Unless otherwise stated, these conditions shall apply to all buildings and areas to which cats have access and/or which are used in association with the boarding of cats.
Use of the term 'unit' relates to combined sleeping and individual exercise areas.
A copy of the licence and its conditions must be suitably displayed to the public in a prominent position in, on or about the boarding establishment.
The establishment must, at all times, be laid out and operated in accordance with a plan approved by the Council, to be attached to the licence. Before carrying out any alterations, plans must be submitted to and approved by the Council.
All new units must be built on a concrete base with a damp proof membrane to Building Regulation standards. This should have a minimum fall of 1 to 80.
All exterior wood must be smooth and properly treated against wood rot. Only products which are not toxic to cats may be used.
All internal surfaces used in the construction of walls, partitions, doors and doorframes must be durable, smooth and impervious. There must be no projections or rough edges liable to cause injury.
Sleeping areas of units must be insulated so as to prevent extremes of temperature.
Fencing material must be secure and safe.
The construction must be such that security of cats is ensured.
All areas to which cats have free access must be roofed.
The walls with which cats may come into contact must be of smooth impervious materials, capable of being easily cleaned. Where concrete or other building blocks or bricks are used, they must be sealed to be smooth and impervious.
Junctions between vertical and horizontal sections should be covered. If impractical in existing premises, these joints must be sealed.
Full length sneeze barriers must be provided where the gap between units is less than 625mm (2ft).
The concrete base and floors of all buildings and units must be of smooth, impervious materials, capable of being easily cleaned.
Floors of all units must be constructed and maintained in such condition as to prevent ponding of liquids.
Ceilings must be capable of being easily cleaned and disinfected.
All exercise areas and the safety corridor (see below) should be covered with fitted to be capable of being effectively secured.
Doors must be strong enough to resist impact and scratching and must be fitted to be capable of being effectively secured.
Where metal edging is used, this must not present a risk of injury to the cat.
Adequate constructional precautions must be taken to prevent and control the spread of infectious disease, particularly by droplet infection.
All windows which pose a security risk must be escape proof at all times.
Kitchens must be connected to mains drainage or an approved, sewage disposal system.
During daylight hour's light must be provided to exercise and sleeping areas so that all parts are clearly visible. Where practicable this must be natural light.
Adequate supplementary lighting must be provided throughout the establishment.
Ventilation must be provided to all interior areas without the creation of excessive, localised draughts in the sleeping area.
Cats' beds shall have adequate protective sides to allow the cat "depth" to seek protection.
Each unit shall have efficient, individually controlled heating.
Maintenance and repair of the whole establishment must be carried out regularly.
The maximum of number of cats to be kept at any one time is ....
Each cat must be provided with a separate unit except that cats from the same household may share a unit of adequate size (see below) with the written consent of the cats' owner.
Holding units may be provided for temporarily boarding a cat for not more than 24 hours. Existing holding units must have minimum floor area of 9 sq ft. In new construction the floor area must be a minimum of 12 sq ft. Holding units must have a minimum height of (0.9m) 3 ft.
No animals other than cats are to be boarded within the licensed facilities without the written approval of the Council.
Where stray cats are accepted by the cattery they must be kept in a separate area at least 3m (10 ft) away from boarded cats.
Each unit must have a sleeping area and an adjoining exercise area, which is exclusive to that unit.
Each unit must be provided with a sleeping area of at least 0.85sq m (9sq ft) for one cat, 1.5sq m (16sq ft) for two cats, 1.85sq m (20sq ft) for up to four cats.
Units may be designated as suitable for a specific number of cats, greater than 4, with the written consent of the Council.
Units must have a minimum internal height of 1.8m (6ft). The height of the sleeping area must be at least 3ft (91cm) in existing and 4ft (1.22m) in new units.
Suitable bedding must be provided which allows the cat to be comfortable and which is capable of being easily and adequately cleaned and disinfected. Bedding must be sited out of draughts. Bedding must be maintained in a clean, parasite-free and dry condition.
Each unit must be provided with an exercise area of at least 1.7sq m (18sq ft) for a single cat; 2.23sq m (24sq ft) for 2 cats; 30sq ft for up to 4 cats.
Units must only open onto secure corridors or other secure areas so that cats are not able to escape from the premises (see above).
Exercise areas must not be used as sleeping areas.
There must be direct and voluntary access to the exercise area.
A written training policy must be provided. Systematic training of staff must be demonstrated to have been carried out. Essential topics must include animal welfare; cleanliness and hygiene; feeding and food preparation; disease control; recognition and treatment of sick animals; health and safety and emergency procedures.
