luxury cattery winchester

Halloween at Hotel Cat

November 2, 2019

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Well it looks like winter is well underway! I am sat here in the warm whilst the wind and rain do their best to rid the trees of all their leaves.

October is always one of our busiest months and this year was no exception. We have had a number of new guests this month which has been lovely, especially when they settle straight in. The majority of first timers have already reserved their suites for next year and I have never seen the diary so full this far in advance, we already have quite a few bookings for 2021 as well!

The donkeys are really fed up with the rain and are spending most of their time in either the barn or the stables, hopefully November will bring some crisp sunshine for them. We have decided to rehome some more chickens so if anyone knows of any elderly girls who need a home please get in touch. Our golden oldie at the moment is seven and going strong, she doesn’t lay eggs anymore but has a lovely retirement running around the donkey paddocks and keeping all the younger girls in check.

All of our own cats are staying indoors now and there is always at least one of them on our bed both day and night, I love knowing they are safe and warm, it’s always a worry when they go outside. All of our guests are lovely and warm in their suites, their heating is on 24 hours a day and very few of them go and sit in the outside rooms, they are usually all in the warm bedroom. It’s so relaxing so be with them and we love being up at Hotel Cat.

We have a quieter couple of weeks coming up so we are looking forward to doing some decorating in the suites that will be empty.

Enjoy your weekend,

Jackie xx

February at Hotel Cat

February 28, 2019

by Jackie

in News

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What a fantastic end to the month, much overdue sunshine! It makes Spring feel like it has arrived and the farm is starting to wake up from it’s winter slumbers. We have been busy preparing for Spring and have been planting new beech hedging which the birds will love once it has established.

The Cat Hotel has had another busy month and the diary is full for a number of dates throughout the year already. We have had a few new faces stay recently and have the most unusually marked girl staying called Sunshine. She is ginger and white with large pure tabby sections and we have never seen another cat like her. It is a first stay for both her and her brother and they have settled straight away which is just so lovely. We said goodbye to Lucifer, Salem and Yogi yesterday which was very sad. They had been staying here since November and we adored them as they were all such characters, it’s always sad when favourites leave and is the only downside of the ‘job’.

The donkeys are loving the milder weather and are outside much more, running around and looking for mischief. I take Percy for walks around the lanes as he loves all the attention, last weekend he did a four mile walk which involved stopping at the shop to buy him an apple and he was full of himself all the way. When we meet a horse rider he gets so excited and wants to join them, but the horses are not impressed!!

My London Marathon training is going well, although my feet don’t think so! We are now up to 18 miles on our long runs. I cannot tell you how exhausting it is, but it will be worth it on the day and the fact that I am raising money for such a good cause makes it much easier. If anyone would like to sponsor me here is the page www.justgiving/jackieferrier

Wishing you all a wonderful month,

Jackie xx

Happy New Year!

January 23, 2019

by Jackie

in News

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2019 is here and fortunately January seems to be going quite quickly instead of dragging it’s heels! It is a cold but clear day here and we are hoping that there will be no snow for us this year.

We had such an incredibly busy and fun year in 2018, although the building works in the house were very trying, thank goodness they are now finished, never again!

2019 Looks like it is going to be our busiest year yet. We have shown so many new people around the Hotel since the start of the month and everyone is booking dates and they are very enthusiastic which is lovely. Fortunately most of our regular favourites have already secured their places and the diary is full in quite a few places.

My big news this month is that I have chosen the charity which I am going to raise money for by running the London Marathon in April. The charity is the Celia Hammond Animal Trust. I researched a number of charities as I wanted the majority of the money raised to go directly towards the animals and fell for this charity straight away. Please have a look at their website as they are passionate animal lovers who work tirelessly to help and support in everyway they can. I have set up a Just Giving page which is https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jackieferrier if you have a minute have a read of my story and I will update the page regularly.

