--- title: Cat Hotel or Cattery: What the Names Mean | Happy Paws url: https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/cat-hotel-vs-cattery/ 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/) - Cat hotel or cattery # Cat hotel or cattery: what the names mean In everyday use, a cat hotel and a cattery both mean a place where cats stay overnight, and the better question is what each cat gets inside. At Happy Paws Kennels the cattery is part of the building opened October 5, 2022 and costs $35 a night for one cat on the 2026 rates. [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin)[Call 707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) People searching for a cat hotel usually want the same thing as people searching for a cattery: a safe, clean room for their cat while they travel. The label matters less than the setup behind it. ## How the two words are used Cattery is the older word and has long meant a building made for housing cats. Cat hotel is the newer, friendlier term, and it fits the way boarding is billed: by the night, with check-out in the morning, much like a hotel. Neither word tells you the size of the space, the cleaning routine or how many cats share a room, so those are worth asking about. Happy Paws also bills by the night, like a hotel, and checks out by 11:30 AM. An afternoon pick-up is charged half of the nightly fee. ## What to look for in either one The AAFP and ISFM environmental needs guidelines give a good checklist, built around a cat's needs rather than a building's name. - A safe place where the cat can hide or retreat. - Raised spaces to climb and watch from. - A litter box that is the cat's own and kept clean. - Separate places for food, water and the litter box. - Routine and calm handling. ## What a cat gets at Happy Paws The cattery is in the front building of the 2022 expansion, and the dog runs are in the separate kennel building. Each cat has an individual four-level tower, which the rate sheet calls a condo, with its own litter box and blanket. There is also a cat tree and there are cat houses to play in and hide in. House food is free, with pate and a chicken-and-rice kibble, or you can bring your own. Medications are given at no extra charge. ## Price and next step One cat is $35 a night and each additional cat sharing a condo is $30 on the 2026 rates. Tours run daily from 9 to 11 AM and 2 to 4 PM, so you can compare any two places side by side. Read [what is a cattery](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/what-is-a-cattery/) for a day-in-the-life view. ### Sources (checked October 19, 2026) - [AAFP and ISFM feline environmental needs guidelines](https://catvets.com/publication/aafp-and-isfm-feline-environmental-needs-guidelines/) - [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 hours page](https://happypawskennels.com/hours/) ### 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/) - [What is a cattery?](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/what-is-a-cattery/) - [Cat condos & towers](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/cat-condo-vs-tower/) - [How much does cat boarding cost?](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/cats/how-much-does-cat-boarding-cost/) - [2026 rates](https://happypawskennels.com/rates/) - [Hours and holiday closures](https://happypawskennels.com/hours/) ## Heat and cold near the kennel **NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Vacaville station (about 8 miles from the kennel)** | Month | Avg high | Avg low | Days 90°F+ | Days 100°F+ | Nights 32°F or below | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Jan | 57.6°F | 39.6°F | 0 | 0 | 5.1 | | Feb | 63°F | 42.2°F | 0 | 0 | 1.8 | | Mar | 68.5°F | 44.8°F | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | | Apr | 74.9°F | 48°F | 1.3 | 0 | 0.1 | | May | 82.8°F | 52.9°F | 8.2 | 1 | 0 | | Jun | 90.7°F | 57.7°F | 15.9 | 4.3 | 0 | | Jul | 97.3°F | 60.2°F | 27.1 | 10.1 | 0 | | Aug | 96.5°F | 59.5°F | 25.3 | 9.3 | 0 | | Sep | 91.9°F | 57.5°F | 19.1 | 3.3 | 0 | | Oct | 81.2°F | 51.8°F | 4.6 | 0.4 | 0 | | Nov | 67°F | 44.5°F | 0 | 0 | 1 | | Dec | 57.9°F | 39.5°F | 0 | 0 | 5.5 | A normal year: about 101.5 days at 90°F or hotter, 28.4 at 100°F or hotter, 14.2 freezing nights. Source: [NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/normals-monthly/1991-2020/access/). ## Read next - [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/) - [Hamsters and gerbils while you travel](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/small-pets/hamster-and-gerbil-care-while-you-travel/) 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/). ### Is a cat hotel different from a cattery? The words are used interchangeably. What matters is the space each cat gets, the litter box and the hiding places. ### What does a cat stay cost at Happy Paws? $35 a night for one cat and $30 for each additional cat sharing a condo, per the 2026 rates. ### Are dogs housed near the cats? The cattery is in the front building and the dog runs are in the separate kennel building. ### Can I see the cattery first? Yes. Tours are daily, 9 to 11 AM and 2 to 4 PM, with no appointment.