I boarded my 16 year old cat at Moe's for two weeks over Christmas and New Year's last year (took a while to get around to writing this). Moe was fairly friendly and communicative at first, but when I arrived I was not allowed inside to see the set-up where my cat would be staying. I knew she wouldn't have a lot of space, but from the one blurry picture I received during her stay, she was sleeping and eating right next to her litter box in the small cage. When I picked her up, I found out that she had lost half a pound (and she was already underweight), and had an eye and upper respiratory infection that she probably picked up from another cat there which had to be treated with medication. She also smelled bad and had to be bathed right away. I brought a cat bed with her, which was in her cage, and when I picked her up there was uncleaned vomit on the bed. I would never take my cat here again. I don't think she properly received her medication every day either but that is just my suspicion. I am disappointment in the lack of care and concern for her health and the cleanliness of her environment. That being said, it is the cheapest boarding option I could find, and my cat is old and more susceptible to infections. A younger cat would probably be fine boarding here for a weekend maybe, but I wouldn't do any longer than that. read more

We have two three-year-old kitten brothers. Moe was able to accommodate them for multiple stays-- one for a short 2-day trip, and another for a longer 2-week trip. Moe had great communication, a flexible schedule for drop off and pick up, reasonable rates, and electronic payment options. On both trips, the cats came back in one piece, clean, and emotionally well-adjusted. On one trip, one of our eye-goopy cats even came back cleaner than when we left him. Although we've moved out of the area, I'd definitely recommend Moe to anyone who needs boarding. read more

Moe is knowledgeable about cats and made sure to ask important questions about my cat's eating habits, etc. My cat came back happy and well-fed, and I would 100% use Moe's services again. Great value overall! read more

Wonderful option for my kitty Lou! He has a hard time being away from me but I wanted him to be well-looked after when I had to go on a trip. Very friendly, flexible and reasonably priced. Will definitely recommend to friends. Thank you! read more

I had a long, very detailed review I was going to write about Just Cats but, to be honest, I just can't bear to get all weepy right now. Let me just say that I wish there were more people on this planet like Monique. This fine lady went *way* above and beyond to make sure my sweet old boy was taken care of at my home, as well as at the wonderful Cheshire Cat Clinic (http://www.yelp.com/biz/cheshire-cat-clinic-oakland) where she works as a skilled veterinary technician. She's kind of an angel, actually. RIP, AK. We love you. read more

I went to look at Just Cats (for boarding) when I was trying to find a place for my cat over the holidays. I ended up going somewhere else, but wanted to add my "first-impression" opinion because it seems different from what others have said in their reviews. I found this place when I asked Cheshire Cat Clinic if they offered boarding - so I give them an extra star for being associated with a good vet. The cats are kept in large cages, in a house (I think the owner lives there). They also use recycled paper cat litter (Go Earth!). That's all fine... however, on the day I was there, the place had an awful animal pound, cat poop, "too many cats in one place" smell to it. I knew if my cat stayed there, he would come home smelling like he did when we got him at the shelter (bad). Also, the whole time I was there (approx 10 minutes) there was a toddler screeching and screaming as loud as he could for his Thomas the Train video. Even with his video playing, he was going crazy --- No problem with kids, just not the kind of welcoming committee I want for my kitty in a new, already scary enough environment. The other reviewers seem to love it, but at least check it out before you give them your cat. But for $25/$35 a night, I can find a place without the smell or the screaming kid. read more

I has just moved to the Bay area and my experience with leaving my cat in Moe's care could not have been better. She was accommodating in every way, even during the holidays when she was booked she went above and beyond to figure out an arrangement for me. During the time my cat was in boarding I got to know Moe and I can say that she cares for your pet like it's one of her own. I would drop by regularly to visit and always find her either cleaning, feeding, or just checking up on the cats making sure they had a soft blanket, paper bag to hide in, or a little treat. Her rates are affordable at $20/day, she's reliable when it comes to texting updates and always replies promptly, her cat condos are large and kept clean. Moe is professional, safe, friendly and overall I was very pleased with her service. read more

We just had Just Cats watch our cats while we were out of town for the holidays, and everything was great! VERY affordable rates, and Jessica was so sweet and professional! Now I have not used their pet boarding services, only the pet sitting, but I am sure it would be just as good. They took great care of all our cats and followed all our directions perfectly. Would highly recommend again. **UPDATE: I just used Just Cats again. Another great experience! Jessica was unavailable but Monique (I think I spelled right?) was, and she was just as good. The cats were happy, we called on very short notice (like 2 days) and they were happy to accommodate. Again A+++ Highly Recommend read more

