About usThe Story Behind
Shangri-Paw
If you have found your way here, you are probably looking for a luxury cat hotel in Singapore, and our 5.0-star Google reviews may be what caught your eye. Here’s more about us, our founder and the team.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5.0 on Google
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More than 120+ real reviews
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Fear Free trained
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As featured on CNA, Expat Living & Harper's Bazaar
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5.0 on Google · More than 120+ real reviews · Fear Free trained · As featured on CNA, Expat Living & Harper's Bazaar ·
Why I built Shangri-Paw
Hello, I'm Kerstin, and I built Shangri-Paw as the place I would happily trust with my own very needy cats.
After years rescuing and rehoming hundreds of Singapore's street cats, taking courses and working in clinics, I kept hitting the same wall. When friends asked what to do with their cats while they travelled, I had no good answer. House-sitting was not always an option.
Cats with special needs had nowhere suited to them. And most cat boarding back then meant cabins and cages.
So I built the place I would feel comfortable leaving my own cats. A boutique, cats-only hotel where cats are cared for, from the first enquiry to well after check-out, like VIPs.
"Cats can do so much better than we ever expect, when the environment and care are planned around their behaviour."
My journeyHow I got here
My love for cats goes a long way back. As a child on holidays in Greece, I was the one picking up the strays. They have always taken a natural liking to me.
I adopted my first cats in Singapore in 2016, then in 2018 began volunteering fostering with the Project LUNI team, first as a pet photographer, then caring for kittens and neonates around the clock, and eventually as a foster manager. The more cats I cared for, the more I wanted to understand them, so I trained in animal behaviour and veterinary nursing, and earned my Fear Free certification.
At home, my family is ruled by my first two adopted cats, Marvin and Zelda, and two foster fails, Kodak and Samantha, who have taught me more about feline personalities than any course ever could.
Today I am at the hotel almost every day, I know almost 95% of our guest cats by routine, and I am in every owner chat. I look forward to connecting with you!
The expertise behind every stay
Everything here runs on training, not instinct alone. It starts with mine, and it carries through a team that's qualified in their own right.
Professional Certifications
Animal Studies / Veterinary Nursing, Certificate III (ACVN, UQ Skills, Australia)
Fear Free Certified Professional (veterinary professional level, renewed yearly)
Animal Behaviour studies (Studiengemeinschaft Darmstadt, Germany)
Other experiences
Rescuing and fostering since 2018 with the Project LUNI team (photographer, then neonatal fosterer, then foster manager)
Hands-on clinical experience in Singapore veterinary clinics
Personally cared for hundreds of cats, including medically complex cases
Clinical Experience
Oral, topical and subcutaneous medication, including subcutaneous fluids
Senior, post-surgery and chronic-condition care, working alongside your own vet
AVS-licensed boarding since September 2026
My philosophyHow we think about cat care at Shangri-Paw
Good care is holistic. It starts with a cat-centric environment, a trained team, an individual care plan for every cat, and constant communication with you.
It also depends on consistency. At Shangri-Paw, we keep the team small on purpose, so your cat sees the same familiar faces each stay.
And it depends on people, not just cats. When I hire, being a “cat person” is not enough. My team has to genuinely care about owners too, never make anyone feel silly for asking questions, and show real empathy, especially to first-time boarders and anxious pawrents.
What we stand forOur values, and how they show up every day
Fear Free, low-stress care
No cages, no forced interaction. We get to know each cat over the first hours and days, then tailor our approach to them.
Genuine expertise
My certifications sit behind every stay, and all my staff are trained, on the job and through courses, so the knowledge is shared.
Transparency and trust
In the early days we happily flood you with photos, videos and updates, including the pee and poop pics that say your cat is comfortable. Always free.
Individualised care
Meal plans follow your cat's home routine. Bring their own fountain or feeder. Medication and supplements handled by trained hands.
Safety and hygiene
F10 veterinary grade disinfectant, laundry run at high temperatures, stainless steel litter boxes, HEPA air purifiers and no shared spaces. You would never guess how many cats are here.
Meet the teamThe people who care for your cat
I keep the team small and long-serving on purpose, so your cat sees familiar faces each stay. We update each other daily about every cat, so what one shift learns, the next shift knows. Nail trims, for example, are often done in pairs, one of us as treat-dispenser and head-masseuse while the other does the trim, so some cats barely notice.
