Zoe JoyallFor cat and coffee lovers alike, the Edmonton Pop-Up Cat Café returned for a paw-some weekend of kitten cuddling, cat adopting, and cappuccino sipping.
The two-day café was held this past weekend at Galerie CAVA, where 300 visitors passed through to spend an hour with free-roaming cats, and kittens while having the option of purchasing locally-brewed beverages from Transcend Coffee. As with the first version of the event, all the cats and kittens in attendance were up for adoption, and the nature of the event was to build awareness for rescue organizations (Zoe’s Animal Rescue and SAFE Team) dedicated to finding forever homes for the felines.
The cats and kittens were indeed the stars of the show — even if you’re not a cat lover, (a category I count myself as part of), the adorable felines couldn’t help but win the hearts of the visitors. Throughout the Café, guests were snapping photos of the animals, regardless of whether they were sleeping or in a playing mood. Although there were not enough cats for every individual to have a personal cuddle session, other visitors within the café area were friendly and willing to share their time with a cat. In spite of the furry guests, the atmosphere of this venue still felt like a café, with paintings on the walls, and more open space than the previous edition. The hour went by incredibly fast, leaving me wishing for more time to spend with the cats and kittens rather than heading home for a less comforting session of studying.
After the first Cat Café, the organizers, Sarah Hoyles and Aaron Getz, were able to figure out what works best for the felines and ways to improve the Café so both guests (human and otherwise) could get the most out of the experience. For an hour mid-way through the day, the lights would go off, encouraging the cats to sleep and recuperate from a day of constant interaction, which is exhausting for the cats. They also tried to get more kittens for their second pop-up, because adult cats do not necessarily enjoy the interactive atmosphere as much. Fortunately, one thing that hasn’t changed is the focus on getting animals adopted.
At the moment, the Cat Café is not a permanent establishment, and the organizers hope to keep it an unexpected treat by popping up in any viable location around the city. To this point however, it seems to be a successful way of keeping Edmontonians engaged with animal advocacy — and good coffee — as both events were completely sold out (this one sold out within a day). If you missed out on either the first or second Cat Café, be sure to be on the lookout, as another could be coming to a space near you sometime soon.