While moving I had to find boarding for my 3 cats that was affordable and safe. When I met Mo she was friendly, professional and her love for animals was apparent. She texted me daily updates, was very flexible with my schedule and even had the cats ready to go when I came to pick them up. I paid $20/night for all 3. There is nothing else out there at that rate. When I first arrived, Mo had large cages in the living room but yesterday she moved the housing area into a seperate larger room. Yes, the cats are in her house but it was obvious that they were very well taken care of. For short-term housing I would definitely recommend Mo. It also helps that she only boards cats-- if you board with a vet, the dog barking is hell for the cats! GREAT GREAT GREAT service! I would give 6 stars if I could. Thanks Mo!! read more

Got to say, Moe is great with our cat. Now, our cat isn't a GEM when she is there, but Moe watches out for her. She knows the cat's temperament and works around it. We have learned, over the years, that it is best for out little "challenge" to continue with her same food while we are away. Moe is fine with feeding our cat the food we bring. Moe also knows folks at the local cat hospital, and will call them if she has a question or concern about one of the cats in her care. Her heart is with these animals she is caring for daily. read more

I hate to leave bad reviews but we did not have a good experience. I should have taken the hint when Moe wasn't able to let us see the place before we brought our cat there to board him. When we arrived at the time we agreed to meet, we saw the room he'd be staying in, a bunch of cages right next to each other in a room. Litter boxes each had only a handful of pellets in them. She also mentioned she had an unfixed cat that was boarding. Probably because of that, our cat started howling and hissing immediately upon arrival, while in his carrier. We'd never seen him behave that way. Moe didn't have a crate ready for him, they were all full. I offered to help her set one up because my cat was clearly upset. She said it would take her a while and we should leave. We felt horrible, he wouldn't even let us touch him before we left. We got no updates while we were gone unless we asked, and then we got very short answers many hours later, which was frustrating because her answers were that he was not doing well. She sent one picture that was so blurry we could hardly tell it was him. When we finally got to pick him up he seemed ok, but we won't be leaving him there again. read more

We were out of town when our cat-sitter arrangement fell through, and we called Just Cats. As a result, we didn't visit the boarding facility (Moe's house) in advance, but only read the Yelp reviews. Plus side: Moe was accommodating, went and picked up our cat to bring her to her house. She offered us a discount on long term care (our cat might have been there as long as a month). Con side: what I hadn't quite realized, from the other Yelp reviews: YOUR CAT WILL BE LIVING IN A CAGE. The "condo" is a pet store-type cage, with a little shelf; the cats are allowed to wander outside for an hour a day. Maybe that works for the short-term, but I have trouble believing it's a good situation for the longer term for an adult cat. I wish Moe had let us know that in advance, in our conversations. When we discovered this, a day into the stay (she sent us pictures), we were able to line up an alternative arrangement -- one I wish we had thought of before. I had paid Moe in advance for a week, in good faith. I have to say, I am disappointed that when we took our cat away, because of the cage situation, she suddenly announced a policy of "no refunds" for future services, whether or not she was able to refill the spot. I understand if she wasn't able to fill the spot, but this seems to me unreasonable. So just be sure you realize that this is not like letting your cat live in someone's home. I don't know that it is so different from veterinary boarding, which is what we were eager to avoid. read more

I had a similar experience to John R. I dropped my two cats off (April 2013) only to find that the kitty "condos" were cages barely large enough for my two cats to stretch out and take a few steps. I was going to use Moe for several months, but felt awful leaving my cats in the cage for what might be a long time. I made other arrangements after about ten days, and when I asked for a partial refund of the one month's pay I gave her, I got the run around. Six months later I still have not received the check Moe said she mailed. I recommend you check out the conditions your cat will be in and not commit to a stay of any length until - and unless - you and your cat have gained some comfort with the environment and care. read more

Arrived at a scheduled appointment, called to say I was a few minutes early. Now did not call me back, and sent a text saying that she totally forgot that I was coming over, and asked if we I could come back later in the afternoon or tomorrow. Hate to be catty, but that isn't acceptable, came from 22 miles away read more

I'm with Louise: I almost don't want other people to know about this great service! I haven't used the boarding, only pet sitting. Both Monique & Jessica have been great with my two kitties. I completely trust either of them to take care of my pets. read more

