Do you ever wish you could have a job that allows you to care for cats and the humans who love them? It’s not easy to find those kind of jobs and many of the available positions (like ones you’d find posted for a veterinary clinic) require specialized training that you may not have.
If you’re serious about wanting to make a change and you’re business-savvy, you can create the job you want for yourself! Here are 5 ideas to get you thinking.
#1 – Cat Behaviorist: Do you have an innate connection with cats and a deep understanding of why they do the things they do? That’s a skill that frustrated cat lovers everywhere will pay you for! As of right now, there is no specific certification required to create a career as a behaviorist, but you will need to present yourself as an expert with a history of effectively solving problems. Read everything you can about behavior issues (the most common are litter box problems, territorial spraying, aggression, and inappropriate scratching), take classes that may be available to you locally or online, and take on a few freebie or discounted clients so you’ll have some glowing references for future clients.
#2 – Consultant: If you have the right kind of experience or background you may be able to make a career out of being a consultant for organizations that exist to help cats. This may be a good role for you if you have specialized knowledge such as how to care for infant kittens, grant writing, fundraising, etc. To be a great consultant you should be confident, have reputable experience, and feel comfortable talking in front of groups.
#3 – Cat sitter: Cats are territorial homebodies, so they do best staying at home when their humans are away. Many responsible cat parents will hire a sitter to stop in every once in a while to give their cat attention, make sure the cat is healthy, administer medications if necessary, play, feed the cat, scoop the litter box, and keep water bowls full of fresh water. Since people will be trusting you in their homes, this is another job that’ll require glowing reviews and recommendations to build a substantial client base. You’ll also need to have reliable transportation in case an emergency vet visit is needed.
#4 – Product maker: If you’re crafty, you can make a business out of producing a cat product. There are so many ways you can go with this, depending on your personal interests, skills, and creative drive. Some ideas are handmade toys, cat beds, ceramic food and water dishes, healthy treats, artisanal cat trees, herbal flea and tick spray, etc. You could also make something that caters to cat owners rather than the cats themselves, such as personalized paintings of a cat or a sculpture.
#5 – Cat cafe owner: Do you love cats, people, and coffee? Maybe a cat cafe is in your future! They’ve become very popular over the past few years and are springing up all over the country. Many cat cafes work with local rescue organizations to fill the cafe with cats that are able to be adopted when customers inevitably fall in love with them.