Kerstin
FounderVet-nurse trained, Fear Free Certified Professional, and the person in every owner chat. Years of rescue and fostering with Project LUNI led her to build the hotel she would trust with her own cats. At home: Marvin, Zelda, Kodak and Samantha.
Animal Studies / Veterinary Nursing, Certificate III with Australian College of Veterinary Nursing (ACVN) and Fear Free certified professional.
Agnes
Cat ConciergeWith us since January 2024
A Certified Groomer who has completed the Fear Free Grooming course, Agnes puts even nervous cats at ease, and previously managed a cat adoption centre. At home, Lucifur and Purrsephone keep her busy with their daily hand-feeding.
Certified Groomer · Fear Free Grooming
Kaye
CAT CONCIERGEWith us since December 2023
Kaye holds a Diploma (Conversion) in Veterinary Science and brings real clinical knowledge to daily care, with a sharp eye for the small signs that something is off. Five cats run her household, so she is never truly off duty.
Diploma (Conversion), Veterinary Science
Josephine
Cat ConciergeWith us since July 2024
Trained in-house to our Fear Free standards, Josephine will tell you this is the best job in the world, and our guests clearly agree. She also sews custom cat bandanas or the lovely covers for our LG Aerocat Air Purifier Towers.
Steph
Cat ConciergeWith us since March 2025
Previously owned by cats herself, Steph delights in meeting so many different personalities. She is our resident fairy goodmeowther, behind the seasonal decorations and the creative daily updates that make pawrents smile.
Alissa
Cat ConciergeWith us since September 2025
One cat rules Alissa's home, which is excellent training for a hotel full of discerning guests. She brings calm, attentive care to every stay.
Julita
Cat ConciergeWith us since April 2026
Julita brought her own precious cat all the way from Poland to Singapore, so she understands better than most what a cat means to its family. She gives every guest that same devotion.
Just in July 2026 she adopted on our our in-house rescues to get her kitty a friend!
Sarah
Cat ConciergeWith us since May 2026
After recently losing her own young cat, Sarah pours all that love into our guests. Her gentleness makes her a natural with cats who need a little extra reassurance.
You?
We are hiring We look for calm, genuinely caring people who love cats and people in equal measure.
Join the team →Trusted by Singapore's pawrents5.0 on Google, from more than 118 genuine reviews
One of the strongest review record of any cat hotel in Singapore. Featured by CNA, Pro7 and Harper's Bazaar.
★★★★★
"We recently put our extremely anxious cat in for a couple of weeks over Christmas, and when it came time to pick him up, I honestly think he didn't want to leave."
Guy, cat dad to Rex
★★★★★
"The space was light and airy, with no unpleasant smells and no crying cats. Most importantly, it felt calm. We have boarded Basil twice for over four weeks at a time."
Rebecca Shalley · Basil
★★★★★
"If I did not tell you this was a cat hotel, you'll never know. There is no pee or poo or kitty smell at all. The cleanliness is tip top."
Amanda B
FREQUENTLY ASK QUESTIONSAbout Shangri-Paw, answered
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No, and I am careful never to claim that. I am trained in veterinary nursing (Animal Studies Certificate III, ACVN / UQ Skills, Australia), I am a Fear Free Certified Professional, and I am certified in animal behaviour. I work alongside your cat's own vet rather than replacing one.
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A Certificate III in Animal Studies and Veterinary Nursing (ACVN, UQ Skills, Australia), a Fear Free Certified Professional certification at the veterinary professional level, and animal behaviour studies (Studiengemeinschaft Darmstadt, Germany), alongside clinical experience and years of rescue and fostering with Project LUNI.
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No facility anywhere can be (as of now). Currently, only individual professionals and veterinary practices can hold Fear Free certification.
Kerstin hold it as an individual and is one of only two certified cat hotel owners in Singapore, so Shangri-Paw is a genuinely Fear Free trained environment, run by a certified professional.
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A small, long-serving team trained to one consistent standard, with me present almost every day and in every owner chat. Your cat sees familiar faces each stay.
CareersWant to work with cats, the right way?
I occasionally look for calm, genuinely caring people who love cats and people in equal measure. If that sounds like you, I would love to hear from you.
Come and see for yourselfMeet the founder, your cat’s care team & choose your cat's room
The best way to understand Shangri-Paw is to visit.
Book a free private tour and see it for yourself.