I currently leave my cats with Moe every other weekend as needed when I go out of town. She takes great care of my 2 cats. Throughout the past year one of my cats was sick and every time I have had to leave him with Moe, she administers his medication in addition to supplying me with updates on his progress via text messages/calls. Some reviewers are complaining about the environment, however I think if someone ran a cat business for years, the smell of a presence of cats will be there. The facilities are clean and it does not smell like feces. If you want a 5 start hotel then feel inclined to pay that and take your cat's to the Hilton. Overall she gives your cat what it needs while you are gone. There is ease of access to drop your pet off and pick up in regards to the location of business. read more

After our last visit with Moe, we will definitely not be going back. For several reasons that would require a lengthy post, mainly poor lack of communication and "condos" that are truly cages. I would recommend finding elsewhere for your cat! read more

Just Cats Boarding & Petsitting (Moe) has been a lifesaver for me ever since I moved to Oakland just over one year ago. Her price is right at $20 per day (probably under priced given she has to travel to and from her clients' homes), and she has always taken great care of my cat, Roger. I adore Roger, but he requires more attention than most cats. However, I always feel comfortable entrusting Roger to Moe's care when I am away. She takes time to play with Roger and brush him during each of her visits and tends to my many plants, which I think is going above and beyond. I can take comfort knowing that he will get fresh food and water every day, and I appreciate Moe's daily messages on how my cat is doing. Moe has never turned me away even at the last minute, and she is always very accommodating of my schedule. Thank you, Moe. read more

Moe has been great to our two lil fur balls. We recently moved back to Oakland and have been doing a combination of staying with in laws and subletting while we look for a place. If it wasn't for Moe and the peace of mind she provides for us where we know our guys are being taken care of and are safe this not fun situation would have been a lot worse. She beats the other guys rates by a mile and you know your cats are in good care, we're looking forward to being able to take some vacations in the future because of Moe. read more

Jessica has taken care of my two kitties twice when we've been out of town. I am a worrisome kitty mom and need constant communication to reassure me that my babies are ok. Jessica obliged me and was even sometimes humorous in her daily reports. I trust her with my cats and would highly, highly recommend her and Just Cats. read more

I just came back from 10 days out of town while the floors were being refinished. Moe took care of Hal who needed to be away from the house because of noise and fumes. On the third day Hal stopped eating and Moe called right away; we were ready to have her take him to the dr., but she tried several different kinds of foods and @ 11:30 at night sent me an email that she had found one he would eat. By making the effort to find a food for Hal, Moe saved me about $300 in vet bills for visit, blood tests, etc. when I had just had a Sr. check up within the past month. read more

My review is long overdue but Moe is an awesome lady and a great cat sitter. I had to go out of town quite a bit for a couple months and couldn't leave Goo-b (RIP) at home alone since he was having health issues all summer. Moe was great. She even helped me give Goo-b a booster shot that she required to keep all her guests safe. Actually I helped her because I had zero ability to even clip Goo-b's nails let alone give him a shot. When I get a new kitty, I'll definitely be giving Moe a holla. read more

I almost hesitate to write this b/c I found a service I LOVE and want to be sure they're available when I need them. After disappointing results with Hot Diggity Dog, I managed to find Just Cats. I also had Jessica who was super sweet and very patient with my cat. I used Jessica for 3 work trips which involved about 20 days away. Very happy with her. She checks in and explained how my cat did. If they aren't available to pet sit, they have a really lovely facility for boarding in Laurel. I didn't utilize boarding yet, but visited and it looked fine. My only complaint on viewing is that the sleeping platform in the cages are rather small, compared at least to what my cat usually sleeps on. read more

Sorry, but this was NOT what I expected!!! I originally made a reservation in May, 2008 to board my cat in September for 2 weeks. At the time, "Marsha" was working there & I really like her very much. When the time came to board my kitty, there was a new person named "Mo". I wasn't impressed with her phone demeanor to begin with, but figured I'd at least meet her to assess further. It didn't get much better after that. Her personality left something to be desired. (bland & unfriendly --- not a positive thing to be dealing with when one is a customer). I was told the cats are let out individually (daily) in a large room. My cat (who is very sweet) ran into one of the large scratching barrels before I left because he was frightened. When I called later to check on him, "Mo" told me that it took 2 people to PULL him out of the barrel & then he pee'd on the other person. I've boarded him elsewhere and no one ever reported this type of behavior from him. This didn't sound right to me. He was terrified & mis-handled. I decided to pick him up within 4 days instead of the full 2 weeks. When I arrived, I was told he had NEVER been let out of the cage during that time (he's a rescue cat & really hates cages, anyway). It was almost as though he was being punished!!! I'm really upset & disappointed. I would NEVER use this place again, despite the close proximity to where I live! The owner should be more in tune with who they hire. Jo-Ann L. read more

