From Educator and Pastoral Care to Cat Sitting Business Owner

Introduction

Before joining The Cat Butler, Rachel Dasley dedicated nine years to teaching and pastoral care in a secondary school. Despite the rewarding nature of her work, the profession's increasing demands led her to seek a new path that still allowed her to care for others.

The opportunity to become a cat sitting business owner felt perfect for Rachel. Her deep love for animals, especially cats, made the idea of providing care and comfort to feline friends resonate strongly. The Cat Butler’s focus on exceptional and affordable cat care, along with ethical business practices, made it an ideal choice for her.

What Did Life Look Like Before You Joined The Cat Butler?

Rachel: "I have worked as a teacher and assistant head of year in a busy secondary school, teaching English and offering pastoral care to pupils from Year 7 up to Sixth Form. A typical day for me was a whirlwind of planning, lessons, marking, meetings and constantly thinking about the young people I served, and then collapsing on the sofa at the end of the day, ready to do it all again the next morning. Although I have very much enjoyed my career over the past nine years, the profession has changed a great deal and I felt that I too needed a change."

Why Cat Sitting?

Rachel: "When I made the decision to leave teaching, I knew that I wanted to still do something helpful, as I love caring for and supporting others. This was the main reason for beginning my career in education and I have a lot of love to give, to cats and their humans, alike! I began the job search in earnest but became frustrated by the scary and downright boring-sounding job descriptions of advertised posts."

"Then the advert for The Cat Butler appeared on my social feed while my cat Milo was ‘baking biscuits’ (kneading) on my lap. Why hadn’t I thought of this before? Looking after my cat is one of the greatest pleasures in my life; could I look after other people’s cats too? My friends and family know me for saying that in 'another life' I would be looking after animals. I thought to myself that this could be my chance."

What Was It About The Cat Butler That Appealed to You?

Rachel: "I have only gone on holiday twice in nine years as, like many cat owners, the thought of leaving my boy behind has been very difficult. The first time I went away, I paid for him to stay in a cattery for the week. It was a lovely place but I really hated leaving him there, away from the familiar comfort of our home, not to mention forcing him to be near other cats which he really doesn't like.

"The second time I went on holiday (last year), I knew that I couldn't leave him at a cattery again, and so asked our neighbour to pop in and feed him. Even so, I still worried about him every day as I didn't expect my neighbour to send me updates daily. These experiences made me realise the need for exceptional and affordable cat care for owners to rely on. Cats do not have the same needs as dogs, so The Cat Butler attracted me especially as it is solely focused on serving cats!"

"I’ve put many hours of research into The Cat Butler franchise and I must say that I have been thoroughly impressed from start to finish. It was clear to me that the well-being and care of cats are undoubtedly the priority, whilst also providing exceptional service to human clients and ethical business practices. I’ve been really supported by Sandra (the franchisor) and Greg (another franchisee) and I cannot wait to be part of such a great team."

Tell Us About Your Feline Family

Rachel: "My nearly ten-year-old cat Milo is my pride and joy and he makes sure we know he is at the centre of our little universe at home! I picked up this little ball of fluff as a kitten and he has been my shadow ever since. I actually thought he was a girl when I first brought him home and named him Mia, but it only took one look from the vet to point out that he was, in fact, a rather beautiful boy. Sorry, Miles!"

"I did think about some literary names, like Tybalt, Graymalkin or Dickens, but he had already got quite used to being called Mia, so Milo he was. He was a rambunctious little rascal as a baby, climbing curtains, chewing wires, and jumping from the top of the stairs, but he has now grown into a rather distinguished gentleman whose pleasures in life include screaming at us for food all hours of the day, getting under our feet, demanding head rubs, and laying around the house like something out of a splendid Renaissance painting."

What Does The Future Hold? 

Rachel: "I think the future is going to be hard work and a steep learning curve, but incredibly bright! I know that I’ll have the support of Sandra and a great team of Cat Butlers on hand to help me. Although I will definitely miss aspects of teaching, I cannot wait to swap the Shakespeare for the (Shakes)purrs of all my gorgeous future cat clients and meet their humans.  Who knows – perhaps I’ll meet some kitties that don’t mind me reciting a bit of poetry at them while I’m cleaning their litter tray?"

Rachel and The Cat Butler Tamworth team will be serving kitties in Atherstone, Coleshill,  Lichfield, Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth and surrounding areas in Staffordshire and Warwickshire.

Sandra James

Owner & Founder

The Cat Butler was set up by Sandra James in recognition of the fact that a stay in a cattery can be unsettling for many cats and also their owners.