Rover acquires cat-sitting marketplace to further expand its growth across Europe

Rover has gotten its paws on another pet-sitting marketplace.

The Seattle-based pet-care company announced the acquisition Thursday of Cat in a Flat, a cat-sitting community for friends of felines that will help Rover expand its European footprint.

Founded in London in 2014, Cat in a Flat helps connect cat parents to cat sitters through its app and website. The business has expanded to more than 50,000 care providers who have provided 2 million visits across nine countries.

Rover itself was acquired in a $2.3 billion deal with Blackstone earlier this year. The 13-year-old company has grown over the years by expanding beyond dog sitting, dabbling in other verticals such grooming, pet gear, and training.

While best known for its dog care, Rover officially expanded its services to include cat care back in 2019.

The acquisition will fuel Rover’s European expansion into Switzerland, Belgium, Austria and Ireland, in addition to the 10 other European countries its marketplace serves. Europe accounts for Rover’s fastest growing segment of new customer acquisition.

“We believe there is a significant opportunity ahead for us to better serve the needs of cat parents globally,” Rover President and COO Brent Turner said in a statement.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Cat in a Flat will continue to operate as its own brand and entity led by founders Julie Barnes and Kathrin Burckhardt.