Woman purr-sues cat cafe
Photo: Contributed
A cat cafe in Japan.
A Kelowna woman has fired up a Kickstarter campaign in an effort to bring a cat cafe to the city.
Ashley Karnes is trying to raise $15,000 by Dec. 8 for Catelowna, with the goal of helping rescued cats find new homes and also provide a space for humans to get pet therapy. She said she has identified a promising downtown location to start up the cafe.
Cat cafes have been around since 1998, when the first one opened in Taiwan. Karnes said there are currently 12 such cafes in Canada, and she wants to bring one to Kelowna.
“First and foremost, Catelowna is for rescue cats,” Karnes said in a press release. “Our purpose is to create an atmosphere where cat lovers can hang out with adoptable cats, with the ultimate goal of finding a forever home for every cat in our care.”
The cafe would provide pet therapy opportunities for those who are not allowed to have pets in their living spaces or who just need to unwind.
Karnes has worked with Interior Health to ensure that the cat lounge and cafe area are separate and sanitary; there will be little cafe in the cat part and no cats in the cafe part. In addition, staff who handle food will not handle cats, and vice versa.
More information about Catelowna can be found on its Kickstarter page.
