How to Start a Cat Sitting Business
A great idea for a small business is cat sitting. Turn a love for cats into a profitable business and help pet owners by taking care of their cats when they aren’t able. There are over 76 million cats in US households, so this is a fast growing industry.
- Research cats and learn how to take care of them. Cats have unique personalities and medical conditions which you must become familiar with. You can gain knowledge about cats by checking out books from your local library.
- Look at a local market to see if a cat sitting business is a good choice. Check around your area to see if there is the need.
- Determine what kind of services you plan to offer clients. Many pet sitters only go to the owners home, while some others would rather the pets come to them.
- Come up with a rate you are going to charge for every type of service. Make sure you set the rate high enough to make a profit, but affordable enough to gain business. If there is a cat sitting businesses already in the area, find out how much they charge and use that as a guide when making your prices.
- Think about joining a pet sitter association. The associations can give you support and verify you are a reputable pet sitter. The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters is an example.
- Advertise your services by making fliers and putting classified ads in local newspapers. Be accessible and able to answer questions they may have. It's also a great idea to make a basic website where pet owners can find more information about you.