HOW TO HIRE · PETS · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a cattery owner in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A cat boarding in Ireland costs €15–€40 per night, typically around €25. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a cattery owner in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers cattery owner work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — health Monitoring — staff at cat boarding facilities are trained to observe your cat's health and behaviour.
- How does facility's amenities change the price?The more of it there is, the longer the job runs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does duration of stay change the price?A rushed job and a careful one take different amounts of time. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does level of care provided change the price?The grade chosen is the single biggest decision in the quote. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Cat boarding typically does not include veterinary care or emergency medical services unless specifically stated — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a cattery owner job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO LICENCE OR REGISTER APPLIES TO DOG WALKERS, PET SITTERS OR GROOMERS IN IRELAND. Anyone may trade as one. The protection is insurance and what is written down — and the insurance that matters is not the obvious one.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
CARE, CUSTODY AND CONTROL cover, not just public liability — public liability pays if your dog bites a stranger; care, custody and control is what pays if your dog is injured, lost or killed while in their charge, and plenty of walkers carry only the first; How many dogs are walked at once, and whether yours is walked with strangers' dogs; Whether they are insured to drive your dog in their vehicle, and how it is secured; What happens if your dog is hurt or runs — the plan, and which vet; Keys: who holds one, how it is returned, what happens if it is lost, in writing; Two references from current clients, called not read.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect care, custody and control cover as well as public liability. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers cattery owner work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — health Monitoring — staff at cat boarding facilities are trained to observe your cat's health and behaviour.
A good answer: The more of it there is, the longer the job runs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: A rushed job and a careful one take different amounts of time. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The grade chosen is the single biggest decision in the quote. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Cat boarding typically does not include veterinary care or emergency medical services unless specifically stated — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a cattery owner job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect care, custody and control cover as well as public liability — social Interaction and Playtime — most cat boarding facilities offer playtime sessions where cats can engage with staff or other cats.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the cattery owner starts, and an itemised invoice after — daily Feeding and Care — services include regular feeding based on your cat's dietary needs and schedule.
Getting the quote right
- Facility's amenities — the more of it there is, the longer the job runs.
- Duration of stay — a rushed job and a careful one take different amounts of time.
- Level of care provided — the grade chosen is the single biggest decision in the quote.
- Additional services — it determines how long the finished work will last.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: facility's amenities — the more of it there is, the longer the job runs
- They will not talk about it: duration of stay — a rushed job and a careful one take different amounts of time
- They will not talk about it: level of care provided — the grade chosen is the single biggest decision in the quote
- A price for the cattery owner before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the cattery owner has begun
What a cattery owner costs: €15–€40 per night
The figures are for the job, per night, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Standard cat boarding and Luxury cat boarding each carry their own band. Cat Boarding price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Cattery owners near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstFacility's amenities — the more of it there is, the longer the job runs — that is what the cattery owner is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneDuration of stay — a rushed job and a careful one take different amounts of time — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfLevel of care provided — the grade chosen is the single biggest decision in the quote — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherAdditional services — it determines how long the finished work will last — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the cattery owner is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, check that the staff are trained in pet care and first aid.
- Daily Feeding and Care
- Services include regular feeding based on your cat's dietary needs and schedule.
- Social Interaction and Playtime
- Most cat boarding facilities offer playtime sessions where cats can engage with staff or other cats.
- Health Monitoring
- Staff at cat boarding facilities are trained to observe your cat's health and behaviour.
- Standard Cat Boarding
- This involves providing a dedicated space for your cat, with regular feeding, litter cleaning, and playtime.
- Luxury Cat Boarding
- An upscale option that includes larger suites, premium food, and extra playtime or pampering services.
- Long-Term Cat Boarding
- Extended stays for owners who may be relocating or need prolonged care, with a focus on stability and routine.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a cattery owner: questions people ask
Most cat boarding facilities accommodate stays ranging from a single night to several weeks. It's advisable to check with the facility for any maximum stay limits and availability during peak times.
Many cat boarding facilities offer same-day availability, but it highly depends on their current occupancy. It's best to contact them directly to check for last-minute openings.
Cat boarding typically does not include veterinary care or emergency medical services unless specifically stated. Owners are usually responsible for providing any necessary medications or special dietary foods.
NO LICENCE OR REGISTER APPLIES TO DOG WALKERS, PET SITTERS OR GROOMERS IN IRELAND. Anyone may trade as one. The protection is insurance and what is written down — and the insurance that matters is not the obvious one.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and put right if it is not. Say what is wrong in writing first.
Two or three, each for the same written scope. Quotes for different scopes are not comparable, which is how the cheapest one wins and then grows.
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