FAQ & KCS Policies
By boarding your cat at KCS, you agree to the following policies.
- All kitties must show proof of current FVRCP* & Rabies vaccinations.
FVRCP is also known as Upper Respiratory or Distemper. Vaccines take about a week to take effect so please plan ahead. It’s best if kitty gets this vaccine far earlier. We are happy to call your vet for verification, or you may email or fax your certificate to us. (* Note, if your kitty is strictly indoors, they do not need Rabies only. Some kitties are exempt from all vaccines under special circumstances, ie: old age or medical conditions. We will honor your vet’s recommendation but they must know kitty will be boarding, and we will call them to verify) - All kitties must be flea-free.
We recommend a monthly ‘neck drop’ medication like Advantage or Frontline. If this is a new treatment it must be applied a minimum of 4 days in advance of your stay (and a maximum of 30 days prior). While we inspect every cat for fleas 2x’s weekly, it IS possible your cat could get one here, so we recommend they come pre-treated. - All kitties must arrive with the tips of their front nails clipped.
For staff safety, please clip kitty’s nails in advance of arrival. For cat’s safety, please only clip the clear sharp tip, not the solid part. Take very little off if your cat goes outside – just dull the nail for us. If nails are not clipped KCS charges $20. We understand that other places don’t require this, but other places also don’t have 8ft tall houses with levels we must get them down from on a ladder, nor do they have staff to play with your kitties for free. - All kitties must arrive in a proper carrier (cardboard discouraged).
Carrier will remain at KCS in the event of an emergency. We are on a busy four-lane road, please do not carry your cat in – it is not safe. We are happy to loan you a carrier if necessary, but you should always have one for emergency.
KCS requires all new clients to send us the following:
- New Client Form
- Proof of current FVRCP. Also Rabies if allowed outside (we will call your vet for this)
Please submit to KCS by email or by fax at 415-946-3356. If you are unable to open or fill in our PDF please update your Adobe Acrobat (generally free on the web). If that doesn’t work, email KCS for the Word-version of our forms.
KCS is in high demand because we offer a completely different attention-oriented experience for cats and owners alike. Because we are usually full, we require 50% upfront to guarantee your room. This is much steeper than other facilities, so do not book until you are sure.
You may make your reservation through email or by phone. Email is preferred. Please provide:
- Your name & phone number
- Room size you prefer
- Date & time of drop off (appts are available Mon-Sat @ 10am-12pm & 2-4pm)
- Date & time of pick up (same as above + Sunday by appointment only, please contact us to make an arrangement)
- Any special needs we should be aware of (ie: medical)
- Your Visa, MC or Discover (#, expiration & 3 digit CVC code)
If a reservation is cancelled with 7 days advance notice, a $50 cancellation fee will be deducted from your deposit, and the rest will be returned. If less than 7 days notice is given, you will lose your deposit. There are other places do not require a deposit, please use them if you are uncomfortable with this.
KCS is open to customers Mon- Sat 10am-12pm & 2-4pm. If you would like to visit our facility, please email us suggesting a date and time within our human hours. Kitty Care is 365 days a year, from sunrise to sundown. In order to care for cats extraordinarily well, we must limit our human hours.
- Mon – Sat from 10am-12pm & 2-4pm – BY APPT ONLY
- Sunday & Holiday check out (out only) is available by appointment only, please contact us to make an arrangement. The front desk is closed on Sundays & Holidays so we do not take incoming kitties on those days.
Kittens, Elderly, Blind & Disabled – While our rooms are built for maximum adventure, we can dismantle the shelving to accommodate those who may not be able to navigate them as well. Please let us know your needs at the time of booking.
Hammocks – KCS rents Hammocks for less stable kitties at +$2 a day. See Extra’s for more options and rates.
KCS is experienced with pills, creams, fluids and more, but we are only able to administer them to willing kitties. We have experience giving shots such as insulin shots, but please see the note below for a cat on life threatening medication. Often it is best to board at your vet for these situations. For pricing please see Extras. Please use our First Time Client form to clearly explain what your kitty needs in advance of your booking. If you are a repeat customer, please provide written instructions on a standard piece of paper. For the safety of your cat, we do not accept oral instructions. We are happy to discuss medications with you once we have had a chance to read your instructions. All medications must be labeled with your cat’s name.
** PLEASE NOTE: IF YOUR CAT IS ON LIFE THREATENING MEDICATIONS A BOARDING-TEMPERMENT TEST MUST BE DONE IN ADVANCE OF YOUR STAY. Sorry, but we must be confident that we can safely medicate kitty before we take their life into our hands. If your cat is known to really ‘flip out’ in a new situation, it’s safer to board at your vet. You must be in town during this temperment test.
During your kitty’s stay, we will text or email pictures/video so you may decide for yourself how your kitty is doing under our care. This free service really helps you holiday with peace of mind. These images may be used for informational and marketing purposes on our website, our social networking site, brochures, etc. We retain the rights to use such image(s). Kitty Mail is guaranteed on an average of every 3 days, however, more often than not you will get one or more on an almost-daily basis. We use an iPhone to record Kitty Mail – please update your Quicktime player now so you may see it!
