Through the Cat Flap: What 8 Years of Cat-Sitting Has Taught Me About People, and Why Cats Deserve More
When I first became a cat-sitter, I thought it would just be about feeding cats and cleaning litter trays. Eight years later, I know it’s just as much about people.
Cat-sitting gives you a unique window into someone’s life. Our clients come from all walks of life: we care for cats in pristine show homes, cosy cluttered family spaces, grand mansions, and tiny two-room flats. Yet one thing always stays the same – cats don’t care where they live, as long as it feels like home.
What Cats Teach Us
What’s surprised me most is that it’s often the owners who worry more than their cats. For all but the most timid, cats usually adapt quickly to a new food-provider – often rushing to greet them or even waiting in the window for them to arrive. Meanwhile, their humans are sending anxious texts from the airport: “Is she ok? Has he eaten?” A huge part of our job is reassuring owners that their cats are not just safe, but genuinely loved while they’re away.
We’ve seen every kind of cat owner – doting first-timers, mithered mums with human children, catio-building dads, and solo dwellers who can hardly bear to be apart from their feline companions. What unites them all is the fierce, unconditional love people have for their cats.
Why Cats Deserve More
That love is what inspired me to launch our Cats Deserve More campaign – a movement to give cats the recognition they deserve in a dog-dominated pet industry. Despite 12.5 million pet cats in the UK – almost as many as dogs – pet shops still devote far less shelf space to feline products. I hear all too often that “cat owners don’t spend like dog owners,” but the facts simply don’t back that up. According to Mintel, cat owners spend £8 billion a year on their cats compared to £10 billion on dogs. We do spend – but too often, we’re forced to shop online from unregulated sellers or turn to expensive bespoke products.
Thankfully, things are starting to shift. Pet industry expert Clayton Payne recently explained: “I can tell you that right now, the majority of R&D money in the industry is going into cats. Things are changing fast – 31% of cats in the UK are now kept exclusively indoors, up from just 15% in 2011. That shift reflects a deeper change: the role of the cat within the family is evolving. The industry knows it’s behind when it comes to cats, and it’s moving quickly to catch up.”
A Growing Need for Cat Care
This change is mirrored in our own work. Demand for cat-specific care is booming. Our cat-sitting services are booked out months in advance, and more owners than ever are turning to specialist, in-home cat care. Because cats are not small dogs – they need species-specific care, calm routines, and familiar surroundings.
When I left behind my finance career to follow my lifelong love of cats, I could never have imagined what My Three Cats would become. From a solo cat-sitter, I’ve grown a business into a dedicated team of almost 20 sitters caring for over 300 clients across Warrington and Cheshire. We’ve won national awards, maintained 100% 5-star reviews, and most importantly, helped nearly a thousand cats feel safe and loved in their own homes.
The Next Chapter
Now, I’m preparing to take the next step by franchising My Three Cats across the UK. My mission is to give cats the care they deserve, while creating opportunities for others to build a flexible business doing something they truly love.
I’ll be sharing more about our journey, our campaign, and our vision for the future during my talk at Theatre Square at the Cat Show Live, and I’d love you to come and find us at Stand 68. Whether you want to swap stories from behind the cat flap, talk feline wellbeing, or simply celebrate our shared love of cats, please do come and say hello.
Because if there’s one thing eight years of cat-sitting has taught me, it’s this: Cats Deserve More.
Wendy Thomson Melling is the founder of My Three Cats, a specialist cat-sitting service based in Warrington, Cheshire. For more information visit www.mythreecats.co.uk.
Photo credit: Amanda Glasspell @ Krazy Katz Photography.