Smitten Kitten
Smitten Kitten is a locally owned, cat-only grooming, boarding, and supply business operating two storefronts in the Des Moines, Iowa metro, serving individual cat owners with dog-free services and retail.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersDes Moines, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Smitten Kitten does
Smitten Kitten is a privately held, locally owned cat-only pet care business operating in the Des Moines, Iowa metropolitan area. Founded in 2021, the company runs two physical storefronts: a primary location west of downtown Des Moines staffed by groomers Lola and Sammy, and a second grooming location in Ankeny staffed by Margo. The business serves individual cat owners with three core service lines: professional cat-only bathing and grooming by appointment, dog-free cage-free boarding with a published $30 per day per cat rate and minimum three-day stays, and retail sales of cat foods and supplies priced to meet or beat major national retailers.
Revenue is generated through three transactional streams: grooming services booked online or by phone/email, boarding paid per night with a $90 non-refundable booking fee credited toward the total, and retail supply sales during store hours (Tuesday-Saturday and Sunday afternoons, closed Mondays). A fourth non-revenue line, cat adoptions, is operated in partnership with Whiskers TNR, which places foster cats at both stores and approves all adopters. The business also runs an annual Community Cat Show as a benefit event for Whiskers TNR, currently in its eighth year.
The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer and community-based, relying on Instagram and Facebook organic reach, the annual cat show, and word-of-mouth in the Des Moines metro. No proprietary technology, mobile app, API, or AI/ML capability is evident; the website is built on RapidWeaver with ticketing handled by Attendize. Headcount is 1-10 employees, consistent with an owner-operated microbusiness, and no institutional funding, M&A activity, or ownership changes are documented.
Smitten Kitten firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smitten Kitten
- Legal name
- Smitten Kitten
- Website
- https://desmoinesgroomer.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Smitten Kitten is a locally owned, cat-only grooming, boarding, and supply business operating two storefronts in the Des Moines, Iowa metro, serving individual cat owners with dog-free services and retail.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Smitten Kitten industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pet Care Services
- NAICS
- Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cat-Only Grooming (Full-Service) (HSANAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Cat-Only Boarding (Cattery) (HSANAHAD)
Keywords
Where Smitten Kitten is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Des Moines
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Smitten Kitten business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Grooming Services: Professional cat-only bathing and grooming services offered by appointment at Des Moines and Ankeny locations.
- Boarding Services: Cat-only overnight boarding with cage-free accommodations. Daily rates apply with minimum stay requirements and holiday surcharges.
- Retail Sales: High-quality cat foods and supplies sold at competitive prices comparable to major retailers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Boarding - $30/day per cat |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Medication Administration - $5 per dose |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Grooming discount for boarding customers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Smitten Kitten product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smitten Kitten is a cat-only pet care business operating retail storefronts that provide professional cat grooming by appointment, dog-free and cage-free overnight cat boarding, and retail sales of high-quality cat foods and supplies at competitive prices. The business also facilitates cat adoptions through a partnership with Whiskers TNR, fostering adoptable cats at its shops until they are placed in permanent homes.
Product overview
Smitten Kitten is a cat-only grooming, boarding, and supply shop operating as a single-location specialty retail and service business in the Des Moines, Iowa area. The company offers four core service lines: professional cat grooming (with Des Moines and Ankeny locations), dog-free cat boarding, cat food and supplies retail, and cat adoption services in partnership with Whiskers TNR. The business also hosts annual community cat show events as a fundraiser for Whiskers TNR. The portfolio is unified under a single brand identity focused exclusively on feline care services and products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cat Grooming Services Professional bathing and grooming services exclusively for cats, performed by experienced groomers in a unique dog-free environment. Grooming is offered by appointment at the Des Moines and Ankeny locations, with convenient drop-off and pickup options designed to minimize the stress associated with grooming. New customers must call or email before booking online.
- Cat Boarding Services Overnight boarding accommodations exclusively for cats, featuring a dog-free and cage-free environment where cats from different households are never combined. Daily rates apply with a $30/day base rate, $90 non-refundable booking fee credited toward total, a 3-day minimum stay, $35/day holiday rate, $5/dose medication administration add-on, and boarding-stay discounts on grooming services (10% for 3-7 day stays, 20% for 8+ day stays).
