Cat in a Flat
Cat in a Flat is a London-founded online marketplace connecting cat owners with independent local sitters across 11 countries, offering drop-in visits, overnight sitting, and boarding. The platform operates as an independent brand under Rover Group ownership following an October 2024 acquisition.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Cat in a Flat does
Cat in a Flat is a London-founded online marketplace that connects cat owners with local independent cat sitters across 11 countries in Europe and North America. The platform offers three core service categories: drop-in visits (30 or 60 minutes), overnight cat sitting in the owner's home, and cat boarding at the sitter's home. Sitters create profiles, set their own rates (starting around £/€10 per visit), and manage their own availability, while the company facilitates booking, messaging, and payment processing through its website and native iOS/Android applications.
The platform operates as a two-sided marketplace with over 50,000 registered pet sitters and more than 2 million cumulative visits facilitated. Trust is reinforced through a public review system (551,245 total reviews, 98% of which are five-star) and the Rover Guarantee that backs every booking. Distribution relies on self-serve SEO-optimized city landing pages, an educational blog on cat behavior and care, and organic social channels on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Founded in 2014 by Julie Barnes and Kathrin Burckhardt, the company was acquired by Seattle-based Rover Group in October 2024 and continues to operate as an independent brand under its ownership. The corporate parent is A Place for Rover, Inc., indicating US corporate domicile at the parent level. Revenue is generated through marketplace commission on completed bookings, with a lean headcount of 1-10 employees reflecting a tech-mediated platform rather than a labor-intensive operation.
Cat in a Flat firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cat in a Flat
- Legal name
- A Place for Rover, Inc.
- Website
- https://uk.catinaflat.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Cat in a Flat is a London-founded online marketplace connecting cat owners with independent local sitters across 11 countries, offering drop-in visits, overnight sitting, and boarding. The platform operates as an independent brand under Rover Group ownership following an October 2024 acquisition.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cat in a Flat industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pet Care Marketplace
- NAICS
- Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cat-Only In-Home Sitting & Overnight Care (HSANAHAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Drop-In Visits (Feeding, Water, Litter, Potty Breaks) (HSANAEAA), Cat-Only Boarding (Cattery) (HSANAHAD), Cat Daycare & Cat Playcare (HSANAHAF)
Keywords
Where Cat in a Flat is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cat in a Flat business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Transaction/Marketplace Commission: Cat sitters set their own rates for services including drop-in visits, overnight cat sitting, and cat boarding. Platform takes a commission on completed bookings. Sitters can earn money looking after cats in their own home or by visiting cats in the owner's home.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Sitter-determined pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Cat in a Flat product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cat in a Flat operates an online marketplace that connects cat owners with local, vetted, independent cat sitters. The platform offers three core service categories: drop-in visits (30-60 minute in-home check-ins), cat sitting (overnight stays at the owner's home), and cat boarding (the cat stays at the sitter's home). Since October 2024, bookings are backed by the Rover Guarantee following the company's acquisition by Rover Group.
Product overview
Cat in a Flat is a cat-sitting community marketplace platform offering three core booking services: Drop-in Visits (30-60 minute home check-ins), Cat Sitting (overnight stays in the owner's home), and Cat Boarding (cats staying at the sitter's home). The platform connects cat owners with over 50,000 registered pet sitters and has facilitated 2 million visits. All bookings are backed by the Rover Guarantee. The company operates a mobile app and maintains an educational blog. Founded in London in 2014, the platform operates across multiple countries including the UK, US, Germany, France, Spain, Ireland, and others, and was acquired by Rover Group in October 2024 while maintaining independent brand operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Drop-in Visits 30 to 60 minute in-home cat care visits provided by independent cat sitters while owners are away, including feeding, fresh water, litter checks, and companionship. Targeted at individual cat owners whose cats do not require overnight supervision.
- Cat Sitting Overnight cat care delivered at the cat owner's home by a registered cat sitter, providing continuous supervision, feeding, and companionship. Targeted at cat owners who want their cat to remain in their familiar home environment during travel or extended absences.
- Cat Boarding Boarding for cats at the registered cat sitter's home for owners who prefer their cat to be hosted by a sitter rather than staying in their own home. Targeted at individual cat owners seeking quality home-based care during travel or extended absences.
- Cat in a Flat Mobile App Native iOS and Android applications offering a country-specific Cat in a Flat experience for both cat owners and sitters, extending access to the marketplace beyond the country-specific websites.
