Methodology & Data Quality

CatPilot.ch is an independent Swiss directory for cat owners. This page transparently explains how our data is created, verified and kept up to date.

1. Data Collection

CatPilot collects data from multiple independent sources and merges them into a unified dataset. Our crawling engine systematically searches publicly accessible Swiss directories, industry portals and professional associations for veterinarians, cat boarding facilities, pet stores and animal shelters.

For each listing we record: name, address, postal code, city, canton, coordinates, phone, website, ratings and opening hours — where publicly available.

Currently CatPilot contains over 3,300 verified listings across all 26 cantons in four languages (DE/FR/IT/EN).

2. Multi-Source Approach

Each data source plays a specific role:

  • Public directories: Broad coverage for basic information.
  • Professional associations: The GST (Swiss Veterinary Society) provides official validation. Listings with the "✓ GST-certified" badge are officially registered.
  • Animal protection organisations: The STS (Swiss Animal Protection) provides verified shelter data.
  • Official geodata: Postal codes, place names and cantons are validated against official reference data.
  • Website analysis: For each listing with a website, the content is analysed and a description is generated.

3. Duplicate Detection

Our system detects duplicates via multi-signal scoring:

  • Phone number (strongest signal)
  • Name + postal code (normalised)
  • Address + postal code
  • Website domain
  • Fuzzy matching for spelling variations

When duplicates are found, data is merged — the richest information wins.

4. Quality Assurance

Every listing goes through multiple verification rounds:

  • Categorisation: Automatic assignment based on business type and keywords.
  • Noise filtering: Off-topic listings are detected and hidden.
  • Geo-validation: Postal code → canton mapping is checked against official reference data.
  • Deduplication: Duplicate listings are merged.
  • Professional validation: Veterinarians are cross-checked against the GST register.

Hidden listings are not deleted but archived.

5. Trust Badges

  • ✓ GST-certified: Veterinary practice officially registered with the GST.
  • STS section: Shelter operated by Swiss Animal Protection STS.
  • 🐱 Cat Friendly Clinic: iCatCare/ISFM-accredited practice.
  • 🚨 Emergency service: Verified 24h or on-call emergency service.

6. What is NOT Checked

  • Whether a vet currently treats cats
  • Whether a cat boarding facility has vacancies
  • Whether opening hours are up to date
  • Whether the phone number is reachable

CatPilot makes no warranty for the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the information provided.

7. Report an Error or Claim a Listing

If a listing is incorrect or no longer exists: info@catpilot.ch

Operators can claim their listing, suggest corrections or request deletion.

8. Enhance Your Listing

Operators can enhance their listing for free: description, opening hours, photos, specialisations. Write to us at info@catpilot.ch.

9. Self-Service & Roadmap

In the long term, all interactions will be available as self-service directly on the website. In the meantime, contact us by email.