New cattery. Pricing advice sought.

fishdog

My mother has just opened a cattery, and I am assisting with setting it up. I am trying to find out how much people pay for this (price to include quality food). This is a professional service in a purpose built building (I built it). She had to invest quite a bit of money and we are having a bit of a “disagreement” about the rates she should charge.

I thought that perhaps people on this forum may help me by telling me what they do pay or would expect to pay for:

1) One cat per day.
2) Two cats sharing per day.

The cubicles are large, airy, clean, bright and are cleaned every day. Bedding is supplied (optional) and is cleaned in a dedicated washing machine. Cats are fed as per the owners requirements. Feedback so far has been excellent. Owners are texted on request as to how the cat is settling in.

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.

Sigma Force

Hard to say sometimes it can depend on location, wether it's heated, wether there is an outdoor secure run etc. What are the mesurements of the cubicles? The more info. the easier it is to give a rough idea.

Dog kennels can range from approx. 14 Euro for an outdoor kennel with attached run and a walk a day. Obviously it includes feeding and cleaning that's all part of the service. To around 21 Euro a day for dogs that are kept in heated accomodation or in the dog minders own home.

If the cattery is heated and they have access to a run and are given one on one attention prob. between 16 to 18 Euro per day. It might not sound a lot but if you add that up over a week (lets face it most people go away for one to two sometimes three weeks so it adds up).
For two cats perhaps around 20 Euro a day and then if there are 3 or more from the same family perhaps half price for any additional otherwise if someone has 5 cats it would cost them too much and it would put them off going. Lots of people who have cats usually have more than one.

That's how I would work it as long as she works it out on paper first and offers deals for mutliple cats from same household.

One tip though no matter how often someone comes to leave their cat always check the vaccination card even if they are a regular just to make sure the owner hasn't forgot.

Also food wise if she uses a good quality food let the owners know what brand and if the owner doesn't use that brand they might need to bring their own. Unless she stocks a few brands. As moving to a cattery or kennel is stressful on animals if their diet is suddenly changed it can led to tummy upsets.

Let us know how she gets on, would love to see photos of the set up.

MsFifers

Wow - thats a lot more than I paid recently - €18 a day for two cats in a very high quality place. I can't remember but I think it was about 11 or 12 a day for a single cat.

If you phone around existing catteries you can get an idea of the rates.

If it is too expensive you will price yourself out of the market. It is a big cost on top of a holiday and if I was being asked to pay more I'd just have to get a family member to take them in instead.

anniehoo

Guineapigrescue wrote: »

between 16 to 18 Euro per day. It might not sound a lot
.

This is alot for one cat! €10-12 max i would think. I would put a dog on that rate as remember theres alot more work involved with a dog.

MsFifers wrote: »

Wow - thats a lot more than I paid recently - €18 a day for two cats in a very high quality place. I can't remember but I think it was about 11 or 12 a day for a single cat.

If you phone around existing catteries you can get an idea of the rates.

If it is too expensive you will price yourself out of the market. It is a big cost on top of a holiday and if I was being asked to pay more I'd just have to get a family member to take them in instead.

Agree here! You will get a home petsitter for between €15-20 so a cattery should definitely be less.

fishdog

it can depend on location

Greystones, Co. Wicklow

wether it's heated

No, but it will be before winter.

What are the mesurements of the cubicles?

About .9 x .9m, and about 2 m high (this is a guess). It has 2 levels with a ramp between them. Below is tiled with litter tray. Two doors, top and bottom with a grill to allow air circulation. Windows on each side. Natural and electric lighting.

have access to a run

They can be let out a times into the centre isle to run and play. We would only be able to let cats out with each other that live together normally. I have a 5 year old that does the odd visit.

One tip though no matter how often someone comes to leave their cat always check the vaccination card even if they are a regular just to make sure the owner hasn't forgot.

We insist on this. My mother has been working with animals all of her life and has a good relationship with the local vet. He kindly advised on the design and came to see it too.

Let us know how she gets on, would love to see photos of the set up.

I will PM you a link to an add for it there are photos on that.

Thanks for the advice.

fishdog

Agree here! You will get a home petsitter for between €15-20 so a cattery should definitely be less.

That depends on what way you look at it. A good cattery is a considerable investment. It also has running costs (electricity for lights, washing machine, heating etc.).

Anyway a price of €10 per day and €5 per day for the 2nd cat sharing was decided on by the boss. Personally I think it is a bit cheap, but time will tell.

Thanks for the feedback.

Alun

fishdog wrote: »

Greystones, Co. Wicklow

She didn't have an advert up in Farrelly's butchers in Delgany did she by any chance? Spotted it the other day when I was in there.

I think we pay €14 a night for two cats sharing the same cage, similar setup to what you have but each cage has it's own outdoor run. Not sure what the rate is for a single cat though.

fishdog

She didn't have an advert up in Farrelly's butchers in Delgany did she by any chance?

Yes, that is her!

MsFifers

fishdog wrote: »

Anyway a price of €10 per day and €5 per day for the 2nd cat sharing was decided on by the boss. Personally I think it is a bit cheap, but time will tell.

That is a bit cheap! I might just take advantage of that rate the next time I'm going away!:D

I guess she'll figure out soon enough if she isn't making enough to cover her costs and take a reasonable profit.

anniehoo

fishdog wrote: »

That depends on what way you look at it. A good cattery is a considerable investment. It also has running costs (electricity for lights, washing machine, heating etc.).

Anyway a price of €10 per day and €5 per day for the 2nd cat sharing was decided on by the boss. Personally I think it is a bit cheap, but time will tell.

Thanks for the feedback.

You dont want to price yourself out of the market though thats the thing. Yes, its an investment and it has running costs, thats for you to worry about not the client. You want a steady level of regular clients, not just the well off who can afford premium rates. As i said if you can get a home petsitter for a few euros more it would be a far better option than a cattery so ye have to think of all these things. I think €10 is spot on for the moment and sure if you're busy you can review your prices once you're up and running. Good luck with it, id sy you'll do great!

mikedragon32

My two are booked in already and I went to have an inspection visit myself a few weeks ago. When I visited, there were cats there that she was looking after for the vet. A good sign, imho.

It's very clean and each run can easily take two cats comfortably. Fishdog's mother seems to know what she's up to and has asked that I prepare a caresheet for each of the cats. It's the first time I've been asked for that and personally, I reckon it's a fantastic idea as she asked that I include info about their habits and/or personalities. She seems quite happy to accommodate owners' needs.

I think the price is fair enough and certainly no more than I've paid elsewhere, but with the bonus that the place is only 5 minutes from my house as opposed to 30 mins for the last place we sent them (which was very good, by the way).

lostinnappies

wow thats alot of money, had one in the uk only charged £5 per cat per day .... im such a chump lol:D

Might just start one here

Kitty_mom

hello fishdog,

could you give me the contact details for the cattery?? i am searching for good catteries to leave my cats in october..

Dodgercat

I recently had my cat in a kennels for 15 nights, and it came to €200 - a little steep, I thought. I think the experience traumatised her though - she's had twitching spasms in her front paws since she's come back. We have promised her that we'll never go on holidays again. Poor child.