Quantifiable outcome
- 98% of reviews are 5-star ratings based on 551,245 total reviews
Companies that use Cat in a Flat
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cat in a Flat technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Cat in a Flat partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Rover GroupflagshipRover Group, a Seattle-based online marketplace for pet care, acquired Cat in a Flat in October 2024. The acquisition expands Rover's European footprint into Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, and Ireland while adding over 50,000 care providers and 2 million visits to its network. Cat in a Flat continues operating as an independent brand under Rover's ownership, with its founders remaining in leadership roles.
- Rover GuaranteecoreAll cat bookings on the Cat in a Flat platform are backed by the Rover Guarantee, providing extra peace of mind for cat owners. This guarantee is part of the parent company Rover Group's trust and safety infrastructure.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Cat in a Flat competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Holidog: Holidog is a European pet care marketplace offering pet sitting, boarding, walking, and daycare services. Comparable on marketplace mechanics and European footprint, with overlap in cat-specific offerings.
- TrustedHousesitters: TrustedHousesitters is a global house- and pet-sitting membership platform offering cat sitting alongside dog and house sitting. Comparable on cross-border marketplace mechanics and subscription/booking hybrid model, with strong trust-and-reviews positioning.
- PetBacker: PetBacker is a global pet care marketplace covering boarding, sitting, walking, and grooming across multiple countries. Comparable on marketplace model, two-sided supply/demand structure, and mix of cat and dog services.
- Pawshake: Pawshake is a European pet-sitting marketplace operating across many of the same countries as Cat in a Flat (UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Spain). Direct comparable on marketplace model, services, and geographic footprint, with cat and dog offerings.
- PetSitter.com: PetSitter.com is a US-based pet sitting directory and marketplace connecting owners with pet sitters. Comparable on sitter-discovery and reviews-driven model, though with a directory-heavy rather than fully transactional marketplace.
- DogBuddy (Barkibu): DogBuddy (now part of Barkibu) is a European pet care marketplace offering dog boarding, sitting, and walking, with cat services in some markets. Comparable on marketplace mechanics and European geographic overlap.
- Cat Sitter City: Cat Sitter City is a US-based, cat-specific pet sitting directory/marketplace. Comparable on cat-only specialization and sitter-discovery model, though it operates with a directory rather than full transactional marketplace.
Broad incumbents
- Rover: Rover is the largest dedicated pet care marketplace globally and is now the parent company of Cat in a Flat. It is comparable as the leading multi-pet (dogs, cats, etc.) marketplace with similar booking, sitter profile, and guarantee mechanics — though broader in category and geography.
- Care.com: Care.com is a broad household services marketplace that includes pet care alongside child care, senior care, and housekeeping. Comparable on marketplace mechanics and two-sided profiles/reviews, though pets are a smaller category and the platform is not cat-specialized.
Regional players
- Mad Paws: Mad Paws is an Australia-based pet care marketplace. Comparable on marketplace model and booking flow, but primarily serves Australia and New Zealand rather than competing directly with Cat in a Flat's Europe/North America footprint.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cat in a Flat social profiles
Digital presenceCat in a Flat financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cat in a Flat leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Cat in a Flat funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cat in a Flat M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cat in a Flat
What does Cat in a Flat do?
Cat in a Flat operates an online marketplace that connects cat owners with local, vetted, independent cat sitters. The platform offers three core service categories: drop-in visits (30-60 minute in-home check-ins), cat sitting (overnight stays at the owner's home), and cat boarding (the cat stays at the sitter's home). Since October 2024, bookings are backed by the Rover Guarantee following the company's acquisition by Rover Group.
Is Cat in a Flat a public or private company?
Cat in a Flat is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Cat in a Flat founded?
Cat in a Flat was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Cat in a Flat based?
Cat in a Flat is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Cat in a Flat make money?
One revenue line is on record: transaction/Marketplace Commission.
Who are Cat in a Flat's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Holidog, TrustedHousesitters, PetBacker, Pawshake, PetSitter.com, DogBuddy (Barkibu) and Cat Sitter City. Broad incumbents are Rover and Care.com. Mad Paws is listed as a regional player.
Does Cat in a Flat have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cat in a Flat.
What industry is Cat in a Flat in?
Cat in a Flat's product category is Pet Care Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSANAHAE, Cat-Only In-Home Sitting & Overnight Care, with a secondary code of HSANAEAA, Drop-In Visits (Feeding, Water, Litter, Potty Breaks). Its NAICS code is 81291.