And with Aidilfitri approaching at the end of the month, feline lovers around the country have certainly been busy looking for accommodation for their cherished animals.
A recent survey by Bernama found that several social media users started searching for pet hotels as early as last year. “Raya is still far away, but I already have to book a cat hotel. Hmm, I haven’t even decided on my Raya outfit colour yet!” one user wrote.
Another lamented: “Oh my God, all the pet hotels are fully booked!”
According to Rohani Majid, the owner of Orios Cat Hotel in Kajang, Selangor, her facilities – which can accommodate up to 80 cats at a time – have been fully booked for Raya since December.
The 47-year-old, who has been offering pet boarding services for three years, said her business offers wooden enclosures instead of metal cages. “But due to the high demand for the festive season and a long waitlist, we have introduced metal cages as an alternative.
“This way, the cats are still cared for in our pet hotel, just in a different type of enclosure. We have to think creatively to meet the high demand. Some customers even bring their own cages and ask us to look after their pets,” she shared.
Meanwhile, recognising the growing need for petcare, 47-year-old Baharim Abu Bakar offers a pet-sitting service where he visits his clients’ homes to feed, clean and spend time with their furkids while their humans are away.
Baharim, who has been in this business for eight years, said the demand for his services peaks during festive seasons, making it challenging for him to accommodate everyone.
“Many people, especially my regular clients, have inquired about my house-to-house service during Raya. However, I will only open bookings during Ramadan to be fair and to organise my schedule efficiently as I focus solely on the Klang Valley during the festive season.
“I handle everything on my own without any assistance, so I can’t take on too many bookings. My maximum is 20 houses over five days (of the festival).
“To ensure I provide the best service, I have to limit the areas I cover so I don’t get too tired,” said Baharim, who is also the owner of Rumah Katsumi, a shelter for disabled cats.
Baharim, whose service charges start from RM50, does not impose a time limit on his visits, and provides pet owners with regular updates through video recordings sent via WhatsApp.
“Some homes take me less than an hour if they only have one cat, while others require more time if they have several,” he added.