Meet Go, Cat, Go!, The Inner Sunset's Cat Consultancy

Meet Go, Cat, Go!, The Inner Sunset's Cat Consultancy

Hoodline/Walter Thompson

Walter Thompson
Published on January 28, 2015

After more than a decade working with people who've adopted cats, Daniel Quagliozzi launched Go Cat, Go!, a consulting service that promotes understanding between felines and their guardians. Quagliozzi, an Inner Sunset resident who spent 13 years with the SF Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, now makes home visits so he can help clients find their way back from feline crises.

“You need to be somewhere in between a social worker and a cat advocate, so my experience with SFSPCA got me where I am now,” said Quagliozzi. His decision to launch a private consultancy was born from frustration regarding the limitations of the telephone. “I launched a business where I could go to people’s homes and see the problem in the environment where the cat is more comfortable. I try to interpret what’s going on for people to help them make sense of it.”

Hoodline/Walter Thompson

In a typical day, Quagliozzi sees a handful of clients in and around San Francisco and deals with a broad spectrum of cat behavior issues, including (but not limited to) litter box avoidance, spraying, aggression, undersocialized behavior, scratching, and excessive meowing. “My general fee for a first consultation in the city is $125, but for Inner Sunset residents, I offer a $25 discount," he said, since he lives in the neighborhood. Each client receives 30 days of free correspondence for “troubleshooting,” and follow-up visits are $75 each.

Go Cat, Go! launched in 2013, but Quagliozzi said his business is now sustainable, adding that strong word of mouth and social media have helped him grow the business quickly. “I like to think I’m a good representation of San Francisco people, and my approach is unconventional, but it’s pretty straightforward. I’ll tell people that they’re effing up if they are.”

Quagliozzi’s top priority is resolving problems so cats can stay in their homes. “For me, when you say you’re going to surrender your animal, that’s life or death,” he said, explaining that adult cats surrendered to shelters have a hard time being adopted. “My objective is to avoid that suffering both in the animal and in the human being. When the human-animal bond breaks, that’s usually when the shit hits the fan. Or the rug.”

Hoodline/Walter Thompson

Since starting Go Cat, Go!, Quagliozzi was cast in Animal House, a reality TV show. “It’s kind of like ‘Extreme Makeover’ for animal shelters, only we’re not showing up with a big bankroll.” Last year, he shot a pilot in rural Othello, Wash., where Animal House “rallied a community together to build their shelter.” Program producers are currently seeking a network distribution deal so they can shoot additional episodes.

“The show really touches my heart because it’s about shelter work and changing shelter environments so they can save more animals or just serve their communities better,” said Quagliozzi, who plans to attend next week's 4th annual "Be Mine" party at SFSPCA where attendees can enjoy a catwalk fashion show, cocktails and a "pop-up (REAL) tattoo parlor," according to the event flyer.

Go, Cat, Go! Cat Behavior Consulting offers a $25 discount to Inner Sunset residents. For more information, call Quagliozzi at (415) 806-1351.