Frequently Asked Questions.
**All check in’s/out’s and appointments will be done by curbside.**
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Q. why do i need to board my cat?
A. There are a number of reasons you may wish to leave your cat in our care. You may go on vacation, deployment, move, renovate your home, have guests over, have an open house, fumigate your home, landlord inspection, or simply want to have your cat interact with humans. Unlike popular belief, it is not recommended to simply leave out a bowl of water and food while you leave your cat at home for an extended period of time. Being left alone, cats can have stress, anxiety, loneliness, and confusion. The health and safety is also a concern when your cat is left alone. If there is a storm or fire, it is possible that your cat will not be rescued. Your cat may also get into something that is seriously harmful or may cause injury. If your cat is ill, nobody is around to tend to them. As the these risks increase, the decision board your cat is important. When you board your cat in a place the specializes in the care of cats, it is the best decision you can do for the health and safety of your cat. Our facility frequently checks on each cat daily, as well as tends to their medical, social, and behavioral needs.
Q. Why is cage-free important?
A. Does your cat stay in a cage 24 hours per day, 7 days per week at your home? We did not think so, and this is why we are providing spacious suites and play areas at our cat hotel. Cats are creatures that require daily exercise, stimulation, and freedom to roam around as they please. As you often see, your cat scouts around the house, perches at the window to watch the world outside, snuggles on your couch, hides in her favorite spot, stretches, jumps on tables or counters, and bats toys (and maybe bugs!) around. In a small cage, cats simply cannot do all that they would normally do at home, and are confined to a tiny space. Often times, the cages are stacked or next to one another, which does not allow privacy or sanitation between cages. There is little ventilation between their litter and food or resting place and there is a high risk of illness spreading amongst cats! We feel at our cat hotel that cats are entitled to a more humane place to stay, as they are an extension of our own families. Each suite has an 8-foot wall separated from other rooms, with open ventilated ceilings, tall glass doors, and private litter boxes. All rooms have multiple caves, beds, shelves, toys and room for all cat personalities! Each cat will have the privacy, security, sanitation, and room that they require in order to be happy!
Q. What is your deposit and cancellation policy?
A. Pounce Hawaii requires that all reservations are made in advance by using the online booking service online, or by email to info@pouncehawaii.com. A confirmation will be emailed with each client upon final approval from Pounce Hawaii. Booking a reservation online is not a confirmation of a suite for the owner’s cat(s). An emailed “reservation checklist” serves as a confirmation. Owner must pay a 50% deposit within 2 days of the reservation, otherwise it will be cancelled. If the owner cancels the reservation 14 days or less prior to the check-in date, the entire initial deposit is non-refundable. If the owner cancels the reservation 15 days or more from the check-in date, half of the initial deposit will be refunded back to the customer. Early check-outs will still be obligated by the Owner to pay the original check-out date. Pounce Hawaii is a small business with limited availability and cannot turn away other guests which are dependent on the owner’s reservation.
Q. What are your cleaning procedures?
For cats in the hotel rooms: We completely vacuum and sterilize each suite after each check-out three times with veterinarian grade cleaners on all surfaces. These surfaces include: walls, shelves, floors, doors, windows, baseboards and lattice ceilings. We clean out feces from the litter box each day with a poo bag. We change and sterilize the litter boxes after each check-out and throughout long-term boarding stays. We sterilize plush bedding and toys in a hot water washer after each check-out and throughout long-term boarding stays. We sterilize our stainless steel bowls and ceramic bowls after each use in a hot water dish washer. We always sterilize all equipment that we use during our cleaning.
For cats in cat lounge: We completely vacuum and sterilize using veterinarian grade cleaner in the cat lounge and reception every morning. We dump and change the litter box every morning and replace with fresh litter. We sterilize plush bedding and toys in a hot water washer every day. We sterilize our stainless steel bowls and ceramic bowls after each use in a hot water dish washer. We always sterilize all equipment that we use during our cleaning.
For humans: We also require hand sanitization throughout the appointment visit. We require socks to be worn in our cat lounge so that there is minimal contamination tracked from our feet and shoes. After each lounge appointment, we sterilize all high touch surfaces, door handles, pens, clipboards, etc and disinfect the air.
