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The Cattery
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Planning and Designing A Cattery
The most important management requirement for a successful breeding program will be the design of the cattery. In most instances, the cattery itself is part of your household, beit a bedroom, a spare room, or a special room built in the basement. The care and comfort of the cats is of primary importance when designing the room that will serve as the cattery, and it will pay in the long run to take the time to properly plan your cattery area. Many things must be taken into consideration:
Decisions made in these areas are ones that you and your cats will ultimately have to live with so it will benefit all to spend considerable time on the design of your cattery. CFA has set minimum cattery standards that detail the proper care and handling of food, primary enclosure standards, food and water requirements, and recommendations for cleaning and sanitation.
Cattery Design
This diagram shows a workable cattery setup for a room approximately 11' x 14'. Plans include 3 cages for females, 2 floor-to-ceiling walk-in male cages, a nursery/play area for kittens, and a bathing/grooming and storage area.
The three female cages can be expanded to six cages if stacked two high. An alternative is to have these three cages built on top of cupboards that will expand your storage area, and make the cages easily accessible for cleaning purposes. This setup will allow the females to run the room and live in a colony, and only be caged when necessary (i.e in season, have kittens, etc.). Stud males must, of necessity, be caged and will require a large area to enable them to get the required exercise and be comfortable. Floor to ceiling walk-in cages, with numerous shelves at various levels and a scratching post, are recommended. A special area for young kittens to play in is a good idea, especially with a scratching post for early training. The bathing/grooming and storage area would be a three sided counter top with storage cupboards below. A deep, double sink is suggested for ease in bathing. This area will also serve as a food preparation area. CAUTION: It is suggested that electrical outlets be above the counter top level, and all electrical outlets in the room should be covered with "kid proof" caps when not in use.
Recommended Reading:
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