Full-time purpose-built cattery

Cat owners across a wider area, including those who travel often, and people who prefer a professional setup over cat sitting.

Nightly boarding fees per cat, with extras such as longer stays, multi-cat discounts, premium pens and medication. Peak holiday weeks bring the most income, so cash flow needs planning.

• Experience handling many different cats
• Running a daily routine and a small team
• Booking and customer management
• Basic bookkeeping and managing costs

• A council licence is generally needed for boarding cats, and rules differ across the UK, so check with your council
• Planning permission, building regulations and any change of use for the site
• Public liability, animal boarding and buildings insurance, plus employer's liability once you hire staff
• Seasonal income swings and high fixed costs such as heating, insurance and finance repayments
• Disease control, vaccination checks and an emergency plan, including fire safety
• Needing someone on or near the site every day of the year, including Christmas

Startup costs for a full-time purpose-built cattery are typically around £40,000 to £150,000, depending on the site, the number of pens and the build. These are estimates, so get quotes for construction, heating, insurance and licensing before committing.

A council licence is generally needed for boarding cats, and rules differ across the UK, so check with your council. Also check planning permission, building regulations, any change of use for the site, and the insurance you need.

Monthly revenue is typically around £3,000 to £12,000, depending on pen numbers, season and pricing. Income can swing seasonally while fixed costs such as heating, insurance and finance repayments stay high, so plan your cash flow carefully.