Heating facilities must be available in the unit and used according to the requirements of the individual cat.
There must be some part of the sleeping area where the cat is able to enjoy a temperature of at least +100C (500C)
A suitable thermometer shall be readily available to allow temperatures to be monitored.
All units, corridors, common areas, kitchens, etc. must be kept clean and free from accumulations of dirt and dust and must be kept in such a manner as to be conducive to maintenance of disease control and cat comfort.
Each occupied unit must be cleaned daily. All excreta and soiled material must be removed from all areas used by cats at least daily and more often if necessary.
Suitably sited litter trays, which are easy to clean and impermeable must be provided at all times. These must be emptied and cleaned at least once a day and as necessary at any time during the day if found to be unduly soiled. A suitable material for litter must be provided.
Each unit must be thoroughly cleaned, disinfected and dried upon vacation. All fittings and bedding must also be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected at that time.
Facilities must be provided for the proper reception, storage and disposal of all waste. Particular care should be taken to segregate clinical waste arising from the treatment and handling of cats with infectious diseases. The final disposal route for all such waste must be incineration.
Measures must be taken to minimise the risks from rodents, insects and other pests within the establishment.
All cats must be adequately supplied with suitable food. At least two meals a day must be offered, approximately 8 hours apart. Wholesome water must be available at all times each occupied unit and changed daily.
Eating and drinking vessels must be capable of being easily cleaned and disinfected and must be maintained in a clean condition. Disposable eating dishes may be used.
Eating vessels must be cleaned at least once daily.
Facilities, hygienically constructed and maintained, must be provided for the storage and preparation of food for the cats.
Where fresh and cooked meats are stored, refrigeration facilities must be provided, and food contamination must be avoided.
A sink with hot and cold water must be provided for the washing of food equipment and eating and drinking vessels. A separate wash-hand basin with hot and cold water must also be provided for staff use.
Containers must be provided for the storage of foods and shall be used so constructed and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to be proof against insects and other pests.
A veterinary practice must be appointed for the business. The name, address and telephone number must be displayed to the public and accessible to staff.
Adequate precautions must be taken to prevent and control the spread of infectious and contagious disease and parasites amongst cats, staff and visitors.
Proof must be provided that all cats boarded or resident (other than strays) have current vaccinations against Infectious Feline Enteritis, feline respiratory disease and other relevant diseases. The course of vaccination must have been completed at least four weeks before the first date of boarding or in accordance with manufacturers' instructions. A record that this vaccination had been supplied must be kept onsite throughout the period that the cat is boarded.
Advice from a veterinary surgeon must be sought without delay in case of signs of disease, injury or illness. Where any cat is sick or injury any instructions for its treatment which have been given by a veterinary surgeon must be strictly followed and a record kept.
A well stocked first-aid kit suitable for use on cats must be available and accessible and a record site.
Isolation facilities must be provided.
In isolation units, there should be a means of maintaining the temperature at a level suitable for the conditions of the cat and dependent on veterinary advice.
In existing catteries these isolation facilities must be in compliance with the other boarding requirements but must be separate and physically isolated from the main units. This must be a minimum 3m (10 ft). (See also temperature control). In new build isolation facilities separated 10 m. from the main units must be provided.
Adequate facilities to prevent the spread of infectious disease between the isolation unit and other units must be provided.
Hands must be washed after leaving the isolation facilities before visiting the other units.
A register must be kept of all cats boarded. The information kept must include the following:
The record for each cat must be kept readily available for minimum of 2 years and kept in such a manner as to allow an authorised officer easy access to such information.
Where records are computerised, a back-up copy must be kept. The register must also be available to key members of staff of the establishment at all times.
Each unit must be clearly marked (e.g numbered), and a system in place which ensures that relevant information about the cat in that unit is readily available.
A fit and proper person over 16 years of age must always be present on site to exercise supervision and deal with emergencies whenever cats are boarded at the premises.
Cats must be visited at least three times per day to check on their health, safety and welfare.
Appropriate steps must be taken for the protection of the cats in case of fire or other emergencies.
A proper emergency evacuation plan and fire warning procedure must be drawn up and posted on the premises. This must include instructions on how and where cats are to be evacuated to in the event of a fire or other emergency.
Fire fighting equipment must be provided in accordance with advice obtained from the Fire Prevention Officer.
All electrical installations and appliances must be maintained in a safe condition. There must be a residual current circuit breaker system on each block of units.
Heating appliances must not be sited in a location or manner where they may present a fire hazard or risk injury to cats.
Precautions must be taken to prevent any accumulation, which may present a risk of fire.
There must be adequate means of raising an alarm in the event of fire or other emergencies.