Kitty Conversations - ProtectaPet

Welcome to our very first "Kitty Conversation"!

We are absolutely delighted to be spending time today talking to one of our favourite cat-repreneurs, Eve Davies from ProtectaPet! Not only are we spending our time in great company we’re also at an amazing venue, Charlie’s Cat Café in Stone, just a few minutes’ drive from Cool Cat Collars HQ!

So Eve, thank you very much for spending time with us today, let’s start at the beginning…Tell us a little about how it all began? What was the thinking behind ProtectaPet and what was your inspiration?

When we first lived together, Simon and I adopted two beautiful kittens called Lola and Leo: they had been born in a barn to a feral Mum and we couldn't wait to give them the home they deserved. These two little cats became the center of our world: there was never a dull moment with Lola splashing water at you, Leo climbing the textured wall paper in our rental house and hanging from the ceiling or the pair of them chasing each other around. Because they were so treasured, we kept them as indoor cats for fear of their safety outdoors. Lola in particular was desperate to go outdoors and she'd jump out of upstairs windows or slip between your legs when the front door was open. On one of her escapades, she was hit by a car and she died within minutes. We were distraught and we manifested our grief on finding a solution that would prevent cats from injury while providing them with all the enrichment of outdoor adventures.

That’s such a sad story, but also very inspiring, turning your grief into a positive to help other cat owners. With that in mind, who should look at getting a ProtectaPet system? and what important things should they consider?

If you are a cat owner who is concerned about your cat's safety outdoors, or if your cat is exclusively indoors but you think they'd benefit from outdoor access, get in touch. From suburban terraces to countryside 'jungles': we've cat proofed over 4,000 gardens in the UK and can find a solution to almost any feature. Once you've got that peace of mind about your cat's safety and welfare, there is just no looking back.

Which countries can you find ProtectaPet systems?

We have distributors in Netherlands and Germany and we are currently training up a Swiss installation team. Our warehouse in the Midlands ships DIY kits internationally.

What has been your favourite installation and why?

I couldn't possible choose but some highlights include a cat 'swingbridge' at Cool for Cats Cafe in Devon where the cats can safely cross a road; a four acre enclosure for feral cats at Feline Care in Norwich and then there the beautifully enriching gardens that some of our cat owners have designed. One that springs to mind is a lady called Michelle who has a bar and sun patio in her ProtectaPet garden so that humans and cats can relax together!

They all sound amazing! You guys have been in business for a long time, but recently rebranded (we love it by the way!) how come?

The last seven years has been a journey of discovery at ProtectaPet and while we knew internally that we promote outdoor adventure and enrichment for cats balanced with owner peace of mind, we wanted to find a way to communicate this to our audience. The rebrand has enabled us to really focus on our mission to save cats and protect native British species from predation and this filters through the company from our newly designed eco-packaging through to our outward image and appearance.

So finally, what can we expect from ProtectaPet in 2020 and beyond?

We have a KPI of 'cat protected' which currently stands at 12,837 (4,279 customers with an average of 3 cats per household). Our predicted number of cats protected by 2022 is 25,325. This is what motivated us every day and what our team are excited by. That, and all the pictures of beautiful cats in our inboxes :)

What a fantastic goal! Fingers crossed you reach it by 2022, if not even sooner!

To find out more information about how ProtectaPet can help keep your “cat protected” head on over to their website or give them a follow on social meow-dia!. Be sure to check out Charlie's Cat Cafe too!