How do I find out if it's right for me?

Find out if starting a boarding cattery is right for you and how to get the ball rolling today. Discover the simple steps you need to take to start a successful, special cattery that is life-changing for you, the cats and their owners.  Do you dream of running your own cattery, and completely changing your lifestyle and career to work with cats?

You're thinking about starting a boarding cattery - but you just don't know where to start or who to ask - or even what you should find out about. Sound familiar? You're absolutely right - it IS very, very confusing when you don't know where to even start looking!!!

Even today, with so much information on the internet - there is very little specialist information available on starting a cattery - and certainly nothing in the depth of advice you're looking for right now.

You just want to get into learning about it - but first you need to find out if it's right for you (which is very exciting!) and where you should start.

Is a cattery right for you?

Well, it is a BIG decision for anyone - everyone! To change your lifestyle, your career and maybe your home, start your own business, build a special cattery building.  Exciting - but a big decision! This is probably the biggest change and investment you will ever make - so you need to be confident, and you need help making the right decision. This can't be ‘decided' on with a day of help or a few emails or phone calls!

Also - few people would even attempt to try and help you make up your mind or think about guiding you through such life-altering and financial decisions.  It is the same whether you ask someone you know who runs a cattery, trade associations or animal welfare organisations - they only have so much time to give you as they are busy running their own business, and can only fit so much in an email or phone call .

To create a cattery, you know there must be a set path to follow, and things you must do -- but at the moment you are probably struggling to know where to begin.

·           Where do you start looking?

·           How do you find out more about it and is it tough?

·           Is there anyone that can guide you?

·           What questions should you be asking?

·           How do you know if this lifestyle and career is right for you?

The fact is --- the hardest part of thinking about starting a boarding cattery is the frustration of not knowing where to start! ...

Start the right kind of cattery

All the questions that are running through your mind right now will probably be based on 3 things:

1.      Do I really want to start a boarding cattery and will I be good at it?

2.      Will I be allowed to build one in my location and is it the right property? What regulations, qualifications, legislation or licensing do I need to find out about?

3.      What makes a cattery good? How can I find out if this is a good area for a new cattery, and what is the market research, trends/statistics I should look at? How will my special/unique/different ideas for a cattery make me more successful?

And all this is going through your mind before you even start thinking about the building, design and care!

What you need to know to start a cattery:

In fact, there are 10 burning questions that everyone starting a cattery should be asking:

1.      Where do I start? Is it right for me? (you're thinking about/ want to start a cattery but not sure if your own ideas will work)

2.      Do I need a licence?

3.      What legislation applies?

4.      Do I need qualifications or experience?

5.      Do I need planning/zoning permission?

6.      How do I find out more about the lifestyle?

7.      Do I buy an existing property or build new from scratch?  Where can I buy a cattery, or property to build on?

8.      Will my property be in a good location?

9.      How do find statistics or market research & trends on starting a cattery?  ... and here's one you probably haven't thought you'd be asked... How do I prove the need for a new cattery in this area?

10.    What makes a good/bad cattery? (I want to do something better/special)

What you need to decide:

1.             Whether it is right for you

2.             What standard of cattery you want to create

3.             Whether you have the right location/property

Source: David Key - Starting a Cattery 18/1/2009