Q. Do I bring my food or medication?
A. Yes! For consistency and stress-free purposes, we require you to bring all food, medication, and supplements that your cat would normally eat at home. Please bring enough for the total number of days, plus a couple day’s worth just in case! You may additionally purchase treats or catnip to eat during their stay at the hotel.
Q. Do you administer medications, insulin, or sub-q fluids to my cat?
A. We do! We need to know the specific instructions from you in advance and there will be a fee for any medication taken by your cat, including: oral, topical and injection. Please see our pricing page for the additional fee.
Q. What do I need to bring?
A. We provide everything your cat needs for a comfortable stay. We require that you provide all of the food, medications, and supplements for your cat. Please bring your cat in an enclosed carrier when you arrive. For the safety of our staff and your cat, we will deny entry to a cat not in an enclosed carrier. We recommend to bring a toy or article of your clothing for a familiar scent for you cat to have in their suite. That’s all you need to bring, and we store everything for you at our facility! Please do not bring items that you’re not okay with us discarding if they become soiled or ruined. For sanitary reasons, soiled or ruined items are subject to be disposed of by Pounce Hawaii. Pounce Hawaii will not retain or store soiled or ruined items. We do not accept: bulky items, pet cameras, feeders or water fountains with electrical cords/wires, personal dishes, or breakable items.
Q. What time Do I pick-up and drop-off?
A. We have an intimate staff and dedicate the majority of our mornings and evenings to our cat hotel guests only. For this reason, we limit the amount of interruptions of human visitors during this time and request appointments to be made. Our pick-up times are by appointment only between 9am-12pm, and drop-off times are by appointment only between 1pm-5pm. Any check-ins earlier or check-outs later of these times will be charged an additional night to hold the room for your kitty. We will not be accommodating any pick-up/drop off appointments outside of these hours. If you need other transportation arrangements, we offer a chauffeur service to your residence or airport!
Q. what happens if my cat has an emergency while staying at pounce?
A. Our standard procedure is calling and emailing the owner immediately. While sometimes we can wait for the owner to respond back to us, sometimes we will take immediate action. We will also contact the cat’s primary veterinarian. In the event that we cannot get ahold of the primary vet or they are not taking appointments, we will use our own discretion to take the cat to VERC (Veterinarian Emergency & Referral Center) for immediate care. Rest assured that the drive is only 8 minutes away from our cat hotel. We keep in touch with the owner through the entire process.
Q. What are your hours of operation?
A. Human admin hours: Monday-Sunday, 10:00AM - 6:00PM
We are by appointment only, as we spend our day tending to the kitties and time-specific appointments. We do not have any “walk-in” appointments. Please make an appointment on either: hotel, grooming, or adoptions page! If you are unsure, please give us a call!
We are closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day for any in-person appointments, check-ins, and check-outs.
Q. Do you have any minimum night stay requirements?
A. We have a 5-7-night minimum stay for our Royal Suites, depending upon availability. We have a minimum night stay requirement for our peak holiday times: 3 nights for executive suites and 7 nights for all other upgraded suites (Villa, VIP, VIP Window). The holidays include, but are not limited to: Spring Break, Memorial Day weekend (Friday-Tuesday), 4th of July Weekend (Tuesday-Tuesday), Labor Day Weekend (Friday-Tuesday), Fall Break, Thanksgiving Week (Tuesday-Tuesday), and Dec 15-January 10. We have a 5 night minimum (executive) and 7 night minimum for all other upgrades suites for the December-January holiday peak season! We may require minimum night stay for certain busy weeks, depending on availability. If your reservation dates fall into these dates, you may have to meet the minimum night requirement. We have limited availability and try to accommodate our guests as best we can. Please still inquire about your dates and the availability of the room you are requesting. Sometimes we have cancellations and we can squeeze you in for a shorter stay. Thank you for your understanding! We are closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day for any in-person appointments, check-ins, and check-outs.
