Welcome to Iden Wood Cattery

EST 1973

Formerly Iden Boarding Kennels & Cattery, IDEN WOOD CATTERY is continuing to thrive under the same family management now that the dog boarding side of things has closed down. However, we feel the history of the old kennels is still interesting enough to be included in the Cattery website

The site is still surrounded by the lovely old Victorian iron railings that once formed part of the original Battersea Dogs Home, known then as ‘The Home for Lost & Straying Dogs’. You could say that our kennels had been keeping dogs safe for about 150 years!

Bernardine Fiddimore is the owner of IDEN WOOD CATTERY with forty years of experience with cats to call upon. She trained in veterinary nursing and still keeps in touch the local practice, staying up to date with veterinary procedures and feline nutrition. Bernardine is a bit of a celebrity locally since being the Mayor of Rye in 2014 & 2015. She is still a serving councillor with Rye Town Council as well as the successful author of several children’s books.

It was the older generation Jim Fiddimore who created Iden Boarding Kennels & Cattery, literally from a clearing in the woods and you can read about that on our History page. Jim had a career with animals spanning nearly seventy years and was the Ministry’s choice of dog handler during both of the rabies scares in the 1960’s. He worked for many years with the police and the local council collecting and housing lost dogs and has been honoured by the RSPCA for his services to animals. Jim announced his retirement from day to day physical kennel work in 2017 at the remarkable age of 84 but his skill, knowledge and sage advice was still called upon very often. Sadly Jim passed away during the autumn of 2020 but we feel his spirit still roams, checking gates are locked, cats comfortable and happy and that all is as it should be.

Morganne Fiddimore joined the team after graduating from Royal Holloway University where she studied Geography. Passionate about the countryside, Morganne is now cuddler-in-chief in the Cattery as well as jealously guarding the operation of the jotul wood stove that provides such comfortable heat for our feline guests. She is also in charge of our on-line presence which is why we have so many followers on Facebook and such great stories and pictures.

Our cattery is warm and friendly, comfortable & homely. We are in this business because we love cats and take their care and security very seriously.