Cat Accessories Business

2 Cat Accessories Business Success Stories [2024]

Pat Walls

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Updated: October 8th, 2024

Cats are more than pets; they are family, deserving of the best accessories. Enter the cat accessories business—a venture focused on providing high-quality, stylish, and functional items for our feline companions. From designer collars to interactive toys, you’ll cater to a rapidly growing market of cat enthusiasts who are willing to invest in top-notch products for their furry friends.

To get started, you'll need a blend of creativity and business acumen. Researching trends, sourcing materials, and building relationships with manufacturers are key initial steps. One of the simplest avenues is setting up an online store, possibly using platforms like Shopify.

Creating engaging social media content and working with pet influencers can drive traffic and sales. This business is scalable and has room for various niches, whether eco-friendly products or luxury items. If you have a passion for cats and a flair for business, this could be an exciting opportunity to explore.

In this list, you'll find real-world cat accessories business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a cat accessories business that makes money.

1. art.com ($100M/year)

Back in 1994, the internet was still in its infancy, and Josh Chodniewicz didn't even know what it was until his friend Mike Marston called him from Virginia Tech and told him it was going to be huge. Intrigued, Josh bought a modem and the two started brainstorming potential online business ideas. After passing on books and music, they decided posters and prints were perfect for the online market where people had limited local options for art.

They observed the struggles people had finding specialty posters, like a Boston Red Sox fan living in Texas trying to find team memorabilia. This made them realize the potential of a single online source for a wide variety of posters and prints. To validate their idea, they leveraged early internet marketing strategies, like pay-per-click advertising on Yahoo! Overture and an extensive affiliate program with 750,000 websites.

Throughout this process, they encountered challenges like low repeat sales and ineffective advertising expenses but refined their approach by focusing on profitable marketing channels and banding together for logistical efficiency. This experience taught them the importance of perseverance, innovation, and leveraging the right partners to bring their vision to life.

How much money it makes: $100M/year
How much did it cost to start: $35K
How many people on the team: 1000

How 2 Founders Bootstrapped Art.com to $200M/Year Before Selling to Walmart

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2. Tuft & Paw ($15.6M/year)

Jackson Cunningham, the founder of tuft + paw, came up with the idea for his business when he rescued a cat and realized there were no high-quality cat products available. He started by importing beautiful cat furniture and eventually launched a successful Kickstarter campaign for a modern litter box, raising over $150k. Today, tuft + paw is thriving, with monthly sales exceeding $300k and $2M in funding from investors like Alexis Ohanian.

How much money it makes: $15.6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 14

This Designer Cat Furniture Brand Does Over $300K/Month In Sales

Tuft + Paw, a modern cat brand founded by Jackson Cunningham, started as an importer of exquisite cat furniture and, after raising $150k from Kickstarter, graduated to manufacturing products, seeing sales grow to over $300k per month and now raising $2m from famed investors including Alexis Ohanian.

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