While most people were celebrating the 2026 Lunar New Year with fireworks and family reunions, one Shanghai man was busy doing something entirely different—feeding cats.
Huan Cong, 35, a veteran cat sitter with nearly a decade in the business, earned roughly 160,000 yuan (around $23,000) over the holiday week by visiting 320 households and tending to roughly 1,000 feline clients. On his busiest day, Cong personally cared for 55 cats, all while working alongside a four-person team and surviving on just three hours of sleep per night.
“Helping cats while giving owners peace of mind is exhausting, but it’s rewarding,” Cong told reporters.
The Lunar New Year, also called Spring Festival, is China’s peak travel season. Millions of people leave cities for hometown reunions, often leaving their pets behind. That’s where Cong comes in. Over the past nine years, he’s built a door-to-door cat-feeding business that specializes in short, personalized visits—just 10 to 15 minutes per cat—covering everything from refilling food and water bowls to cleaning litter boxes, checking health, and even administering medication if needed.
This year, bookings jumped 18% from the previous Lunar New Year, reflecting a growing trend of niche gig services turning into serious income streams during peak holiday periods.
Cong’s team carefully maps out daily routes across Shanghai, starting as early as 3 a.m. and finishing around 10 or 11 p.m. Playtime with cats is built into the schedule to make sure the animals are stimulated, not just fed. Many clients also monitor visits via video, adding an extra layer of reassurance.
Cong’s pricing has remained consistent for nine years, ranging from 60–80 yuan ($9–12) per visit locally, up to 200 yuan ($28) for long-distance trips or homes with multiple cats. The Lunar New Year surge turned a niche gig into a lucrative operation, with the 25% expected growth in business volume directly boosting his earnings.
As urban pet ownership in China continues to climb, stories like Cong’s show how holidays can create unexpected opportunities—and how the demand for reliable, hands-on pet care isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
