Starting a cat boarding business often begins with a simple idea and a spare room. But it might be time to grow your operation if you've found yourself fully booked with a waitlist of whiskered guests and dreams of expansion dancing in your head.
Scaling a cattery is an exciting (and sometimes daunting) journey—but with the right strategy, you can go from a cozy one-room setup to a full-fledged feline resort. Here's how to do it, step-by-step—with plenty of purr-sonality along the way.
Before drafting blueprints or shopping for climbing walls, assess your current situation. Signs that it's time to scale include:
Growth is exciting, but it is only sustainable if it is grounded in demand, profitability, and a clear vision.
What does "scaled up" look like to you? Is it 10 luxury cat suites and a playroom with wall-mounted perches? Or a full-service feline care center offering grooming, enrichment activities, and retail products?
Sketch out your dream facility, then work backward:
As you grow, this vision will guide your space planning, budgeting, and marketing.
Scaling requires an investment, so crunch the numbers. Consider:
If your community of cat lovers is passionate and loyal, look into small business loans, grants for pet-care businesses, or even crowdfunding.
Hot tip: Avoid growing too fast. A phased approach—expanding into a second room or adding modular enclosures—can help you scale sustainably.
As any cat lover knows, felines have their own personalities, preferences, and needs. As you expand, keep cat behavior in mind when planning your space or expansion.
The more thoughtful your design, the more comfortable—and healthier—your feline guests will be.
A one-room business might get by with paper charts and a whiteboard. A full facility needs more sophisticated tools. Consider upgrading to:
Your customers will love the transparency, and your staff will thank you for streamlining operations.
It's time to hire once you've outgrown doing it all yourself. Look for cat-savvy team members with a calm demeanor, attention to detail, and genuine affection for animals.
Provide training on:
Your team is the heart of your facility—invest in them early and often.
With more space comes more availability to fill. Use your marketing channels to let your community know you've leveled up!
Don't be shy—showcase what makes your facility special, from climate-controlled suites to cat TV.
As you grow, don't lose sight of what made your brand special from the start—whether that's personalized care, attention to detail, or how you remember every cat's quirks.
Scaling doesn't mean sacrificing quality! It's an opportunity to strengthen your reputation and reach more feline families who need your trusted care.
Bigger space means better services, and your pricing should reflect that. As you scale, don't be afraid to reevaluate your rates to account for:
Introduce tiered pricing for different suite types or add-ons like extra playtime or treats. Clients will pay more when they see the value. Happy cats mean repeat customers!
Keeping an existing client is easier (and cheaper) than finding a new one. As your business grows, remember:
A little extra love keeps clients coming back—and referring their feline-loving friends!
Getting bigger and better is exciting, and the anticipation of leveling up can be a fun and thrilling whirlwind. As you embark upon this next phase, it's important to take each milestone step by step. Prevent burnout or failure by avoiding these possible traps:
The key is to take it slow, get support, and find the right tools and resources to help you along this journey. You've got this!
When you're ready to level up your cat-boarding business, it helps to learn from those who've done it successfully. Just ask Carole Malone and Kim Shannon, Whiskers & Paws Luxury Cat Resort co-owners in Meeanee, Napier, Hawke's Bay.
Since opening its doors in 2016, Whiskers & Paws has grown into a sought-after feline retreat known for its tranquil setting, compassionate care, and impeccable professionalism. One of the secrets behind its seamless growth? Choosing the right tools and tech to support its operations.
"I researched most software before opening the resort and wanted an intuitive automated system," says Carole, a lifelong cat lover with a background in nursing, midwifery, and SPCA volunteer work.
She had a clear vision for a modern, well-managed business from the beginning, and Revelation Pets was the perfect fit.
With our help, Carole and her team—including Cat Resort Manager and qualified vet nurse Nikita Gordon—have been able to focus more on care and less on admin. Our system handles the heavy lifting behind the scenes, streamlining bookings, managing payments, and maintaining communication with their growing list of loyal cat parents.
Today, their client database includes over 2,000 cat parents, and their resort has earned a reputation for excellence, particularly with senior cats and those needing extra medical attention or weight management.
From its modest beginnings to its current status as a top-tier cat resort nestled among apple orchards, Whiskers & Paws proves that small cat boarding businesses can scale successfully with the right tools, time, and research.
Every cat boarding business is unique—some succeed as boutique operations, while others become regional destinations for cat lovers. Whether you're eyeing a few extra rooms or a multi-suite palace with a paw spa, scale at a pace that feels right for you and your clients.
With smart planning, a dash of creativity, and a deep love for cats, you can turn your boarding business into something grand! Get a free trial of Revelation Pets today to see how our software can help you scale!