The donkeys are all really well and spend the majority of the time in their barn next to the Cat Hotel eating and sleeping! The cats are fascinated by the donkeys and spend hours on their outside cat trees watching them. They are very fat, woolly coated and extremely cuddly and are so lovely to be with, both donkeys and cats are such peaceful animals and the calm effect they give is wonderful, I really don’t know how people cope with working in cities!

We have had a busy January filled with lovely guests who are all warm and snug in their spacious bedrooms. It is always lovely and toasty in the Hotel as the heating is left on 24 hrs a day and it is the perfect place to escape with my book leaving Tim in the house to answer the phone.

My Marathon training is going well and so far to plan. I am actually enjoying the training far more than I thought I would. I have a great friend coaching me and we are increasing mileage weekly. This week we have a 14 mile run on Sunday, last weeks was 12 miles which we did in 1hr 55 minutes. For those who also run we averaged 9.38 pace which I am thrilled with. At the moment I am hoping to complete the Marathon in under 4hrs 30mins, but obviously this is dependant on how training goes and what the weather is like on the day.

Right, I have my book and I’m back up to my gorgeous guests,

Jackie xx

Our television debut

July 3, 2015

by Jackie

in News

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Did many of you see us featured on the documentary 90 cats and counting? It was about various people who love cats, including a lady who has 90 of them. She takes in unwanted cats and rehomes them, such a lovely dedicated lady, she must work tirelessly. We were featured as they liked the story of how we built the cat hotel before we spent any money on the house. We moved into Downlands Farm in October 2013 and it needs so much doing to it that we didn’t really know where to start. We spent all of our savings on the Hotel Cat and are very proud of what we have achieved. It is a very tranquil hotel and you feel so calm as soon as you enter. The gardens leading to Hotel Cat were overgrown paddock land which we have transformed ourselves by hand, we still have lots that we want to do, but love how it is looking already. Our house will always be a work in progress, but we have at least had a few new windows put in last month – no more wearing a scarf on the sofa at night this winter!

We have been extremely fortunate with the amount of publicity we have had, Your Cat featured us in their magazine this month and it has really helped us become known quickly. We adore running Hotel Cat and love meeting people who are as passionate about their cats as we are. We now have a large number of regular visitors, some of whom were young kittens when we first met them and who are now approaching their first Birthdays. We love them all, regardless of breed, age or colour, each cat is so very unique and we are very privileged to be part of their world.

We had another visit to see Percy Pinkerton this week. He can come and live with us next month and we can’t wait. He has grown into a really bonny boy and is just so laid back about everything. We aim to train him as a therapy donkey so that we can take him to care homes and hopefully children’s hospitals. He has already gone to his first donkey show and also met 40 children at a pre-school visit. His new paddock is right next to the cat hotel so everyone who arrives will be able to meet him and have a cuddle. Our other four donkeys are looking really lovely, Holly and Charlie have their full summer coats and are gleaming in the sunshine, I wonder what they will make of their new playmate :-).

Tommy the stunning Silver Tabby, who loves watching his Feline Frolics DVD

TV!

April 19, 2015

by Jackie

in News

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A few of our customers know that we have had the TV cameras filming lately. They finished filming today and the documentary goes out in approx. one months time. It’s called ‘For the love of cats’ and is all about the sacrifices that people have made in order for cats to have a better life. We are very excited and extremely nervous in equal measures! The cats chosen for the filming were the bold, attention seekers and they had a ball with the film crew. Sebastian the Silver Tabby is a total natural in front of the camera and was a total star. Pino the Maine Coon kitten was also thrilled to be chosen, along with Willow the one eyed Tiffany cat and Poppy the sweetest little ginger girl who came from a rehoming centre and has now landed on her feet with a family who adore her.

Percy Pinkerton’s paddock is finally being fenced tomorrow and a new shelter for the donkeys is being ordered. Holly, our first ever donkey, has been under the vet this month as she developed a condition called COPD. This is basically a lung infection and we think the most likely cause is her current barn as it is very old and dusty. Those who have been here know that we have an awful lot of work to do on the house, but this is now on hold until the donkeys have dust free accommodation. Everyone who loves their animals understands that they always come first.

