Man earns 160,000 yuan during Spring Festival! Sleeps only three to four hours a day

During the Spring Festival

Many people return to their hometowns for the holiday or go on trips

“Furry kids” have to stay at home

In addition to pet boarding shops

** “In-home feeding” ** is also a popular choice for many

As the pet owner population grows

This new profession of in-home pet feeding

Has also attracted online attention

Shanghai man provides in-home cat feeding during Spring Festival

Orders exploded, estimated income of 160,000 yuan

Huan Cong, born in 1991, is a pet industry professional who has been specializing in in-home cat feeding for nine years. He said that this Spring Festival, combined with over 20 days before and after the holiday, his team completed about 2,000 in-home cat feeding orders, with him handling around 1,000 of them alone, supporting the care needs of pets left behind in Shanghai during the holiday with four employees.

Nine years ago, when he started, only 12 out of about 200 clients needed in-home cat feeding, but now the demand has multiplied. In Shanghai, his clients are mainly migrant workers. This year’s Spring Festival orders are over 80% returning hometown customers, about 10% are travelers taking advantage of off-peak times.

During the Spring Festival, he leaves home at 3 a.m. every day, busy until 10 or even 11 p.m., sleeping only three or four hours a day on average, and can complete up to 55 orders in one day. Regarding pricing, he has maintained a mid-to-high-end route: 60–80 yuan per visit in Jiading area, 100 yuan elsewhere, 200 yuan for longer distances or more cats, and he hasn’t raised prices in nine years.

Huan Cong said that many clients continue to choose his service. “This Spring Festival, the in-home cat feeding orders have increased from 270 last year to over 320 now, an 18% increase. I expect a 25% increase by the end of the holiday, and just the income from in-home cat feeding alone is expected to reach 160,000 yuan.”

Huan Cong and the kittens

The process is complex from start to finish

In-home cat feeding is not just about feeding

What exactly does in-home cat feeding involve?

Can it be as simple as just pouring water and giving food?

In reality, it’s not that simple.

A girl named Xiao L (pseudonym), who works part-time in Shenzhen doing in-home cat feeding during the Spring Festival, told reporters that in-home feeding includes not only providing water and food, but also cleaning up excrement, washing bowls, and other cleaning tasks, as well as interactive play and companionship. Even excluding travel time, each visit still takes about 30–40 minutes.

Interviewee provided photo

A girl named Xiao Xie, born after 1995 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, said her pet feeding service is divided into two types:

One is minimal service, taking about 20 minutes from entering to leaving the home, suitable for shy cats or those that don’t need playtime. This service involves no direct contact with the cat, including refilling food and water, cleaning dishes, scooping litter, tidying up, ventilating, and observing the cat’s condition; the other is standard service, taking about 35 minutes, which includes all of the minimal service plus some playtime.

“All of this is recorded with photos and videos and sent to the cat owner. If clients have other needs, like feeding treats or cleaning, I usually discuss these in advance, do the basic tasks first, then handle additional requests. Finally, I send a picture of the cleaned-up area to the owner to give them peace of mind.”

A third-year in-home cat feeder in Shenzhen, Xiao Gao (pseudonym), said: “There is a clear market demand. Influenced by the economic environment and media promotion, in-home pet feeding has become a popular side job, and more and more people want to get into it.”

In the 2024 Spring Festival, Xiao Gao, who still has her main job, combined her experience from participating in stray cat rescue during studying abroad and working in a pet hospital, starting as a part-time cat feeder and officially entering the industry.

Xiao Gao revealed that during peak seasons, she services 15 to 18 clients a day. “Last year, I earned over 20,000 yuan from this side job. The income varies greatly between peak and off-peak seasons, with peak times mainly during long holidays like Spring Festival and National Day.”

Is in-home cat feeding a “divine profession”?

Lawyer: Recommend clear agreement on rights and obligations

In-home cat feeding allows close contact with pets

And can generate income

Many young people see it as a “divine profession”

But in reality, it’s not as glamorous as everyone imagines

Some practitioners say that they have encountered cases where pets fell ill after in-home visits, and owners believed the responsibility was on the feeder, demanding compensation for medical expenses. They also occasionally get bitten.

Regarding this profession, Zheng Zhiming, a lawyer at Shanghai Zhengyuan Law Firm, pointed out that if practitioners lack proper qualifications and experience, it can easily lead to damage disputes. It’s recommended that both parties clearly specify rights and obligations to mitigate risks.

“If a pet gets sick, attacks, or bites, who is responsible? Both parties should sign a contract, and the more comprehensive the contract, the better protected they are,” Zheng said.

With the development of the pet economy, Zhu Hongjun, a member of the Shanghai Minhang District CPPCC and secretary-general of the District Pet Service Association, foresees huge potential in the pet boarding market. He emphasized that the key to healthy industry development is earning trust through professionalism: “In-home feeders should ideally operate as companies, managed uniformly, with professional training and education, even requiring certification and background checks. This increases trust, standardizes behavior, and promotes further acceptance of this profession.”