Turns out the recently opened (and super popular) cat cafe boasts a baker’s dozen when it comes to kitties in their cohort. Fluffy and good-naturedly ferocious, these cats come from no-kill shelters throughout the Twin Cities: No Kitten Left Behind MN, Ruff Start Rescue and Pet Project Rescue.
The Cafe Meow opened on Friday, complete with both felines and coffee from St. Paul’s own Bootstrap Coffee Roasters.
Cozy and inviting, the cafe offers the homey setting other animal adoption sites cannot. With a cup of coffee in hand, you can enter the room, take a seat on the couch and see what cats you vibe with.
Which is important because all of the cats are up for adoption.
Since they opened, they shop has had five adoptions. In fact, they’re so popular that they prefer when customers make appointments ahead of time.
Upon hearing this, A&E promptly made a visit to the cat cafe to get a read on the charmers’ personalities.
The founders, Danielle Rasmussen and Jessica Burge, have been working on putting together the cafe since 2014.
The daily routine at the cafe: several cats hang back while attention-seekers, mostly Tinkerbell and Annabelle, steal the floor.
Tinkerbell
Tinkerbell, a marshmallow-shaped calico, typically sits and surveys the room from the two green and white chairs that serve as her thrones. (She’s big. She needs two thrones.)
They have lots to say about Tinkerbell, queen of the kitten caboodle.
“She’s the sassy one,” Rasmussen said.
According to the owners, Tink is the most likely to survive the apocalypse.
Annabelle
The owners say Annabelle has the most forgiving personality of all the cats.
“She had a rough start in life, so you’d think she might hate people. But that’s not the case at all,” Burge said.
“She’s cuddly and good with kids,” Rasmussen said.
Annabelle is a sweet, black-and-white spotted cowgirl who’ll accompany you to any rodeo.
Presley
Then there’s Presley, the tortoiseshell who has taken the ceiling for her own personal playground. “She’s an instigator,” Rasmussen said. In classic cat fashion, her glowing eyes suggest she’s always plotting something.
Dillanger
Dillanger is a reclusive tabby who spends most of his time perched in the cat tree hiding with his brother. He’s the most likely to tell dad jokes.
“With a name like that, how could he not?” Burge said.
Nana
Nana likes to snuggle and be brushed. She’s a patient, motherly type, likely to read you children’s books. That probably explains why she’s just been adopted.
Thea
The beauty of the bunch is Thea, a fluffy tabby who stays tucked away in her perch above the window most of the time. She’d fit best with someone who doesn’t need too much snuggling.
The ideal cat parent?
“Someone who appreciates and respects the personality of their cat,” Burge said. “There’s no one type of person that’s the best suited to be a cat owner.”
As any pet owner knows, looking after furry fellows can be a full-time job. But Burge, allergy medication at hand behind the counter, reminds us that they’re worth it.
