CatFe Pop-up Cat Cafe at NKLA and The Future is Meow
CatFe Pop-up Cat Cafe at NKLA and the Future is Meow
by Layla Morgan Wilde
All images by Oscar Torres and used by permission.
The cat cafe craze and global phenomena continues to grow. The concept of enjoying a coffee while mingling with a temporary or possibly forever feline friend began in Asia in 1998 but cat cafes were slow to catch on in the U.S. until now. Inventive ways of dealing with health code restrictions (cats and food prep can’t mix) and cat lovers can get their java and kitty fix from coast to coast.
The crazy for cats crowd lined up early and 100 lucky fans won tickets for the CatFe pop-up cat cafe event held on April 10 at NKLA, the state-of-the-art pet adoption center in L.A. NKLA is an initiative of Best Friends Animal Society and they are on a no kill mission to “Save Them All”. It’s the second CatFe pop-up and the brainchild of Carlos Wong who launched CatFe in October 2014. Cat lover Suren Seron was one of the patrons, fell in love with the idea and joined Carlos Wong in a partnership.
The mission of CatFe is to create a new model of cat adoption, advocacy and entertainment with cat cafe locations across the country, but first they have to secure their first permanent location in L.A. During my recent interview with the owners, they claim they have their sights on a two-story 6000 sq.ft. space in central L.A. which would become the largest cat cafe in the U.S. Their vision is every cat lover’s fantasy: a Toyko-style destination for fun, fab food and beverages, adoptable cats from a rotating roster of shelters in a relaxed atmosphere. If this is the future, we want it meow!
Partnering with NKLA for the CatFe pop-up event was a win win with six cats adopted. I happily arranged for celeb kitties Tara The Hero Cat, Sunglass Cat and her new fur bro Sir Sorbet to make appearances.
In keeping with the Toyko cat cafe style, cosplay outfitted hostesses greeted guests.
Curious, adoptable shelter cats checking out Sir Sorbet (held by owner Karen McGill) and her cat Sunglass Cat (held by Dalal Bruchmann).
The one day event had everyone purring for more and hopefully within a few months, everyone, at least in L.A. will get their wish. Stay up to date with the latest Catfe news at the CatFe Facebook page and Sunglass Cat on Instagram. Say hi, to my hero, Tara on Facebook
17 Comments
Pawesome Cats
This looks so awesome and a great way to help cats find homes!
The Island Cats
What a fun event. That adoption center is really cool
We wish a cat cafe would open in our area.
Flynn
Looks like a great place.
maggie
Anything that celebrates cats and helps find them homes is a wonderful thing!
Hope the cat cafe movement spreads all over.
xxoo
Katniss, Cat Reporter
Really great article with terrific pix! I really hope this cat cafe finds a purrmanent home in LA. People would enjoy it and there are so many cats who need homes.
The Swiss Cats
What a pawsome event ! And if it helps cats to find a forever home, it’s wonderful ! Purrs
Skeeter and Izzy
GO GO GO Cat Cafes!!!!! We hope that this venture is successful! As long as they are managed properly and do the right things we are all for it. We hope all of the adoptions are done properly so there is no kitty going somewhere it shouldn’t or being taken to a shelter instead of being returned to the cafe if the adoption doesn’t work out. I don’t mean to be a downer but I just try to think it all thru. I just know how things go when people start to think that there is $$ to be made.
We pray for more openings of the right kind of Cafes everywhere!
Luvs
Skeeter and Izzy and the Feral Gang + Twig & Peanut & Romeo
Anonymous
That is so wonderful and we hope the success continues!
Annabelle
What a great event!
meowmeowmans
Wow, that’s a very fancy cat cafe! We love the idea of this, especially the part bout helping shelter cats find forever homes. 🙂
Layla Morgan Wilde
Yes, it’s their dream too.
easy rider
I hope we will have such a cafe in our area too… my mom would spend hours there… and probably with Sir Sorbet who won her heart iMEOWdiately :o)
easy rider
Layla Morgan Wilde
Is the closest one to you in Paris?
Ellen Pilch
That is a lot fancier than the one I went to in NYC. The important thing is they are all helping get cats adopted.
Layla Morgan Wilde
This was at the shelter and yes, helpng cats is #1.
Summer
My human really wanted to go to this, but she had to take me to the cat show at the OC Pet Expo instead. She has been to the NKLA adoption center and it is truly amazing!
Layla Morgan Wilde
I know or I would have gotten you on the guest list!