Nine Lives Cat Center

What Nine Lives Cat Center does

Nine Lives Cat Center, operated by Homer's Fund, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2003 by feline veterinarian Dr. Amy MacKay in Richmond Heights, Ohio. The organization delivers two core services: Hotel Homer, a feline-only boarding facility offering nightly accommodations ($28-$38/night) with in-house veterinary care including medication administration, injections, and fluids; and the Apricity Sanctuary, launched in 2021, which provides permanent life-care for senior cats aged 15+ (or 13+ with significant medical conditions) in exchange for a $2,000 one-time donation per cat. Currently 16 cats reside at the sanctuary, and the organization has helped more than 150 cats since inception.

The business is service-based with no proprietary technology, app, or digital platform. Operations run on an appointment-only basis with no public open hours, and all reservations and inquiries are handled via email, phone, or text. Revenue derives from three streams: boarding fees, sanctuary donations, and general donations/sponsorships (including annual calendar sales featuring resident cats). The facility in Richmond Heights is the sole service location, serving the Cleveland/Akron market.

Following the 2017 closure of the original full-service veterinary clinic due to Dr. MacKay's health issues, the organization rebranded in 2019 as Nine Lives Cat Center and narrowed its scope further in 2023 by discontinuing wellness and grooming services after a viral outbreak. A 900-square-foot expansion is planned for 2026 to add boarding capacity and a three-season catio for sanctuary cats. The 5-person operation relies on Dr. MacKay's specialized feline internal-medicine credentials and word-of-mouth marketing as its primary competitive differentiators.

Name

Nine Lives Cat Center

Legal name

Homer's Fund, Inc.

Website

https://homersfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nine Lives Cat Center (Homer's Fund, Inc.) is a Cleveland-area 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating Hotel Homer feline boarding and the Apricity senior cat sanctuary, founded in 2003 by feline veterinarian Dr. Amy MacKay.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Care Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)

akta.pro primary industry

Overnight Cattery Boarding (Cats) (HSANADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cat-Only Boarding (Cattery) (HSANAHAD), Medication Administration (Oral/Topical/Inhaler) During Boarding (HSANAJAE), Geriatric Pet Boarding (24/7 Supervision & Comfort Care) (HSANAJAB)

Keywords

• Feline boarding services
• Senior cat sanctuary
• Feline veterinary care
• Cat boarding facility
• Pet sanctuary program

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Cat Boarding Services (Hotel Homer): Nightly boarding fees for cats with varying levels of care. General boarding ranges from $28-$38 per night depending on number of cats. Additional fees for medication administration ($8/day) and specialized care. The 'stay it forward' initiative means boarding fees support sanctuary cats.
2. Apricity Senior Sanctuary Program: One-time monetary donation of $2,000 per cat required for acceptance into the sanctuary program. Donations are used to care for sanctuary cats as a group.
3. Donations and Sponsorships: Homer's Fund accepts donations to support the care of sanctuary cats. The nonprofit also sells annual calendars featuring resident cats.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Nine Lives Cat Center operates a feline boarding facility called Hotel Homer that provides overnight cat boarding with personalized, veterinarian-supervised care in the Cleveland/Akron area. It also runs the Apricity senior sanctuary program through its 501(c)(3) nonprofit Homer's Fund, providing permanent sanctuary and lifelong medical care for senior cats (15+ years or 13+ with significant medical conditions) that have nowhere else to turn. All services are delivered directly at the Richmond Heights, Ohio facility by appointment only, with Dr. Amy MacKay personally administering medications, injections, and fluids.

