Husband-and-wife team Sarah and Simon Dowling tell Natasha Baluchi why, having had to overcome several challenges, they are thrilled to have opened the Island’s newest cattery
WHILE you are enjoying your summer holiday abroad, sipping on a refreshing cocktail by the pool or relaxing in a luxurious beach-side hotel, do you ever wonder whether your pet is enjoying a similar level of indulgence?
The answer, particularly if your pet is of the feline variety, is that they now could be because after three years and four months, hours of research and multiple planning hearings, husband and wife Simon and Sarah Dowling have finally managed to open their dream business.
That business, The Purrfect Retreat, launched on 22 May, and is the newest feline hotel to have opened in the Island for 15 years.
As a family-run business, the couple’s aim is not “rapid expansion”, but to create a comfortable environment for cats away from their home and their owners.
Helping to run the business alongside them are Simon’s sons Henry and
George Dowling, Sarah’s daughter, Megan Le Scelleur, and Sarah’s sister, Ann Thomasson.
For Sarah, opening a cattery was not a new ambition; it had been a dream since her teenage years.
“We always had cats when we were growing up and I have wanted to open a cattery ever since I was a teenager,” she said. “But with one thing or another, it just never came to pass. At the time, we didn’t have the space or the time, with other work commitments and the family growing up.
“Then, sadly, my father passed away. He left me the house and we saw the opportunity.”
The house, and its tranquil countryside location, then became the foundation for the business to come to fruition, and the cat-loving couple began to explore options to turn their dream into a reality.
“Cats have always been an integral part of our lives,” Simon explained.
“I am on the glide path to retirement, as I like to call it, and Sarah has always told me her dream was to have a cattery, so it was great to have the opportunity to research it, construct it and provide something that the local community has needed for many years.”
As the thought started to become more than just an idea, the couple quickly realised that opening a modern cattery would be harder than they thought.
Because of the limited number of catteries, they turned to UK businesses for inspiration.
“UK catteries have moved ahead in leaps and bounds. They now have cat hotels that are either four or five stars, and we decided to contact people in the UK and go over to see what they have to offer,” Simon pointed out.
“We spent about a week over there, viewing, discussing and looking at other catteries, just taking on board everything people were saying.”
The trip to the UK not only helped the couple to gain valuable insight into how modern catteries operate but also helped to shape the design aspect of The Purrfect Retreat, influencing everything from the layout of the suites to the enrichment activities on offer.
During the research period, the couple also gave careful consideration to the branding and the name.
“We spent loads and loads of hours talking about different ideas, some funny and some silly,” Sarah said. “I honestly don’t know how we settled it in the end.”
The couple knew that they wanted a name that reflected the “high-end” experience, so “retreat” was always central to the idea.
Sarah also chose a calming green colour palette, designed to create a peaceful and natural environment for its feline guests.
“I just wanted the cats to feel like they’re part of the countryside,” she explained.
The couple also furthered their knowledge in feline care by taking an NVQ level three qualification, highlighting that it was “a long, but rewarding, process of 250 hours of learning”.
“The paperwork has got to be internally assessed by the studying board, educational board and externally qualified as well,” said Simon.
Sarah added: “It’s interesting because even if you have cats yourself and you know how to look after them, this was far more in depth, and we’ve learnt a lot, particularly around things like enrichment. We’re quite big on enriching the cats’ lives.”
In spite of their meticulous planning and research, the couple experienced some challenges, particularly when it came to getting permission for their venture.
“I think the first email I sent to the Planning Department was on 3 February 2023,” said Sarah.
What followed was a lengthy process involving numerous emails to planning, two rejected applications and, eventually, the appointment of an independent planning inspector from the UK to review the application.
“I had some sympathy for the Planning Department because even though they were in favour of the application, they had to write a report supporting the Planning Committee’s disapproval. They were pulling against each other, and it didn’t make sense,” said Simon.
Despite the uphill battle, the couple were determined to see it through.
“We wanted to do everything by the book, transparently and with full visibility, so we sat down with planning and explained exactly what we wanted to do,” they said.
While it was a challenging time, there were, they said, some special moments.
“During our three years of struggles with the planning process, the cat community on Facebook was talking about it. That community has more than 16,000 members, and people were supporting us through the planning applications and even making submissions,” Simon noted.
“About halfway through the process, that’s when the penny dropped and we realised that the cattery we were proposing was much needed in the Island.
“Catteries that used to be here have closed down for whatever reason, and no new cattery has opened in the Island for over 15 years,” Sarah explained.
Cats which are boarding can expect to be pampered and “treated like royalty” throughout their stay, say the couple, who added that the animals’ suites were equipped with bedding, personalised rugs, cat towers, scratching posts, litter trays and a range of wet and dry foods from different providers. Guests can pick between a premium suite or a classic suite, and the owners cater towards dietary requirements if required, as Sarah says they “love to go above and beyond”.
The pair also explained that because no two cats were alike, they gather detailed information about their guests from their owners, with the aim being to give the pets comfort and the owners reassurance and peace of mind that their feline friends are being well looked after.
“Safety and cleanliness are the two main things that owners look for. And then the peace,” said the couple, adding that while some owners worried about how their pet would adapt to the change in routine and environment, Sarah and Simon do everything they can to make sure their stay is comfortable.
“We don’t want them stressed or anxious,” Sarah said. “For the first two to three hours, we just let them settle. We have calming music throughout the day, pheromone sprays, diffusers and even sensory healing music. We talk in a soothing manner and just do everything really slowly.”
A nice “touch”, they add, is the way the suites are named after “legendary felines from history and mythology”, such as Topcat and Garfield.
“I think people recognise that we’ve upgraded from what’s been available historically,” said Sarah. “We even have a kitty cam, something no other catteries in Jersey have had before, enabling owners to check on the pets and see how they are doing throughout their stay.”
“For an additional charge, you can actually watch your cat 24/7. For people on holiday, if they’re lying on their sunbeds, sipping their cocktail, they can see what their cat is doing,” said Simon.
The couple also offer a collection and drop-off service, which they say has already proven popular, particularly if customers’ flights or ferries are delayed.
Despite saying that they had seen strong demand for their services and had even taken bookings for next year, Simon and Sarah said that they wanted to keep “family authenticity” at the heart of the business, while helping Islanders to enjoy their holidays.
“One couple whose cats we looked after this summer hadn’t been away for more than six years because they couldn’t find anywhere they felt comfortable leaving their cats,” said Sarah.
“We feel absolutely honoured to have those cats and I’m so thrilled the couple are finally having a holiday.”
For Sarah and Simon, moments like that make the years of planning, research and perseverance worthwhile.
“It took three years and fourth months to come to pass but we finally got there,” Sarah added.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the support we’ve had from different directions. We’ve had so many people come up and have a look, and we’ve got our booking visibility right through to next year now.”
But busy though they may be, Sarah said: “It isn’t really a job; it’s just fun.
And, as our slogan says, ‘cats deserve a holiday too’.”
