Christmas, Thanksgiving and
    New Year's," Martin said.  "And pretty full during the summer."
    
    Martin said word of mouth has been his best advertising.  He recently
    received a letter from a woman in New Jersey who had heard about
    the hotel and wanted to put her cat up while she looked for a place
    to stay when she moved.
    
    It was a nice touch, Martin said, but nothing like the letter from
    the woman who was vacationing.  She didn't send it to Martin.  She
    sent it to Cleo, her cat.  She said she was sorry vacation was taking
    so long, hoped all was OK, and she'd be home soon.
    
    "Some of the people are quite emotional," Martin said. "Some people
    are really attached to the cats."  He has seen his fair share of
    tear-stained departures.
    
    The cats themselves seemed unbothered by the whole ordeal.  Boris
    and Natasha, who have been frequent guests since they were kittens,
    were looking pretty active.  And so was K.T., who was a little worked
    up because close neighbor Black Satin was absolutely no fun at all.
    
    All the other felines were into Zen meditation or were simply sleeping.
    They were on holiday, Martin was waiting on them lavishly, and
    they had enough food and water for life.  You could almost hear
    them barking at the moon.
    
    "They don't need much," Marting said.
    
    <End>
    
    Article was full page and was accompanied by pictures of one of
    the Kitty Hotel assistants caring for two cats who had been guests
    since October; same assistant playing with two different cats in 
    the play area; and a customer bringing her cat in for a stay at
    the Kitty Hotel.

    Thanks!  I enjoyed that - I wish I could open one of those.
    It sounds like something to think about for future retirement 
    years.
    
    E.T.

    I'm with you E.T.
    
    Sandi (Lightning, DejaVu & Thunder's mom)
    
    

    Gosh E.T.  I thought you already operated a Kitty Hotel.  With the
    difference being that you never let your guests leave.
    
    	-Nancy

    Elaine -  Would you take reservations NOW?????
    
    That would be great to have when we go away on vacations.
    To know that Mocha and Ming would be together and taken
    care of in "posh" surroundings, would make me feel better
    and not too guilty being away from them.
    
    Candia is on our way to Ogunquit where we vacation and we could
    drop them off on the way and pick them up on the way home. 
    
    Ready made retirement occupation with customers already.
    
    Barbara
    
    

    Yeah, really - let's talke a reality pill hre folks!
    
    I'd like to "own" a kitty hotel - not have to keep one clean!
    BIG difference!!
    
    NO RESERVATIONS - The Inn is Full!!!  Besides, I won't be around
    much - I have 8 shows in a row (that's 8 weekends in a row, kids)
    starting 3-11.  Also included in that crazyness, is the Chalet
    show in Concord on April 1st (which I am slightly involved in) sigh
    
    I wonder if I will remember what my cats even look like by April
    30th ??
    
    E.T._who_needs_to_sleep_for_100_years!!!