A growing number of cat owners in Penang are turning to luxury services to ensure their pets are well taken care of when they are away.
Since Ufi’s Premium Cat Hotel opened its doors in July 2022, Nur Athirah Ahmad Nazri Rizal has elevated the concept of feline care to impressive levels.
Located in Kepala Batas, the hotel is a cut above all other cat boarding facilities available.
Besides herself, there are 2 "cat specialists" to attend to the pets, CCTV monitoring on the cats, rooms equipped with a “toilet”, contraptions for play, and a sleeping area.
Prices for a night's stay are affordable, ranging from RM38 for an economy capsule to RM110 for a larger room.
The largest room can hold up to a maximum of 8 cats at any one time. There are a total of 60 rooms available for all four options.
Nur Athirah, fondly known as Tiera to her customers, is a 24-year-old enterprising young woman who sparked the idea of opening a premium cat hotel when she could not find one that suited her needs.
“I used to travel outstation and I needed a place for my beloved best friend, Ufi,” she said of her 7-year-old grey British Shorthair cat which the hotel was named after.
During an interview, Tiera said her hotel offers individual CCTV access to owners for viewing their cats through their phones, along with 24-hour air-conditioning.
“Besides that, we have installed 16 CCTV cameras for round-the-clock surveillance and security so that cat owners can have peace of mind. Our cats’ safety is paramount," she said.
Since 2022, more than a thousand cats have boarded at the hotel.
Tiera said that business gets very busy, especially during festive seasons when owners need to book up to a month in advance just to secure a place.
“When it comes to food, cat owners could pack their cats’ favourite food or allow us to feed them our high-quality kibbles—the cats are fed three times a day. We also use filtered Coway water for the pet guests,” she said.
Other than that, optional services such as grooming and emergency visits to the veterinary are available, at an extra charge.
“We have two ‘cat specialists’ who are trained and hold certifications in cat handling and grooming,” she said.
She added that the hotel does not accept cats that have not been vaccinated, for safety reasons.
“The cats are not allowed to play with other cats who board at the hotel too,” she said.
Elaborating further, Tiera said that every cat gets 30 minutes of playtime. While the playtime is tailored based on the number of cats present, it remains integral to the hotel's service so that cats can stretch their paws.
“We let the cat play in a safe and enclosed environment that is equipped with toys and contraptions that allow them to explore and remain curious of their new surroundings,” she said. She also said that new toys are added from time to time.
Tiera, who is currently studying at University Teknologi Mara (UiTM) for a marketing degree, has ambitions to expand the brand across Malaysia and to make it more widely recognised. She said that starting the cat hotel cost her about RM200K.
“I receive mostly positive feedback and reviews from customers and have many regular customers. Whenever I get suggestions to improve, I will also try to meet my customers’ expectations,” she said.
The hotel operates daily from 9am to 7pm, except on Tuesdays and Fridays when it operates from 9am to 5pm.
Ufi's Premium Cat Hotel is situated at 66, First Floor, Jalan Dagangan 2, Pusat Bandar Bertam Perdana, 13200 Kepala Batas, Penang and can be contacted at 012-273 0040.
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