Q. Can i or my friends/family vISIT MY FUR BABY AT POUNCE HAWAII?
A. We are currently not allowing visitors.
Q. what if i need to pick up or drop off outside of the regular hours?
A. We have specific hours because we are a small business committed to spending the remaining part of our time with your cats in our care. Thank you for understanding. If you need to pick up or drop off outside of the designated check in/out hours, you will be charged for an additional night’s stay.
Q. Do you require flea medication?
A. Yes! In fact, we will turn your cat away if we find any fleas on them upon drop-off. It is very serious that our hotel is not contaminated with fleas. Please provide topical flea treatment prior to the day you bring your cats. We will not accept them unless they have already been given medication at your home. We require proof. If we do find fleas after you drop off your cat, we will provide medication for them and you be charged and/or they will be required to leave the facility.
Q. Do you require vaccinations?
A. Yes! We require that your cats have current FVRCP vaccine. Your cat will not be in direct contact with other cats, but this vaccination boosts your cat’s immunity so they are not prone to becoming ill from being in a new environment or indirect contact with other felines. Kittens must have their complete series of kitten vaccines/boosters. We ask that you update their vaccines at least one week before their scheduled time to visit our facility.
Q. Do you require MY CAT TO BE SPAYED/NEUTERED?
A. Yes! We require that all male cats are neutered, no exceptions! The reason is that male cats may have a tendency to spray, and even if they do not spray at home, they may spray in a new environment. This compromises the cleanliness and sanitation of our hotel and therefore we cannot allow un-neutered male cats to stay with us at all. For female cats, we do not require them to be spayed.
Q. Where can I find a vet?
A. We have a list of our recommended vets on our website. Click Here to view our directory.
Q. Do you board other animals?
A. No dogs! We can board other small animals such as birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, etc. Please call us to inquire about boarding your other small pet!
Q. Is my cat going to interact with other cats?
A. No! They remain in their own private suite for their entire stay. They do, however, have interaction with our human staff throughout the day.
Q. What happens if I need to extend my cat’s stay?
A. Of course we are happy to accommodate you! As soon as you know that you will be extending your cat’s stay, please let us know. If we are not entirely booked, we can arrange additional nights. Please call or e-mail us! Because we are an intimate boarding facility, we may not have enough rooms that are vacant, especially during peak season.
Q. I am moving to or away from hawaii, can I use your services?
A. Absolutely! If you are moving to Hawaii, please reserve beginning the day before you expect your cat to be delivered to our hotel after arriving on the aircraft, to ensure the suite is available upon check-in. You may book through your expected date to pick up the kitty. We know at times it is difficult moving pets to Hawaii and are happy to be flexible for your delayed dates. However, should your cat’s flight into Hawaii be delayed, you will still be responsible to pay the room rate from which the reservation originally began. Thank you for your understanding. If you are moving away from Hawaii, please reserve from the day of check-in to the day after you expect your cat to be departing on an aircraft, to ensure the suite is available through check-out. We know at times it is difficult moving pets away Hawaii and are happy to be flexible for your delayed dates. Please understand that we do fill up quickly, and we require as much advance notice as possible to extend your room reservation.
If you are working with a third party pet moving company, we still require an appointment time to be set up in advance, for both check-in and check-out. We cannot guarantee that a staff member is available to assist unless there is an appointment time. We are happy to recommend a wonderful pet moving company called PCSMyPet.
Q. Do you offer any specials or referral programs?
A. We do! If you refer a friend to us, and they reserve a suite for their cat, you will receive one free night’s stay! After their booking, you will receive your voucher. We appreciate your support and could not grow our business without you!
Q. can i take a tour of your facility?
A. Yes, please visit our tour request page here for further details on scheduling a tour with us!
Q. Do you have multiple locations and where do i take my cat?
A. Yes, our primary location is: 839 Queen Street, Honolulu, HI 96813 (Kaka’ako). Our second location is: 716 Cooke Street, Honolulu, HI 96813 (Kaka’ako). We will notify you before you check-in which location your cat will be staying at. If you have a primary preference, we will firstly take that into consideration. Please keep in mind, certain types of suites are only at one location, not both.
Q. I have more questions, who do I speak to?
A. Please call us or email us with your further questions and ask to speak to a manager, we are happy to help you in every way that we can! Contact information is below or in our “Contact Us” section in the menu.