About Smoky Mountain Purrfect Stay
A Cat-Only Retreat Created With Purpose
Smoky Mountain Purrfect Stay began with a simple belief: cats deserve boarding designed specifically around the way they experience the world.
From private suites and quiet surroundings to enrichment, hiding spaces, vertical territory, and feline-focused care, every part of SMPS was created to offer cat parents a thoughtful alternative to traditional boarding.
Meet the Founder
Smoky Mountain Purrfect Stay was founded by Leigh Ann Brown, whose experience with cats spans years of hands-on pet care, fostering neonatal kittens, shelter involvement, and work in boarding environments.
Again and again, she saw how traditional pet boarding environments could be challenging for cats – especially environments built primarily around dogs. She envisioned something different: a facility where cats weren’t an afterthought, but the entire reason the facility existed.
That idea became Smoky Mountain Purrfect Stay.
Leigh Ann’s own rescue cats – Luna, Autumn, Willow, Kavi, and Donny – also helped shape the philosophy behind SMPS. Their different personalities, histories, needs, and ways of communicating reinforced an important lesson: good feline care begins by recognizing that every cat is an individual.
SMPS was created around that principle.
Within our boutique environment, superior design and serene finishes create a space that soothes the senses. Each suite, each touch, and each interaction is guided by an uncompromising dedication to personal service—extending from our feline guests to the cat parents who entrust them to us.
In doing so, Smoky Mountain Purrfect Stay continues to define what it means to experience true exclusivity in cat care—a haven of quiet luxury, designed for those who seek nothing less than the very best for their companions.
What We Believe
- Cats Deserve Specialized Care
Cats aren’t small dogs. Their environment, communication, stress responses, routines, and social preferences require a different approach to boarding.
- Choice Matters
A cat should be able to climb or stay low, interact or retreat, observe or hide. Our environment gives guests choices rather than forcing interaction.
- Care Should Be Individual
Some cats want affection immediately. Others need quiet companionship or simply time to feel secure. We meet each guest where they are.
- Peace of Mind Goes Both Ways
When a cat parent travels, they deserve confidence in the people caring for an important member of their family. Clear communication and attentive care are central to the SMPS experience.
Our Difference
Smoky Mountain Purrfect Stay is dedicated exclusively to cats. That focus influences everything – from the physical design of our suites and facility to our routines, enrichment, handling approach, and staff education.
Our Calm by Design™ Philosophy brings those elements together into one simple idea: reduce avoidable stressors, support natural feline behaviors, respect individual personalities, and create as much predictability and choice as possible.
Our Calm by Design™ Philosophy
Calm isn’t a mood—it’s something we create.
At Smoky Mountain Purrfect Stay, calm is never left to chance. It’s a philosophy built on intention—where environment, rhythm, and human presence come together to shape the emotional well-being of every guest.
Our Calm by Design™ Philosophy transforms cat care into a blend of art and science. Through sensory awareness, thoughtful routine, and compassionate design, we craft predictable peace—a calm that can be felt, measured, and trusted.
The Core Principles of Calm by Design™
Sensory Serenity
We use soft sounds, familiar scents, and gentle lighting to create environments that signal safety and soothe the senses.
Predictable Rhythm
Calm thrives on consistency. From feeding times to rest and play, our routines follow a gentle, familiar flow that helps cats relax and settle naturally.
Human Harmony
Our team practices mindful interaction—moving with purpose, speaking softly, and bringing calm energy into every space. Our own serenity becomes the foundation for theirs.
Thoughtful Design
Each suite and common area is crafted with feline instincts in mind—elevated perches, cozy hideaways, and uncluttered layouts that promote both curiosity and comfort.
Our Promise
We will care for every guest with patience, respect, attentiveness, and compassion. We will continue learning, improving, and holding ourselves to high standards of feline care. And we will never forget the trust a cat parent places in us when they leave someone they love in our care.
That’s the responsibility – and the privilege – behind Smoky Mountain Purrfect Stay.
