PawSpot - New Zealand Cattery Directory
Project Overview
Finding the right cattery in New Zealand shouldn't require hours of searching across scattered websites, comparing inconsistent pricing, and guessing at available features. PawSpot solves this by bringing cattery information into one searchable directory.
The platform aggregates listings from multiple sources - owner submissions, curated research, and existing directories - normalizing the data into a consistent format. Pet owners can filter by price range, amenities (heating, outdoor runs, veterinary access), location, and read verified reviews from other cat owners.
Stage one launched as a static Next.js site, optimized for speed and simplicity. Stage two will introduce Drupal as a headless CMS, enabling content editors to manage listings through a familiar interface while maintaining frontend performance.
Challenges
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Inconsistent data formats - Catteries list prices differently (per night, per week, with or without extras). Features vary in naming and availability. Aggregating from multiple sources meant reconciling these into a standardized schema.
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Search UX for non-technical users - Pet owners aren't power users. The filtering system needed to be intuitive enough that someone stressed about leaving their cat could quickly narrow options without reading instructions.
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Hybrid content sources - Balancing owner-submitted listings, manually curated entries, and aggregated data required a flexible content model that could handle varying levels of completeness and verification.
Solution
Stage One: Static Next.js
The initial build prioritizes speed to market with a static Next.js site. This delivers excellent performance, simple hosting, and a solid foundation to validate the product before adding CMS complexity.
Data Normalization Pipeline
A standardized schema was developed for cattery listings - consistent price fields (nightly rate, weekly rate, extras), a defined set of filterable amenities, and structured location data. Incoming data from submissions and aggregation sources is transformed to match this schema.
Intuitive Search Experience
The filtering interface prioritizes the questions pet owners actually ask: "How much will this cost?", "Does it have heating?", "Is there a vet nearby?". Filters update results instantly, with clear visual feedback showing which criteria are active.
Review System
Verified reviews help pet owners make confident decisions. The system balances encouraging submissions while maintaining quality through moderation.
Stage Two: Drupal Headless (Planned)
The next phase will introduce Drupal as a headless CMS, decoupling content management from the frontend. This will give content editors a familiar interface for managing listings while preserving the static-generation performance users expect.
Results
- Launched a fully functional directory covering catteries across New Zealand
- Unified data from multiple sources into a single, searchable platform
- Delivered a filtering experience designed for stressed pet owners, not power users
- Established a scalable architecture ready to grow with user adoption
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