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Do you hear that scratching sound? That's the sound of progress, as Chicago's inching closer toward the city's first cat cafe. Construction, pending approvals, should start soon in West Ridge. Plans for the cafe, slated as part of Tree House Humane Society's $7 million new shelter, were introduced last month to the City Council. DNAinfo has all the details.
Tree House's website is counting down the days until their move from Uptown into their new shelter and that number, as of Thursday, is 89 days. The cafe's meant for adoptions and other animals utilizing vet and other services at the shelter. Service animals will also be permitted. There's no booze or food. Looks like they'll serve coffee from Grounds and Hounds, a California-based coffee supplier that donates 20 percent of sales to animal shelters. DNAinfo reported there's even a space planned where patrons can take their drinks and visit cats.
North America's first cat cafe opened in 2014 in Montreal. There's also news out that Atlanta is getting their own. Another plan for a cat cafe in Chicago wasn't so successful. A Kickstarter for Serendipcat, planned for the West Loop, ended in November after only raising $292 of it's $120,000 goal.
