From Client Accounts to Cat Care: The Cat Butler Awards a New Franchise in Weybridge, Woking and Surrounding Areas in Surrey

Introduction

Our new franchisee, Jenny Jones, had a successful 12-year career in the Client Accounts department of an estate agent. Inspired by friends who turned their passions into businesses after the pandemic, she decided to follow her lifelong love for cats and join The Cat Butler, where she now provides professional in-home care for cats in the Addlestone, Chertsey, Cobham, Shepperton, Staines-upon-Thames, West Byfleet, Weybridge and Woking areas of Surrey.

What Did Life Look Like Before You Joined The Cat Butler?

Jenny: "I worked in the Client Accounts department of an estate agent, collecting rent from tenants and processing it to the landlords. I was based in the office twice a week and worked from home the rest of the week. I had been with the company for 12 years and had a brilliant career, but when the company was acquired by a bigger firm, I felt it was time to move on."

"Several friends had set up successful businesses doing what they loved after the Pandemic, which got me thinking about how I could turn a passion into a business. I decided to take the leap and leave."

Why Cat Sitting?

Jenny: "I’ve always adored cats and have owned one most of my life. When my husband and I first went on holiday with our old cat, Millie, around 2013, we put her into a cattery. When we returned, we vowed never to do that again as she was obviously so upset—mewing and being really clingy for quite a while after. Since then, we’ve either had friends or cat sitters look after our cats because it felt best for them; they are happier at home. I often look after friends’ cats when they’re away, which got me thinking about turning my passion for cats into a business."

What Was It About The Cat Butler That Appealed to You?

Jenny: "Once I’d decided I’d love to be a cat sitter, I started researching what I’d need to set up as a business. I hadn’t really considered a franchise as I didn’t know they existed, but I came across The Cat Butler via search engines. The more I read, the more I loved the ethos of the company; it also really appealed that I could still feel part of a team while building the business in my area."

"I felt that the expertise Sandra (the Franchisor) and the other franchisees had would be invaluable as I started my journey. The support in setting up the business, including the marketing materials, made the venture seem less daunting. I spoke with Sandra a few times, who explained how the business worked and provided the financial model. I also met with my nearest Cat Butler, Sharon, in Molesey, who shared her experiences and how she found the process. That conversation gave me everything I needed to know this was the company for me."

Tell Us About Your Feline Family

Jenny: "We’d lost our previous cat, Millie, a few months before and our hearts were ready to look for a new cat, so we started to visit rescue centres. A friend knew we were looking and shared Hadley’s story with us via social media. Hadley had not been neutered by her first owners and fell pregnant when she was still not much more than a kitten herself. She was then left as a street cat."

"She and her two kittens were rescued by a charity that neutered, chipped and named them. Hadley’s kittens were polydactyl cats, and since Ernest Hemingway kept a colony of such cats, she was named after his first wife."

"Hadley and her kittens were happy in their new home for a while, but she then rejected the kittens as they wanted to play with her and she wanted to be left alone. The family decided to put Hadley back up for adoption for her sake. When we first met her, she was hiding under the bed in the attic room. Once we enticed her out with some treats, we fell in love with her."

"She loves being the sole cat and has thrived since we adopted her. She’s playful and loving on her own terms, still loves treats, and absolutely rules my husband and me!"

What Does The Future Hold?

Jenny: "I’m so excited for this new chapter of my life and look forward to getting the business off the ground. I aim to provide a vital service in my area, giving households peace of mind that their precious cats will be looked after in the comfort of their own homes."

"It’s going to be hard work, but I hope to build the business and take on staff within the first year. I’m looking forward to being my own boss and meeting new clients and their precious cats."

Sandra James

Owner & Founder

The Cat Butler was set up by Sandra James in recognition of the fact that a stay in a cattery can be unsettling for many cats and also their owners.