Arrival
Current state matters
The last meal, last medication, travel response, recent elimination, and any same-day symptom belong in the handoff.
Arrival and stabilization
The first day is not a test of whether a cat is “good at boarding.”
The first 24 hours are an information-building period. Travel, separation, novel scent, room orientation, food, litter, contact, and rest begin revealing how the cat is moving through transition.
Plan earlyProtect routineShare baselinePrepare suppliesConfirm fit
Current availability, rates, policies, and final care acceptance are managed by Cats in the City.
Reduce surprisesSpecific planning gives the team better information at arrival.
One accountable handoffDates, room, food, medication, contacts, and contingencies stay connected.
Planning principles
A smoother stay begins before check-in.
Preparation should reduce uncertainty for the cat, guardian, and care team without pretending every transition can be made invisible.
Room
Orientation precedes performance
The cat first has to map litter, food, water, hiding, elevation, boundaries, sounds, and caregiver approach.
First meal
A baseline begins to form
Interest, amount, timing, food preference, posture, and recovery after contact matter more than one binary label.
Continue planning
The next useful page is one decision away.
Follow the pathway that matches the cat rather than reading the entire website in sequence.
Related guide
Decompression after arrival
How low-demand room orientation supports regulation.
Open guideRelated guide
Appetite monitoring
How the first meal becomes a meaningful pattern.
Open guideRelated guide
Boarding stay timeline
Where the first day sits inside the full transition.
Open guideQuestions guardians ask
Clear answers before the request.
Care fit is confirmed only after Cats in the City reviews the complete profile and requested dates.
Should my cat eat immediately after arrival?
Some cats do; others need time. The care question is not whether the cat follows a fixed clock, but whether the overall trajectory and risk profile support continued observation or earlier response.
Why ask about the last meal and medication?
Those details create the starting point for interpreting intake, glucose, medication timing, nausea, elimination, and behavior.
Can I bring familiar bedding?
Often yes, subject to current policies and safety. Confirm what Cats in the City recommends for the room and cat.
Next step
Let the care plan start with the cat.
Share the dates, routine, health history, appetite pattern, medication needs, and room priorities. Cats in the City will review the request and confirm the appropriate location and pathway.