Cats Aren’t an Afterthought
The other day, I was trolling the pet care Facebook discussion groups I belong to. Sadly, I have to admit I’m a member of about five of them – and that represents the full extent of my social media use.
Anyway, one of the groups had a discussion about cat boarding. Several people mentioned that they do a “little” cat care. Others said they used to provide cat care but had stopped. All perfectly reasonable responses based on an individual facility’s business model, and none of them would have merited a blog post.
Then an industry “expert,” speaker, and consultant chimed in:
“Sure, it’s easy money.”
Really?
WTF?
It’s not “easy money.” It’s cat care.
We’ve always known that Pet Camp’s approach to cat care is different from much of the pet care industry. We’re proud of Cat Safari, our completely separate cat care facility in a three-story building in Presidio Heights.
And let me assure you: space in San Francisco is not cheap. There is nothing about maintaining a dedicated building for cats that lends itself to “easy money.”
But we decided a long time ago that cats deserved better than being housed in some back room of a facility designed primarily for dogs. 
That’s cat care.
Want to talk about HVAC – heating, ventilation, and air conditioning – for a second?
Each cat condo at Cat Safari is maintained under negative pressure so fresh air continually flows into the condo. Air moves from the “living room” portion of the condo, across the litter box – which is housed in a separate section – and is then exhausted directly outside the building.
Why go to all that trouble?
To help reduce the spread of upper respiratory infections.
Is that system inexpensive? Nope.
Does it contribute to “easy money?” Nope.
Is it part of providing thoughtful, high-quality cat care? Absolutely.
Ever wonder what a 600-plus-square-foot greenhouse with fire-tempered glass and a sprinkler system costs to build in San Francisco? I’m still not entirely sure why the Fire Marshal required sprinklers in a greenhouse, but who am I to question the San Francisco Fire Marshal?
Does the Solarium contribute to “easy money?”
Hell no.
Does it create an amazing environment for cats?
Absolutely.
And then there are the Cat Safari Counselors.
They are simply outstanding at what they do, and they work friggin’ hard. Taking excellent care of cats requires attention, patience, observation, cleaning, communication, and an understanding that cats are not small dogs with different ears.
We pay salaries. We provide health care. We contribute to a 401(k). We have profit sharing. And yes, Pet Camp even has an old-school pension plan. 
That all costs money.
And our counselors are worth every penny.
But “easy money?”
Maybe give Angie or Aleks a call after a full day of caring for cats and ask them how “easy” it was to earn their paycheck.
The pet care industry needs to evolve.
Cats are not an add-on. They are not filler for unused space. And they are certainly not “easy money.”
If you are going to provide cat care, then provide cat care. Take it seriously. Invest in your cat facility. Invest in the people who care for the cats. Design your operation around what cats actually need rather than simply fitting them into whatever space happens to be available.
We’ve said for years:
“At many pet care facilities, cats are an afterthought. At Cat Safari, they are our only thought.”
Sure, Cat Safari makes money. It’s a business, and businesses need to make money.
But there’s a big difference between running a successful business and looking at the animals entrusted to your care as “easy money.”
For us, it has never been about easy money.
It’s about cat care.
Thanks for reading.
Pet Camp has been providing award winning pet care since 1997. With three San Francisco locations, Pet Camp can provide overnight care for dogs and cats, dog day care, dog training, bathing/grooming for both dogs and cats and pet transportation. If you are a San Francisco Bay Area pet parent with questions about your pet or pet care needs, give us a call and speak with a counselor.