Case Study
Fluffy Score
From field research to AI-powered cat home assessment
How 5 years of cat sitting, veterinary behavior science, and the GROUND research system became a product that helps cat owners create healthier homes, without guessing.
Try Fluffy Score →Timeline
2021to2026
Methods
Field observation, survey, literature review, competitive analysis, pretotyping
Tools
Claude Code, Next.js, Vercel, Supabase, Stripe
Step 1 · The Problem
Your cat is stressed. Your home is probably why.
After 5 years of cat sitting in 50+ homes across the Netherlands and Turkey, a pattern emerged: most cats showed signs of stress . over-grooming, hiding, knocking things over, not because their owners didn't care, but because homes weren't designed for how cats actually behave. The science exists (AAFP/ISFM Five Pillars), but it never reaches everyday cat owners.
Colony observation, Istanbul
Improvised feeding station
Unused shelter (80% vacancy)
Step 2 · Research & Evidence
Grounding decisions in data
Literature Review
- ✓AAFP/ISFM Five Pillars framework (peer-reviewed)
- ✓3 books: Catify to Satisfy, Decoding Your Cat, What Cats Want
- ✓Ellis (2009): environmental enrichment reduces stress without medication
Competitive Analysis
- ✓6 colony management tools, all fragmented
- ✓ZERO home assessment tools based on Five Pillars
- ✓Expert content exists but passive, no interactive tool
12-behavior taxonomy from field observations and literature
Step 3 · Synthesis
Five Pillars → scoring model
Safe Place
Hidden spots to feel invisible
Resources
Separated food, water, litter
Play & Hunt
Hunt-catch-kill-eat cycles
Human Bond
Respecting cat preferences
Scent & Territory
Vertical space, scratching
Key Insights
The knowledge gap is a distribution problem: veterinary science has the answers, they just don't reach owners.
Escape routes and sight lines matter more than aesthetics. Shelters that ignore this have 80%+ vacancy.
Bowl feeding takes less than 1% of a cat's day vs 33-50% in the wild. This mismatch drives most 'behavioral problems.'
Step 4 · Storyboard
Visualizing the user journey
A 6-panel storyboard mapping the experience from problem to transformed home. Meet Selin and her cat Miso.
Panel 1
The Cozy But Boring Living Room
Miso looks disengaged, half-closed eyes, staring at the wall.
Panel 2
Miso Knocks Things Over Again
Tipped plant, spilled soil. Bored, not bad.
Panel 3
Finding Fluffy Score
A card-based interface with a simple 'Start' button.
Panel 4
Taking the Assessment
Questions mapped to the Five Pillars.
Panel 5
The Score Reveals the Gaps
62/100. Radar chart shows which pillars need attention.
Panel 6
A Better Home, One Week Later
Window perch, wall shelves, food puzzle. Miso is engaged.
Step 5 · Prototype & Build
From storyboard to working product
Early concept sketches
Product design renders
Free Tier
- ✓Adaptive AI conversation about your home
- ✓Score across 5 pillars
- ✓Top 3 quick-win recommendations
- ✓Shareable score card
Paid Report: €4.99
- ✓Room-by-room action plan
- ✓Product recommendations with links
- ✓Behavior explanation per pillar
- ✓PDF export
Step 6 · Systems Thinking
Indoor cats ↔ Shelter cats
When indoor cat owners learn enrichment principles, they become better adopters, foster parents, and shelter volunteers, creating a reinforcing loop.
Step 7 · Validation & Results
What happened
4,800+
Reddit views on concept
0
Competitors in Five Pillars assessment
62%
Average home score in early tests
Key Learnings
Validate with behavior, not opinions. Reddit upvotes showed interest; WhatsApp responses showed intent.
The biggest advantage was filling a gap nobody else did: an interactive tool based on peer-reviewed science.
AI made this possible as a solo builder. Claude Code handled engineering, I focused on research and design.
Want to build something like this?
The Insight Hub Workshop teaches the same research-to-product process.