【Feline frenzy 】
Source: Global Times [22:36 October 10 2010]

http://business.globaltimes.cn/comment/2010-10/580528.html

http://s13/middle/679ec0e9t92a3fcf1a91c&690

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Home pet sitting emerges

Some pet-loving entrepreneurs have already moved into a legal gray area by offering unregistered home pet-sitting services. For husband and wife Li Wei and Chen Xing that gray area gave them a chance to play with cats - and supplement their income as civil servants. And that's how Chen found a place for his two kittens. They rented a 120-square-meter apartment located in Beijing's Central Business District, and received 23 cats during the holiday. "Our home is a cat paradise. There are no cages and they are treated just like people," said Li. "We play with them everywhere, from the living room to our bedroom."

They also set some rules for each cat, including a health certification and a deposit of 200 yuan ($30). Taking care of a cat costs 20-30 yuan ($3-$5) per day, lower than pet stores and pet care centers. Li said they have short-term residents, whose owners are on holiday or business trips, as well as long-term residents, whose owners are pregnant or have kids at home. Some people also bring their pets there on a regular basis just to hang out with other cats.

"Kittens usually adapt to their new environment easily," Li said. "Tom-cats like to show off, while female cats are shy and hide in the corner for several days."

Stray cats are also welcome. Li said they've brought eight strays home, some of which were injured. "We take them to the hospital for treatment and then bring them home," he said. "Once they recover, they stay here or we help them find new owners."

The rent for their apartment is 6,000 yuan ($890) per month. Li said the money they get from cat sitting barely covered the rent, so they quickly found a new source of income by converting their living room into a place for people to play board games.

"Cats get along well with the gamers, some even jump onto the table to watch them play," Li said. "Some customers soon find the cats are more interesting than the games."