At the start of April, we were very excited to learn that The Brooklyn Cat Cafe was opening a purrmanent location on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn Heights. We must have been in a cat-atonic state for the last month, because the grand opening is happening this weekend! What could you pawsibly being doing that is more important?
Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition, who previously opened The Cat's Meow in Fort Greene for five cat-aclysmic weeks in the fall of 2015, will run the new location at 149 Atlantic Avenue. They say it is the first permanent cat cafe in Brooklyn and the only cat cafe in NYC owned and pawperated by a non-profit.
"In just 10 weeks, our pop-up in Fort Greene resulted in 60 adoptions and we had over 4,000 visitors. To us, this was proof people wanted more than just a cat cafe; they wanted a permanent resource center where they can engage with animals and the community in a more meaningful way," said Anne Levin, Founder of Brooklyn Cat Cafe and President of Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition.
Here are the details on what you'll find at the new location:
Visitors will be able to purchase bottled drinks and pre-packaged food at the cafe along with coffee and snacks from Atlantic Bagels Café next door, while lounging among a selection of pre-screened, adoptable cats ranging in age from kittens to adults. Admission is $5 per half hour, and free for children 3 and under. While reservations are recommended, they are not required. Cafe-goers interested in adopting a cat can apply during their visit or via the cafe website. All medical care for the cats at the cafe is overseen by the amazing veterinarians at Vinegar Hill Veterinary Group.
There will be a ticketed grand opening event on Friday at 6 p.m. (you can purchase tickets here); in addition to the purrfect felines who'll be there, entertainment will be provided by Q104.3 DJ Maria Milito, NPR Ask Me Anything host Ophira Eisenberg, and Carole Wilbourn, aka The Cat Therapist.
The cafe will be open to the general public starting Saturday May 7th at 11 a.m. After that, Brooklyn Cat Cafe’s public hours will be Wednesday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. So get your adoption plans purrcolating, because there are so many kitties that need your help, and cops can only do so much!