At KCS, we have an abundance of private Playrooms, one for just about every kitty mindset. For playful kitties, we have the Staircase to No Where room. For kitties that love to go belly up in the sun, we have the storefront Sunbathing Suite. For shy cats, we have a playroom in the back, away from the street. Please note – we do not mix kitties in Playrooms unless they are from the same family. Playroom time is NOT guaranteed. If cats are nervous or agitated, we will give them love in their own room. A big unfamiliar space will only scare a cat that is not yet ready. The point in playrooms is to make your cat happy.
The only kitties mixed with other cats are those that arrive together as a happy family. Mixing kitties is dangerous to their health and their emotional well being. It spreads disease and can even cause loss of life. The majority of cats have no desire to play with kitties unknown to them. They prefer to play with humans. That’s why we offer one-on-one Kitty Worshiping at no additional cost to you. At KCS, all kitties receive loving care. No lonely kitties here!
However – all KCS rooms have private Sky Boxes at the 8 foot level, which offer cats an opportunity flirt with their neighbors from the safety of their own home. If your cat is disturbed by other cats, we can cover the sides of their skybox for a neighbor-free, birds-eye-view experience. Please see Photos to view our Sky Boxes.
KCS offers a number of extras, ie: administering medications, brushing, etc. Please see Extras for pricing. Extras are intended to be by choice. However, if kitty does not arrive per our rules, or needs special care, additional charges may apply (ie: if we must provide flea treatment, nail cutting, taxi to the vet, etc). Please note: Keeping kitty hydrated is of utmost importance. We often use heated baby food ($3 a jar) to entice new /shy kitties to eat. You may bring your own to avoid this fee (Gerber’s Chicken or Turkey only please).
Possible Illness / Observation
We take every measure to maintain a healthy environment for your cat. We do not mix cats, we have a state of the art hospital-grade air filter system, and our facility is kept very clean and sterilized. However, your kitty’s vaccinations and our clean facility do not guarantee that your cat might not get sick. KCS is a shared-air environment, and while we wash/sterilize our hands/gloves/playroom floors often, we do handle a lot of cats. Germs can spread if a cat is brewing something that is yet unknown to us. Additionally, 80% of cats carry the Herpes virus which causes kitty colds, and often it is ‘self generated’ if they are stressed. In the event your cat appears to have something small but possibly contagious (like sneezing) we will move them to the back for observation, where the air is not circulated into the rest of the facility. Often these things pass quickly. Some people want to know everything – others prefer not to be disturbed over a non-emergency. This is why nonemergency communication is handled via Kitty Mail, emails with videos reports on your cats. Please watch your kitty mail as it might mention a vomit, sneezing, loss of appetite, etc. We are not vets and cannot be expected to diagnose your cat, but we will certainly watch out for signs of issues and let you know anything we feel is important. This is why we choose video mail as our primary form of communication – you know your cat best, and seeing them can be helpful. If you ever have any concern, you can call your vet for their advice (and/or forward the video to them). If you would like them to be seen by a vet for any reason, just let us know! You will be responsible for all veterinarian fees, medications, and any other related expenses, including Kitty Taxi.
In the event of serious concern, we will make best efforts to reach you or your emergency contact through the numbers/emails you provided. We keep your vet information on file in case of emergency. If we deem vet care necessary, we will either have the Mill Valley Mobile Vet come to your cat’s room, or if local and available, we will deliver your cat to their own vet. If neither is available, we will take your cat to another local vet, or if necessary, to the 24-hour Emergency Veterinarian Service in San Rafael. You will be responsible for all veterinarian fees, medications, and any other related expenses, including Kitty Taxi. We will make every effort to contact you, however, if we deem the situation critical, we will immediately rush your cat to treatment and contact you as soon as is practical. Please be sure to give us the best contacts for you, and at least two emergency contacts – and please prepare these people with your medical & financial instructions. We also welcome you to email us an itinerary with your hotel numbers. We encourage you to provide us with written instructions to keep on file, and we suggest you do the same for your vet long term. Please note – If you are boarding at KCS you have already signed a release allowing us to seek veterinary care in emergency. In emergency, we will contact you as soon as humanly possible and put you in contact with the vet to oversee the situation, but if we deem a situation serious, we will not hesitate to get your cat the care they need.
If you do not pick up your pet as planned, and do not communicate with KCS about your choice or inability to do so, KCS is authorized to charge your credit card at twice our daily rate, until pet is retrieved. If your card is no longer valid, you agree to pay this fee, as well as all hard costs KCS may incur for boarding and collection, including attorney’s fees. If you do not pick up your pet, and are out of contact with KCS for a period of 10 days or more, you relinquish all ownership rights to KCS, and allow KCS to handle your pet’s future in any way that they see fit. You will be responsible for all costs associated with abandonment.