I've boarded my cat with Moe several times over the last three years, and he has always been well cared for. Moe returns emails and texts and is flexible about pick up and drop off times. The cats stay in large cages, twice the size of many boarding kennels. When I've needed to extend my away time Moe has worked with me, and been responsive to my queries. I always feel safe leaving my cat with Moe, she gives him his meds twice a day, and takes good care of him for me. read more

It saddens me to write this review, because the service has gone downhill so dramatically. I first used Just Cats' boarding services when I took a three-week trip to Europe in December 2006, shortly after Monique (a vet tech from Chesire Cat Clinic) opened her business. At the time, it was in an odd location, but it was fine. Nothing fancy, but clean, with sunlight for my cat to nap in and windows for him to look out. They also promised time for each cat outside of his good-sized cages to play with the staff. Monique e-mailed me photos of Harry while on my trip. He came home relaxed and happy, and I boarded him there again several times for short trips. I never saw Monique again and dealt only with another woman named Moe, the mother of the toddler referenced in another review. I, too, dropped off my cat on a couple occasions when the toddler was crying and screaming hysterically while rolling around in his walker. I know kids cry, I do; it's just not the calm experience I was hoping for in dropping my cat off. After being without a cat for a year, I adopted Baxter in March, shortly before discovering that I would be traveling a lot for work. My first trip requiring boarding my new cat this year, I discovered that the address for Just Cats had changed. Now it's in an apartment in the back of a multi-unit house. There was more of an odor there than I remembered from the original location, but I figured that probably came with the territory. But last week, I dropped Baxter off, and when I walked in, the smell was overpowering. BAD. As in, I don't know how it could possibly smell that bad, unless they are not cleaning litter boxes, are letting cats urinate everywhere outside their cages, are purposely not doing anything to clean it up and get rid of the smell, and are keeping the windows tightly closed. It was that oppressive. I was on my way to the airport, so I couldn't make other arrangements, and just as I dreaded, when I picked Baxter up, he stank of cat urine, as did his carrier and toys. I felt horrible for him. Another thing I wonder is how often the cats, at this point, are actually let out of their cages and played with, since I got the definite sense from Moe that she is only at the house when she must be for a pick up and drop off. I only met Monique once or twice back in 2006; I don't know if she is still associated with the business -- there have been issues where the Web site has been down, or the phone was disconnected; and frankly, the fact that a vet tech started the service was the whole reason for my choosing them in the first place. So my disappointment runs deep on many levels; but the unhygienic setting this last visit has put me off for good. So...any recommendations of cat boarders? Let me know. Thanks. read more

My cat, who has chosen to remain anonymous, spent many a night at Just Cats. She and I both give five stars to Moe, Monique and Just Cats itself. The room that my cat stayed in was airy and light, and my cat got a window to herself. She was brushed, given the opportunity to run around (which she graciously declined), and her roomy cat-condo was clean and comfortable. Moe was extremely attentive and thoughtful both to me and especially to my cat, and her son was adorable and very good with the cats. Unfortunately my cat and I have relocated across the country, but if we are ever in California and in need of a petsitting facility, I would run straight back to Just Cats in a heartbeat. I am so grateful to them for all the care and consideration they put into the business and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone interested in boarding or cat-sitting! read more

Three times a year for the past 10 years I have been boarding my kitties at Just Cats. I always feel so comfortable leaving them with Moe because I know they will get Tender Loving Care. She is the best, and it is so obvious she loves cats. She is also very knowledgeable about adiministering medication and performing procedures for a number of diseases that my kitties have had. I will be boarding my babies for 13 days in January, and I know they will get the best of care! read more

I have boarded my cat a few times and he is always happy when I pick him up. The woman is nice and the cages are large and roomy. very flexible with drop off and pick up times. Clean with cat toys and cat scratching posts, I will continue to bring my cat here. read more

I found Just Cats a couple of years ago when I moved to the East Bay and was looking for a boarding place for my cat. 2 years later and Bogey (and I) love it and are regulars. While they don't have the fancy set up of some of the dog and cat 'hotels' in San Francisco, they provide what I struggled to find elsewhere in the area- a safe, clean, loving place for my cat to stay when I'm away. Just because the set up may not be corporate, don't overlook Just Cats. They also have the flexibility that the bigger places do not- Moe is great at working with me on pick up and drop offs! Bogey can either hang out comfortably on the perch in his cat condo, or have the opportunity to get out and stretch his legs, nap on the couch, etc. when it's his turn for optional play time. He's spent a lot of time at Just Cats since I love to travel- anywhere from a quick weekend stay to a couple of weeks. Highly recommended. read more