Product overview

Nine Lives Cat Center operates as a cat boarding and sanctuary facility with two main service offerings: Hotel Homer (feline boarding) and Apricity Sanctuary (senior life-care program), both supported by the nonprofit Homer's Fund. The organization was founded by Dr. Amy MacKay, a feline veterinarian, and provides personalized in-house veterinary care along with comfortable accommodations for both boarding guests and permanent sanctuary residents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hotel Homer: Feline boarding facility offering overnight cat boarding with veterinary care, medications administration, and playtime services.
• Apricity Sanctuary

Products and services

• Hotel Homer (Feline Boarding) Overnight feline boarding service at the Nine Lives Cat Center facility in Richmond Heights, Ohio, serving cat owners in the Cleveland/Akron area. Boarders stay in clean, bright accommodations with large windows, TV, classical music, double cages separating litter from resting/eating areas, optional shelves, beds, toys, and treats. Dr. Amy MacKay personally administers medications including injections and fluids. Pricing is $38/night for one cat and $28/night for each additional cat, with $8/day medication administration (specialized care priced per case), and the 7th night free after 6 consecutive paid nights. The "stay it forward" initiative directs boarding revenue to support sanctuary cats.
• Apricity Senior Sanctuary Program Permanent sanctuary placement and lifelong medical care for eligible senior cats aged 15+ years (or 13+ with significant medical conditions) whose owners can no longer care for them due to death, incapacitation, property loss, personal hardship, or inability to meet medical needs. Enrolled cats live at the Nine Lives Cat Center facility, separated from boarding guests, and receive veterinary care, comfortable living spaces, and personalized attention for the remainder of their lives. Acceptance requires a $2,000 one-time donation per cat via a formal application process.
• Homer's Fund (501(c)(3) Nonprofit) The charitable arm of Nine Lives Cat Center, Homer's Fund Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds and operates the Apricity senior sanctuary and other feline rescue work. The organization accepts monetary donations to support sanctuary cats, sells annual calendars featuring resident cats (a tradition started in 2009), and runs community fundraising events such as raffles, food drives, and open houses. Since 2003, more than 150 cats have been helped through the fund.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Tabby's Place: Cat-only rescue and sanctuary in Ringoes, New Jersey providing lifelong care for cats often rejected elsewhere, including seniors and special-needs felines. Closely mirrors Apricity's 'forever home for unplaceable cats' positioning and donor-supported model.
• Meowtel: Online marketplace for cat-specific boarding and in-home sitting services across multiple U.S. metros. Direct competitor to Hotel Homer's feline-only boarding positioning, though operating through an aggregator model rather than a single owned facility.
• The Cat House on the Kings: Lifetime cat sanctuary and adoption center in Parlier, California operating a no-kill, vet-supervised model for cats (including seniors and those with medical needs). Highly comparable to Nine Lives' Apricity sanctuary in mission, population served, and reliance on donations.
• Tree House Humane Society: Cat-focused rescue, adoption, and wellness center in Chicago with on-site veterinary care and programs for stray and surrendered cats. Comparable to Nine Lives in being a cat-only operation with veterinary oversight and a strong adoption/rehoming funnel.

Broad incumbents

• Rover: Marketplace connecting pet owners with boarding, sitting, and dog-walking providers. Broader incumbent in pet care services that competes for the same 'what to do with my cat when I travel' demand, though less specialized on cats and medical needs than Hotel Homer.
• Best Friends Animal Society: Large national no-kill animal welfare organization operating the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah and a network of partner programs. Comparable as a multi-species sanctuary and rescue operator, but at significantly greater scale and geographic breadth than Nine Lives.

Others

• PetSmart Charities: Animal-welfare funding arm of PetSmart that grants to shelters, rescues, and sanctuaries. Comparable as a potential institutional funding partner for Homer's Fund rather than a direct operator; relevant for understanding nonprofit funding landscape.

Emerging players

• Jackson Galaxy / Jackson Galaxy Project: Cat-behavior-focused media brand and nonprofit (Jackson Galaxy Project) that funds cat welfare and sanctuary programs. Comparable in serving the cat-care mission space and helping channel donors toward cat-focused rescues and sanctuaries like Homer's Fund.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nine-lives-cat-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nine Lives Cat Center