- Cat Food and Supplies Retail Retail selection of high-quality cat foods and supplies sold at the storefront locations at prices that meet or beat major name retailers, accompanied by friendly knowledgeable service. Shop hours run Tuesday-Friday 10:00AM-6:00PM, Saturday 9:00AM-4:00PM, and Sunday 12:00PM-4:00PM, closed Mondays.
- Cat Adoption Services Cat adoption facilitation in partnership with Whiskers TNR, fostering adoptable kittens at the shop until they are ready to be placed in forever homes. All adopters must be approved by Whiskers TNR.
Companies that use Smitten Kitten
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Smitten Kitten technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Smitten Kitten partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Whiskers TNRcoreSmitten Kitten has partnered with Whiskers TNR to have adoptable kitties available at the shop. The business fosters adoptable cats until they are ready for their forever homes. All adopters must be approved by Whiskers TNR. The partnership also extends to community events, with the annual cat show benefiting Whiskers TNR.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Smitten Kitten competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Dogtopia: Multi-unit pet services franchise specializing in daycare, boarding, and spa services. Comparable as a scaled pet services operator, though dog-focused; illustrates a multi-unit growth template Smitten Kitten could pursue in the cat niche.
- Rover: Online marketplace for pet sitting and boarding. Comparable as a service-based pet care platform serving similar consumer needs (boarding, in-home pet care), though dog-skewed.
Direct peers
- Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Cats: Los Angeles cat-only rescue and socialization facility that operates cat-only housing and adoption services. Comparable as a cat-only specialty services operation partnering with rescue organizations.
- The Cat Lounge: Multi-location cat cafe and cat care brand offering grooming, boarding-adjacent, and adoption services. Direct peer in the cat-specialty retail/services niche.
- Meow Parlour: NYC-based cat cafe and cat-only retail/adoption concept offering grooming-adjacent and cat-focused services. Directly comparable as a cat-specialty consumer brand, though more cafe-leaning.
- Windy Kitty Cafe: Chicago-area cat cafe with grooming and adoption services. Closely matches Smitten Kitten's cat-specialist retail + services + adoption model in a similar mid-size/major Midwestern market.
Regional players
- Healthy Spot: California-based specialty pet retail and grooming chain offering premium pet supplies and grooming services. Comparable as a locally-positioned pet retail + grooming brand with a community/customer-experience emphasis.
Broad incumbents
- PetSmart: National pet retail and services chain offering grooming, boarding, and supplies at scale. Comparable to the supply and grooming portion of Smitten Kitten's offering but as a broad incumbent rather than a cat specialist.
- Chewy: Dominant online pet supplies retailer. Directly comparable to Smitten Kitten's retail food and supplies stream and the price benchmark the company explicitly positions against.
- Petco: National pet retailer and services operator with grooming, training, and supplies. Overlaps with Smitten Kitten on retail and grooming but competes as a generalist rather than cat-only.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Smitten Kitten social profiles
Digital presenceSmitten Kitten financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smitten Kitten leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Smitten Kitten funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smitten Kitten 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 Smitten Kitten
What does Smitten Kitten do?
Smitten Kitten is a cat-only pet care business operating retail storefronts that provide professional cat grooming by appointment, dog-free and cage-free overnight cat boarding, and retail sales of high-quality cat foods and supplies at competitive prices. The business also facilitates cat adoptions through a partnership with Whiskers TNR, fostering adoptable cats at its shops until they are placed in permanent homes.
Is Smitten Kitten a public or private company?
Smitten Kitten is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Smitten Kitten founded?
Smitten Kitten was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Smitten Kitten based?
Smitten Kitten is headquartered in Des Moines, United States, in the North America region.
How does Smitten Kitten make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Grooming Services are the primary driver. The others are boarding Services and retail Sales.
Who are Smitten Kitten's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Dogtopia and Rover. Direct peers are Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Cats, The Cat Lounge, Meow Parlour and Windy Kitty Cafe. Healthy Spot is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are PetSmart, Chewy and Petco.
Does Smitten Kitten have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smitten Kitten.
What industry is Smitten Kitten in?
Smitten Kitten's product category is Pet Care Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSANAHAA, Cat-Only Grooming (Full-Service), with a secondary code of HSANAHAD, Cat-Only Boarding (Cattery). Its NAICS code is 81291.