Lola on the Road: Catfé Lounge (Ferndale, MI)
It’s taken me a bit of time to complete my final post from last summer because, well, life just got in the way. But at long last, here it is. I had such a great time visiting all the cafés and sharing my experiences with you. At my final stop in Michigan, I got to catch up with old friends (my good friend Sherry, who was my Michigan tour guide and host, and Sue of The Island Cats), and I got to meet a blogging friend for the first time (Vicky of Eastside Cats.) But don’t worry! This post summarizes my last stop of 2018, but my journeys will resume this year and I’ll continue to share the amazing things cat cafés do for both cats and their communities.
I was warmly welcomed by Deanne Iovan, Executive Director, and had the pleasure of chatting with her about the café. Catfé Lounge is Michigan’s premiere cat café. When they opened in 2015, they decided to have a different take on the cat café concept. Rather than partnering with a rescue, they are actually part of the Ferndale Cat Shelter, a 501(c)3 cat rescue.
Catfé is situated in a storefront in the socially progressive town of Ferndale, MI. The landlord had recently purchased the property with the goal of opening a coffee shop. The community, which has a lot of musicians and artists, has really embraced the café.
Once you're inside, the environment is very quiet and relaxing. The decor is adorable!
In addition to some great catification where the cats have some awesome vertical space, there are cat-themed (what else?) murals painted on the walls in gorgeous, calming colors.
How pretty! The murals were painted by Erin Brott, a local artist, and art teacher.
This gorgeous girl looks like she approves of the decor.
The cats have plenty of space to play and stretch out...
... and places to hide when they feel the need.
The cats were very relaxed, comfortable and happy. They enjoyed playing their visitors with their favorite toys (of which there were many!)
This guy loved his catnip cheeseburger so much he even took a nap with it.
There is an area in the café that is set up as a shop where visitors can purchase some wonderful souvenirs and other cat-related merchandise.
The cubbies seem to be a pawpular hiding place!
I didn't buy one of these cute mugs, and I really wish I did. (I guess another trip to MI is in my future! LOL)
Catfé is situated in a storefront in the socially progressive town of Ferndale, MI. The landlord had recently purchased the property with the goal of opening a coffee shop. The community, which has a lot of musicians and artists, has really embraced the café.
Once you're inside, the environment is very quiet and relaxing. The decor is adorable!
In addition to some great catification where the cats have some awesome vertical space, there are cat-themed (what else?) murals painted on the walls in gorgeous, calming colors.
How pretty! The murals were painted by Erin Brott, a local artist, and art teacher.
This gorgeous girl looks like she approves of the decor.
The cats have plenty of space to play and stretch out...
... and places to hide when they feel the need.
The cats were very relaxed, comfortable and happy. They enjoyed playing their visitors with their favorite toys (of which there were many!)
This guy loved his catnip cheeseburger so much he even took a nap with it.
There is an area in the café that is set up as a shop where visitors can purchase some wonderful souvenirs and other cat-related merchandise.
The cubbies seem to be a pawpular hiding place!
I didn't buy one of these cute mugs, and I really wish I did. (I guess another trip to MI is in my future! LOL)
Catfé has a great adoption rate. In 2017, 419 cats were adopted out and in 2018, as of my visit in August, 260 found their forever homes. Many adopters maintain a relationship with the lounge after bringing their new family member home. They give frequent updates on their cats and continue to support the rescue.
I'm not sure how many cats were in-house on the day of my visit (I forgot to write it down!) but 50 were in foster.
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Stay tuned for the next installment in our Cat Café series as Lola The Rescued Cat goes on the road. I haven't decided on the next stop yet, but I will plan that soon. In the meantime, don't forget to check back in a few days, because we're having a special giveaway of souvenirs from the cafés I've visited already!
Have you ever been to a cat café? Tell us about your experiences! What do you think of this series?
Dawn
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