Following the success of a pop-up café in Fort Greene last fall, Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition will open a permanent cat café on Atlantic Avenue this week, with a gala opening on Friday night followed by its official opening to the public on Saturday.
“We’ve been working on it for months,” said the BBAWC’s Anne Levin. “It’s really heartening to see so much enthusiasm for it.”
The endeavor has garnered the attention of many NYC media outlets, and Ophira Eisenberg, host of NPR’s Ask Me Another, will be on hand to perform a stand-up routine at Friday night’s grand opening.
In addition to the guaranteed entertainment provided by the feline residents of the café, cat behaviorist Carole Wilbourn will be on hand along with Q104.3 DJ Maria Milito.
The evening will also include a fund-raising raffle featuring a cat tree donated by All Creatures Veterinary Hospital, innovative cat toys from SnugglyCat and Nekochan, show tickets donated by Furiga Sound Design and Lighting, a Vito Giallo painting donated by the artist, and food prizes from Divvies and The Salty Road.
Sarah, Jojo, Nicholas, and Brandon will be among the felines temporarily making their home at the Cafe, where they hope to find their forever home. Photos courtesy of Brooklyn Cat Cafe.
Raffle tickets can be purchased online, at the grand opening party and during the opening weekend, with winners announced on Brooklyn Cat Cafe’s website on Sunday evening.
Tickets for the grand opening party are $75 and can be purchased here.
Last fall, the Fort Greene café saw more than 4,000 visitors and found homes for more than 60 cats, said Levin.
In addition to providing visitors with the opportunity to relax and hang out with cats (as if that’s not enough reason to go), the Brooklyn Cat Café will focus on community outreach, working with local groups on TNR (trap-neuter-return) initiatives and on educating pet owners about vaccinations and other elements of cat care. Long-term, Levin envisions school groups visiting the café.
The café will also offer cat-themed movie nights, yoga and art classes and continue to place cats and kittens in adoptive homes.
The café is funded by donations and by a grant from Maddie’s Fund, and supported by partnerships with premium cat food brand WeRuVa and Stella & Chewy’s. Vinegar Hill Veterinary Group provides all medical care for the cats
Located at 149 Atlantic Avenue, the Brooklyn Cat Café will open to the public at 11 am on Saturday, May 7th. Regular hours will be Wednesday through Friday from 3pm to 7 pm, and Saturday and Sunday 11am to 7pm. Admission is $5 per half hour, and free children 3 and under. Reservations are recommended but not required.
For more information, visit the café’s Facebook page and website (still under construction).
