About the Spa

At Rock the Cat Spa, we believe that you should be able to rest assured that your cat is in a clean and safe environment when you’re away.

After several bad experiences at traditional kennels and boarding facilities, owner Cari Thompson decided to create the ultimate rock star experience for felines in Upstate New York. Here, cats are pampered and given love and care. You won’t find barking dogs, intermingling cats, or inattentive humans at Rock the Cat Spa. 

We understand that your cat is the King or Queen of the castle when they’re at home, so we’ve created several luxurious options for accommodations. Traditional kennels keep cats in small, impersonal cages with few creature comforts. Here, we have several variations on size and price, and all rooms at Rock the Cat Spa are safe, clean and provide room to move around. We also make sure to administer medication calmly and punctually. 

Our accommodations aren’t the only thing that makes us stand out. We also understand (and cater to!) cat behavior. Some cats have a reputation for being aloof and ignoring others, others need constant or on-demand attention. Some are complete divas, hissing dramatically to show their displeasure at being away from home. At Rock the Cat Spa, you’ll have time to brief the staff on your cat’s preferences and personality before you leave them in our capable hands. 

Leaving your cat in competent and caring hands is vital to their mental health and reducing your stress level while away. If you’re feeling nervous about being away from your cat, we encourage you to call and check on them. You can even schedule a feline facetime! We also provide daily reports on feeding behavior, potty times, attitude and anything else of note. 

When you bring your cat home from Rock the Cat Spa, they’ll be calm and ready to transition back into home life easily. No more stressed-out cats giving you the cold shoulder for being away! We give all cats love and attention, no matter their temperament or age. Whether you’re dropping your cat off for a quick grooming or a monthlong stay, they will be pampered. 
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Please don’t hesitate to call to ask questions, drop by for a tour or check out our social media!

About our Owner

Hi! My name is Cari Thompson and I’m the owner of Rock the Cat Spa. 

I’ve always believed two things: that necessity is the mother of invention and that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. So, after several bad experiences boarding my cat at kennels, I knew I had to create the ultimate cat boarding experience.
 
For a variety of reasons, sometimes we have to be away from our cats. I believe that one should be able to rest assured that their cat is in a clean, safe, accommodating and caring environment. Anyone can gather up some crates or wire cages, throw some scratch pads on the floor and call it a kennel in order to make a few easy bucks. But herein lies the problem: at what price is your cat ultimately affected in a detrimental manner? This where my story begins.

I used to travel a lot for work. The hardest part wasn’t the stress of airlines or the pressure to do a good job, it was the pain of leaving behind my cat, Daphne Louise. I would drop her off at kennels and think to myself, “shouldn’t there be a better way?” These facilities were everything I thought cats hated. To even get to the cat room, Daphne had to be carried through the dog area, full of smelly, barking and growling canines. It made her hair stand on end! I can’t even imagine how stressed and scared she must’ve been. But, there wasn’t another option. 

However, I still didn’t grasp the full extent of how awful these places really were. Sometimes I would call for updates on Daphne and only get an answering machine. Other times, a disinterested kennel-attendant would tell me she was “fine,” but give no other details. 

The final straw was at a place that consistently dodged my calls, didn’t answer my questions, and treated Daphne poorly for the duration of my time away. The first time I called the kennel, they told me to call back later because they were too busy to talk about Daphne. I figured that was fine since it was a busy time of year, so I called back later. However, when I finally got in touch with someone, they told me Daphne was being difficult and bothersome. My girl may be a diva sometimes, but she’s not a mean cat. I couldn’t figure out why she would be acting that way.

When I got back from my trip, I rushed to the kennel immediately to pick Daphne up and figure out what had gone wrong. What I found out was, quite simply, appalling. 

The kennel attendant complained that Daphne had hissed early in her stay (I can assure you, this was out of fear from hearing and smelling dogs all day), so the staff refused to go near her for the rest of her time there. She was not given love, pats, or comfort for the entirety of her two-week stay. They also told me that she hadn’t even been let out of her tiny cage. Now, I had been assured that cats were let out for at least an hour per day to roam around. But at pickup, they told me, “this is no longer our policy.” I was furious, not only did these people not understand that hissing is normal behavior for a cat in a new circumstance, they hadn’t even delivered on their own policies.

It took Daphne days to settle down from this ordeal. She’s always been an upbeat, affectionate girl, but after that stay, she was crawling around the house in fear of being scolded. I lavished her with affection. I swore to her and myself that we’d never go through that again. 

After that, my vet and I came to the conclusion that the only option was to take Daphne with me on trips. We ended up visiting nine states together! And while I enjoyed having her with me, I knew this wasn’t a long term solution. Finally, on a trip several states away I found the answer. I was introduced to the new world of cat care: THE CAT SPA! 

It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. The attendants loved cats and remained near them all day,  giving lots of attention, treats and kisses. If there was a drama queen, they respected her privacy but still provided care that was needed and handled the cattitude with grace. The cats were routinely let out to roam and were given ample time to play and stretch or simply nap on a warm lap. There were options for size and climbing space, and I was promised daily updates on Daphne’s behavior and wellbeing. Sure, there was a price difference, but I knew it was worth it. When I picked Daphne up, she was calm and happy and I knew she’d been treated well because they gave me detailed reports of her feedings, medications, potty times and playtimes. 

After that experience, I started feverishly researching and talking to other cat owners. I found that cat spas are becoming quite popular and cat owners all over the country have the same concerns that I did. Everyone wants to be able to leave their cat companion knowing they’re safe, sound and loved. I knew that I had to create an environment like that in Syracuse. 
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I welcome customers to ‘interview’ me and ask thorough questions, visit for a tour and have high expectations. Leaving your loved one should not be a stressful time for you or your cat. You should both be enjoying the vacation and time away relaxing and having fun. Cats were once worshipped as gods and they have never forgotten this. They deserve to be pampered, spoiled and loved. 

Hours of Operation
Sunday & Wednesday: Closed to humans**
 Mon/Tues/Thur/Fri: 10 AM-5 PM
Closed to humans 1 PM-2 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

​Pickup/Drop Off-Mon/Tues/Thur/Fri- 10:30-12:30/ 2:30-4:30      Sat- 11-1
*** Masks Required***

** Cats are cared for 7 days a week** ​