--- title: Boarding a Shy Cat in Dixon, CA | Happy Paws Kennels url: https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/boarding-a-shy-cat/ business: Happy Paws Kennels address: 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620 phone: 707-678-6600 hours: drop-off and pick-up every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2:00-5:00 PM type: Dog and cat boarding kennel on about 10 country acres; caring for pets in Dixon since 1971 rates: 2026 rates, effective for reservations made on or after Jan 1, 2026 (dogs from $52 a night, cats $35 a night) --- - [Home](https://happypawskennels.com/) - [Guides](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/) - Boarding a shy cat # Boarding a shy cat A shy cat copes best when it can hide, climb and keep its own litter box, and a Happy Paws condo gives each cat an individual four-level tower with its own litter box and blanket, plus cat houses in the cattery. Plan a calm drop-off and bring something that smells like home. [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin)[Call 707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) Shy cats are not harder to board, they just need the room to do the work for them. Most of the preparation happens at home in the week before the trip. ## Why hiding matters to a cat The AAFP and ISFM environmental needs guidelines list a safe place as the first of five pillars of a healthy cat environment. A cat that cannot get out of view tends to stay on alert, and an alert cat often skips meals and avoids the litter box. Raised spaces help too, because a cat that can look down on a room feels more in control of it. That is the thinking behind the cat tower. Each Happy Paws guest has an individual four-level condo, so there is a level to retreat to and a level to watch from, with its own litter box and blanket. The cattery also has a cat tree and cat houses. ## Preparing a shy cat at home - Leave the carrier out for a few days with a worn T-shirt or blanket inside, as the AAHA and Cat Friendly carrier guidance suggests, so it smells normal on trip day. - Pack the blanket or shirt that smells like you. It is the one item worth sending, along with the food in its original bag. - Tell the staff at drop-off what your cat does when nervous: freezes, hides, hisses or bolts. Short notes help. - Keep the goodbye short and quiet. Long, emotional goodbyes are harder on a shy cat than on you. ## What the first day can look like Many cats spend the first day or two mostly hidden and eat little. That is common and not a sign the stay is failing. Your cat's own food from home is welcome at no charge, and so are medications. Not sure what you are seeing? The guide to [signs of stress in cats](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/cat-stress-signs/) separates the normal from the worth-a-call. ## A tour helps you and your cat Tours run every day from 9 to 11 AM and 2 to 4 PM with no appointment, and a staff member walks with you. Seeing the condos and the cat houses first often settles the owner, which settles the drop-off. A condo is $35 a night on the 2026 rates. ### Sources (checked October 19, 2026) - [AAFP and ISFM feline environmental needs guidelines](https://catvets.com/publication/aafp-and-isfm-feline-environmental-needs-guidelines/) - [AAHA: Helping your cat cope with veterinary visits](https://www.aaha.org/resources/helping-your-cat-cope-with-veterinary-visits/) - [Happy Paws Kennels 2026 rate sheet (PDF)](https://happypawskennels.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2026-Rates-EFFECTIVE-1-1-26.pdf) - [Happy Paws Kennels things to know](https://happypawskennels.com/things-to-know/) ### 2026 nightly rates - First Class kennel $72 - Business Class kennel $59 - Economy Class kennel $52 - Cat condo $35 All-inclusive: food, medications and walks. 2026 rates, effective for reservations made on or after Jan 1, 2026. [All 2026 rates](https://happypawskennels.com/rates/) ### Visit or call 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620 [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) | Drop-off and pick-up, every day | 7:30 to 11:30 AM and 2:00 to 5:00 PM | | --- | --- | | Tours, every day (no appointment) | 9:00 to 11:00 AM and 2:00 to 4:00 PM | [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin) ### Related - [Cat boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/cat-boarding/) - [Boarding a cat for the first time](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/boarding-a-cat-for-the-first-time/) - [Signs of stress in cats](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/cat-stress-signs/) - [Cat condos & towers](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/cat-condo-vs-tower/) - [Litter, food and familiar smells for a boarding cat](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/litter-and-food-for-boarding/) - [Hours and holiday closures](https://happypawskennels.com/hours/) ## Read next - [Cat hotel or cattery](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/cat-hotel-vs-cattery/) - [Car rides with a cat](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/car-rides-with-a-cat/) - [Boarding a kitten](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/boarding-a-kitten/) - [Boarding your cat and your dog on the same trip](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/boarding-cats-and-dogs-from-the-same-home/) - [Cat boarding checklist](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/cat-boarding-checklist/) - [When cat day care makes sense](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/when-cat-day-care-makes-sense/) - [Can indoor cats get fleas?](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/can-indoor-cats-get-fleas/) - [Cats and loud holidays](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/cats-and-loud-holidays/) Answers ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) (every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2-5 PM) or see the [boarding FAQ](https://happypawskennels.com/faq/). ### Will my shy cat be forced out to interact? The condo is the cat's own space with its own litter box and blanket, and the cattery includes houses to hide in. A shy cat can stay where it is comfortable. ### Should I bring my cat's bed? One item that smells like home, such as a worn T-shirt or blanket, is the best choice. ### What if my cat will not eat? Call and ask. You may also bring the food your cat already knows, in the original bag. ### Can I bring my own cat food? Yes, at no charge. Bring it in the original bag and write the amount in cups.