For Pet Lovers
Monday 23 August 2010
“Looks like you have more guests in your cat suites than many of the hotels around the country.” I quipped to Betty and Mary Dobbs as I surveyed all the beautiful felines, moggies and pedigree, lounging in ‘suites’ at the Dobbs Cattery in Rathfarnham www.dobbscattery.com whilst their owners are away from home. “Yes, although this year bookings are more last minute than in other years but, saying that, we are almost booked out for Christmas.” Wow, where is everyone going for Christmas I wondered – what am I missing out on - will they be on the piste or sunning it up in the Canaries? But it is good to know we Irish can still enjoy ourselves!
One of the biggest concerns for pet lovers going on holidays is who will mind Fido, Trixie or Felix. Owners want to be really sure that their beloved pet will not pine or fret in any way and will be as comfortable as possible in their absence. Years ago facilities for pet boarding were pretty basic and, I guess, we were all quite amused at the idea of 5 Star Pet Hotels in the U.S.A. but the fact of the matter is that really sleek facilities for boarding your animals are much more hygienic and safe.
Betty Dobbs is one of the best known names, and recognised as the ultimate expert, in the cat world in Ireland. Since the late 60’s, Betty has been a major player in the Siamese and All Breeds Cat Club of Ireland, for which she has worked tirelessly over the years, and of which she is currently the Registrar. Betty says she got into the cat world quite accidentally when her husband went out with their then four teenage children and bought her first Siamese cat as a present. “He often joked that it was the worst day of his life”, she laughed, for there is no doubt once you get involved in Siamese cats you become addicted for life and you can’t live without them around. They are such fun creatures. They chat constantly, and noisily, and follow you around the house taking part in everything you do. Eventually Betty bred Siamese and, occasionally, Persian kittens. This led to her establishing a small boarding facility as new owners often asked if she would mind the kittens at holiday times.
Now the Cattery, set in magnificent gardens, is run by daughters Mary and Marjorie. It has 30 purpose built top of the range PVCu pens, built to standards required in the U.K. by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. Each little home has its own upstairs and downstairs area , up off the ground, and a little patio to the front. There are various designs 3 shelved houses, some with ladders to go in, and family suites which would hold 3 cats from the same family. There are also glass divides between the houses so that they can see what is going on next door and play with one another through the glass, and they all have specially designed duvets into which they can get for privacy if they are feeling shy! Amongst the residents was one lovely chap basking in the sun who was there for three months whilst his owner moved apartment. Another was a long haired tabby with a partner who was epileptic and has to get special medicine. Ed, a red Burmese, was there too – a really handsome chap, as well as two tortie Siamese with beautiful striped marking and clear blue eyes. Oscar who at 19 was the eldest guest and a beautiful Siamese boy was chatting away noisily. He has been coming for years. Some people get really upset when they are dropping off their cats and cry when they are leaving, and it is not just women, for nowadays lots of men also bring their cats in, where long ago it used to be only women who came. However, Mary says, whilst the owners may be crying, very often the cats have already ‘dismissed’ their owners because they are so busy checking out their new environments! “Do they get orange juice for breakfast”, I joked. “Some of them won’t eat what they normally eat at home. It is like a hotel they go along with what’s going and they like trying something different to their regular food – but of course if they want their regular food it is there too.” There are strict regulations for boarding – such as they must have their innoculation certificates dated at least two weeks in advance of their stay – they must obviously not have any colds or sniffles – and other such reasonable matters that make total sense for the protection of all the animals.
Many many people have been boarding their cats with the Dobbs for years – from kittenhood- and a friendship develops so “there is a sadness when the cat dies and then also missing the owner.” “Sometimes too it is quite funny, when we get people who have met whilst sitting around the pool somewhere abroad who have discovered their cats are having their ‘holiday’ with us.” says Betty. “We also had the experience of watching the news on TV during a big trial and seeing shots of the Defence Counsel and the Prosecuting Counsel both of whose cats we look after at holiday times.” The cats personal ‘charts’ are up on the door of each ‘suite’ and apparently some of the most popular names are Oscar, Felix, Misty, Molly, and Kitty, whilst unusual names are Kamikaze (!), Sesame, Moses, Albus, Tambourline and Quasimodo – how could they do that to a cat! “The biggest number of cats we have boarded from the same household would be 12, most of which are Maine Coons, probably the largest of the domestic cat family. Three of these guys when lying down in the run would almost cover the whole floor area.”
Betty, Mary and Marjorie are devoted to making sure animals don’t end up staying in unscrupulous places where conditions are not good. It is very wise Mary says for people to go and visit a cattery or kennels in advance of boarding your cat or dog there and check it out thoroughly.
Cats but have been close to humans for 9,500 years and there are many famous people from Cleopatra down who absolutely adore them. The late Hugh Leonard wrote constantly in this newspaper about the pleasure he derived from his Siamese cats The Pooka and Panache over the years. Ernest Hemingway was famous for his cats and had 30 at one stage and there are about 60 cats who are still at his former home in Key West, Florida. Marie Antoinette allowed them walk all over her dining tables during dinner, whilst Andrew Lloyd Weber wrote the famous ‘Cats” musical through watching the habits of his. Albert Schweitzer was another fan as well as singers Freddie Mercury and John Lennon. Even Pope Benedict apparently loves cats and has one called Chico at his home in Germany because pets aren’t allowed in the Vatican.
If you would like to see some beautiful cats, The Cork Cat Club will be having their show on the 19th September at the Great Island Community Centre, Cobh, Co. Cork and the Siamese and All Breeds Cat Club will be having their show on the 17th October at the Knocklyon Community Centre, Idrone Road, Dublin. 16.
Details of both on www.sabcci.com
Miaoow…..
THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 22 2010.