Mia, one of the adult foster cats at Central Purrk (Photo courtesy Central Purrk)
Getting a cup of coffee at Central Purrk is a similar experience to that of visiting a hipster coffeehouse, except for one thing — the cats.
Central Purrk, at 1706 E. Main St. in Shockoe Bottom, is home to up to a dozen adult foster cats at a time. It’s common for a cat to jump onto your lap while you’re enjoying your latte, and you’ll see pet toys scattered throughout the room. You’ll find cats sitting on shelves, in bowls and in other nooks and crannies.
The cafe’s intent is to create a relaxed environment to aid the adoption of adult cats. Since it opened two years ago, Central Purrk has facilitated the adoption of 85 cats, owner Angela Sidener says.
Sidener, who is also a courtroom stenographer, says she has been involved in cat rescue for about seven years. “The cat cafe is sort of an expensive hobby,” she says, “but if you’re in pet rescue, you know that you do not do it for the money.”
Before opening Central Purrk, Sidener noticed that adult cats had difficulty getting adopted. She says these cats would often become stressed at adoption stands because they had been taken out of their home environment. “It was hard to convince people, ‘This is a really friendly cat,’ when it would be scared and hissing at people,” she says. Sidener says that by opening a cafe, she could match cats with owners who could appreciate their quirks and get to know them before bringing them home.
However, adoption seekers are not the only ones who visit Central Purrk, Sidener says. “There are so many college kids and people with health issues who couldn’t commit to the ownership,” she says. “This cat cafe provides an experience for people who want to interact with [cats] but can’t live with one.”
Central Purrk also offers events, such as cat yoga and paint nights, Sidener says. “On paint night, the cats will be on the tables and stick their nose on whatever you’re working on,” she says. “It’s a nice alternative to the shelter.”
Central Purrk partners with local shelters, such as Smitty’s Cat Rescue. Cats that have been living in Smitty’s Cat Rescue since 2008 have been given more exposure through the cat cafe, says Lynne Layton, owner.
“We have only partnered with Central Purrk for three weeks now,” Layton says. “And within that three weeks, we have had five adoptions.”
Admission to the cafe is $6 per half hour or $10 per hour. The admission fees support the care of the cats. Central Purrk limits the number of humans to 15 to 18 per hour. Reservations are available at centralpurrk.com.
