Self-proclaimed crazy cat lady Madeleine Murray firmly believes that, a decade from now, she’ll be meeting the children who’ve been conceived of relationships spawned by a dating app that’s like no other this country has seen.
Arriving on the dating scene on St Valentine’s Day will be Madeleine’s brainchild – an unconventional, online befriending and dating site for people who are, quite simply, crazy about cats.
On the most romantic day of the year, sassy new enterprise Cat Cupid will draw back its bow and let that first arrow go straight from Paisley in the direction of cat lovers all over the UK.
And, if 55-year-old businesswoman Madeleine has her way, Cat Cupid will become a phenomenon that will capture the imagination of ‘fur baby’ owners the world over.
No matter whether Cat Cupid subscribers have a GSOH (good sense of humour), are DTE (down-to-earth) or ‘enjoy cosy evenings in front of the fire,’ there’s one thing that’s a given – they WLTM (would like to meet) a special someone who shares their fanaticism for felines.
Although she’s always been a lover of the pets she regards as her ‘children,’ cats weren’t always Madeleine’s raison d’être.
She enjoyed a successful, highly-rewarding nursing career spanning 31 years, until a back injury forced her to give up the job she loved.
The doting owner of tabby cats Tigerlily and Angel – who lost a leg after being struck by a car – Madeleine took a leap of faith six years ago to establish mobile cat-sitting service, Madeleine’s Moggies.
It’s clear that caring is in Madeleine Murray’s DNA. Since the launch of her business in 2017, she’s called at addresses across Renfrewshire to feed, water, pamper and play with hundreds of “wee darlings” when their owners are away. She even administers poorly pets’ medication.
Like countless businesses, Madeleine’s Moggies had to hang up its collar for a spell during lockdown. It was then that she inadvertently adopted a lovable rogue – a scruffy, stray cat in his 20s on whom she and her husband bestowed the moniker ‘Grandad.’
She’s proud to say her ‘girls,’ Angel and Tigerlily, “gave him the respect he deserved” during the last 15 months of his life. And her eyes well with tears when she tells how the old-timer “died in his daddy’s arms” and was laid to rest in the Foxbar area, whose streets he’d claimed as his own and whose residents regard him as their very own Greyfriars Bobby.
It seemed, therefore, like a rite of passage for Madeleine’s Moggies when grieving clients began to seek her out for bereavement counselling after the passing of a beloved pet.
Pulling up in a liveried car with a CAT registration plate and a back wiper masquerading as a tail, there’s no denying that ‘Auntie Madeleine’ doesn’t take herself too seriously.
That’s why, when she shared with her nearest and dearest her somewhat maverick vision for Cat Cupid, they all 'got it'.
“I have always been someone who couples people up,” she said, citing the relatives and friends who have met their spouses through her match-making super power.
“Working out in the community as a cat-sitter and meeting so many people, I am very aware of how many lonely people there are out there who cannot find love.”
Business Gateway matched Madeleine with creative agency, Branding Boutique, whose website entices prospective clients with the flirtatious slogan: “Turn on the love for your brand, because if you love it, so will your customers.”
Led by aptly-named director Kat Cohen, it was written in the stars that the agency’s three-strong team allocated to Madeleine’s account would, of course, each be crazy about cats.
They were charged with the responsibility of designing the app and branding for Cat Cupid, which will charge subscribers £15 a month – substantially less than the fee commanded by big-name dating sites.
With Madeleine pledging a portion of the profits to animal welfare charities, including Cats Protection, it’s anticipated that cat owners will consider that a price worth paying in their search for ‘that loving feline.’
Explaining how it works, Madeleine said: “Rather than just their profiles, it invites people to upload two or three-minute Tik-Tok style videos of them introducing their cats. It also distracts people from the whole focus being on them.
"A lot of people can be quite self-conscious, so this is all about their passion for their pets. What you see is what you get – and I’m opening it up to friendship, as well as dating.”
When an introduction through the app gets a ‘like,’ Cat Cupid will post a paw. And, in the event that a pair strike up a match, they’ll receive an approving ‘meow.’
“This is definitely what the dating scene needs,” enthused Madeleine. “It is a breath of fresh air. It is fun – and it’s not all about looks.”
As the app gathers momentum ahead of its planned February 14 launch, Madeleine has enlisted the support of her right-hand woman, and niece, Jennifer Guthrie who will take the brand forward.
In the meantime, Renfrewshire’s own Dr Dolittle will continue to talk to the animals – ranging from cats to reptiles – in their own homes under the Madeleine’s Moggies banner.
“I cannot tell you the joy it has brought me, and continues to bring me,” said Madeleine. “Am I a crazy cat lady? Yes, of course I am. I’m a crazy cat lady with a burning passion for cats, and with a love – and a vision – for cats and cat people.”
Want to find out more? See Madeleine’s Moggies Facebook page to register your interest.
Don't miss the latest Renfrewshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