We are filling up fast for the summer and September is almost fully booked. If you are thinking of planning a break and would like your cat to stay in Hotel Cat then please give us a call.

The TV crew at our luxury cat hotel

New Staff!

March 9, 2015

by Jackie

in News

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We have a new member of staff joining our family in August. He passed his interview with flying colours and his official post is Head of Entertainment – we believe he will do very well in this post. His name is Percy Pinkerton and we are very much looking forward to his arrival. I have attached a photo of his interview with Tim……..

Percy Pinkerton the miniature donkey foal

We have had a very busy few weeks with lots of lovely cats coming to stay. We fall in love with all of them as they are all heart stealers, but Frog the Devon Rex had us wrapped firmly around her tiny paws! She was only 6 months old and it was her first visit to us. She had so much fun and kept us so entertained with her crazy antics. In true cat fashion her favourite toy was the wire from a champagne cork, we would throw it and she would fetch it back for us each time, so very cute.

Frog the Devon Rex

Spring is bursting to life all around us and the birds are very busy. We have a couple of blue tits nesting in one of the boxes which is right outside the Royal Mews bedroom window. I don’t know who is more absorbed by them, us or the cats!

We have a fun filled Easter planned with a cat themed Easter egg hunt for all the lovely guests we have booked in. We are always on the lookout for new ways to keep the cats busy between naps!

2015

January 3, 2015

by Jackie

in News

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Happy New Year from Hotel Cat!

We had a wonderful Christmas and New Year, spent with the most adorable cats who came to stay. The only sad bit is when they go home as we all miss them so much. The cats all loved their individual Christmas presents from Santa Paws & Mrs Claws and all tucked in to their Christmas dinner of turkey, chicken and salmon.

Now 2015 is upon us we have a variety of new guests coming to stay. We love meeting the different cats, from the exotic to the everyday cat, they are all so unique and fascinating. It is lovely when parents turn up with bagful’s of things from home to help the cats settle, there is plenty of room in the suites and the more familiar things the cats have in their suites the nicer it is for them.

We have had so publicity from the press and have been asked to speak on a couple of radio stations including Today FM in Dublin http://www.todayfm.com/Check-into-Hotel-Cat

If you are thinking of leaving your precious cat/s with us in our hotel and have any concerns about how they will settle, please call us for an informal chat or alternatively come and see us and we will be more than happy to show you around at a convenient time to suit yourselves.

Lovely Lily the stunning Ragdoll

We’re in the news!

November 26, 2014

by Jackie

in News

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Wow, what a week. Our little hotel for cats has suddenly gone viral and we have been featured in the national press here and also in many other countries. Tomorrow I am doing a telephone interview with a newspaper in Sweden and also one in America. You can read the articles here;
http://metro.co.uk/2014/11/25/the-hotel-with-fine-dining-chauffeurs-skype-and-luxury-suites-for-cats-4962405/
http://nypost.com/2014/11/25/the-luxury-cat-hotel-with-24-hour-service-and-king-size-beds/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2848611/Welcome-country-club-cats-felines-holiday-five-star-luxury.html

We are all looking forward to the lovely guests who are booked in for Christmas stays, we have a lovely bunch coming to stay and are busy choosing presents to suit their individual personalities. Our Christmas tree is going up at the weekend and all our guests have presents with their names on to go underneath. I think we are all more excited about their presents than our own!

We adore looking after your cats and it is so satisfying to see them all so relaxed and happy. We had our oldest guest to stay this week. Freddie is 17 and just such a lovely boy who loves company and to be stroked until he falls asleep. We are always greeted with nose bumps and purrs from all of our guests and get to enjoy hours of cuddles and games every day – it’s just purrfect 🙂

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