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They’re furry. They’re cuddly. They’re cats, and soon, there will be a place in Fayetteville that you can go and hang out with a bunch of them any time you want.
A cat relaxing at a ‘catfe’ in Vancouver, Canada. / Photo: GoToVan, C.C. 2.0
Fayetteville’s first ever “catfe” will open next month at 125 E. Township Street.
The idea is pretty simple. The new business, called Purr Catfe & Lounge, partners with local animal shelters to house a handful of their furry little buddies in an effort to showcase them to the public† and ultimately, help get them adopted.
The catfe is fully stocked with cat toys, scratch posts, cardboard boxes, and other things cats love. There will even be a ball pit (think Chuck-E-Cheese) for cats.
Cat lovers, in turn, pay a few bucks to come play with, pet, cuddle, and hang around with the cats and kittens for as long as they’d like during the day as a way to decompress and de-stress.
Everybody wins.
A little “purr therapy” session costs $8, but you can also get yours with a cup of French press coffee or tea for $12. Owner Lauren Soloman said she has also applied for a beer and wine permit for special events. The catfe plans to host regular jazz nights (cats love jazz), movie nights, cat yoga events, and other cat-related get togethers.
Soloman said the concept of “catfes” originated in Japan, but have become increasingly popular in the U.S. and around the world in recent years.
“There are several around the country that I have been watching, and they’ve been doing really well, and helping get lots of cats adopted,” she said.
Soloman said in addition to being a great way to help with the local homeless animal population, “purr therapy” can benefit the community in other ways.
“It’s great for kids, or seniors, people with learning disabilities, or PTSD,” she said. “Our goal is to make the catfe a very relaxing space.”
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