Hugely disappointed - avoid this place

Fairmile Cat Hotel Exeter
★★★★☆
3.8
From 12 reviews
67.0% of users recommend this

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heatherdavis's review of Fairmile Cat Hotel Exeter

“Hugely disappointed - avoid this place”

★☆☆☆☆

written by heatherdavis on 01/01/2019

We have used Fairmile for over five years and have always been very impressed with the care given to our two ragdolls. Latest stay changed everything!
Cats were boarded for 11 days over the Christmas break - upon arrival, the cattery was closed - no lights, even leading up the steep steps to the building. We waited over 5 minutes for the owner to appear. The cattery was freezing cold, dark and deserted. Felt so uncomfortable leaving them, that we called the cattery an hour later to check whether there was any heating. We were reassured that the place would fill up and warm up (no other cats there at the time).
Upon our return, we were shocked to be told the cats had been 'a real handful'. We found them separated and clearly distressed - we had to open the inner door as it appears the cat flap was closed to release the smaller cat from the sleeping area. The litter tray was stinking and had not been changed. Their bed was wet (clearly an accident that hadn't been cleared up) and we had to throw their toys away because they were so smelly. Neither cat had been groomed at all (larger one very tangled, with poo on her too) and the owner commented when lifting the cat box how heavy she was - indicating that for 11 days, our cats had not even been picked up.
It has taken days for us to settle them at home, whereas they have previously been happy, healthy and super fluffy when collected.
We are extremely sad that we will now have to find a suitable alternative boarding for our beloved cats.

  • Devon

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  • Cattery

    Type of Accomodation

  • Value For Money

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Protopia's Response to heatherdavis's Review

Written on: 28/03/2019

It is quite common for catteries to have problems with condensation when humidity levels are at their maximum, which they have been recently. Cattery regulations require that outer rooms should be open to the outside air for ventilation for the animals. The result is that sometimes this generates a lot of condensation and the cat`s bedding becomes damp and it has to be changed very frequently. This dampness could be construed by cat owners as urine but it is not. The same applies to the cattery floor which sometimes become very damp with condensation also.

During the winter months there are days when it is cold and dark but our rooms are individually heated; are monitored with minimum/maximum thermometers and have individual thermostats to ensure the rooms are correctly regulated. When the weather is cold or damp we keep the inner doors closed and the heating on 24/7 and we do not charge extra. Not all catteries do this.

Every cat is groomed every day, with the exception of those who will not allow us to do so. Some cats object strongly and are impossible to groom. Some do not like their `bottoms` cleaned, which is often necessary with long-haired cats, but most owners would be aware if there is a problem with grooming if they have tried to do this themselves and usually inform us.

The litter trays are inspected at least 3-times daily at regular hours and emptied as required. Visitors arriving between litter tray inspections may see a soiled litter tray.

In 2019, under the new licensing regime, our cat hotel has been awarded 5-STARS by the Licensing Authority which reflects the excellent standards we work very hard to maintain. We welcome visitors to come and inspect us for themselves during our opening hours.

Barbara Barber

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