We are inching our way towards opening later this fall and I've already been overwhelmed with the support and anticipation from Santa Fe residents! I can't wait to welcome you all into the space.
I've had a lot of wonderful people ask me how they can help get us up and running. We all want to help these rescue cats and want to see us open strong (and soon!).
I'll get to that soon - but first - I thought I'd share some of the progress we're making!
Here is a very boring picture of a very boring room. But not to worry - we have so many plans for this space, we can't wait to show you. Imagine a shiny new floor - cat shelves galore - places for you to relax with cats - and a specially crafted safety door to keep the cats safe and sound.
Now, keen eyes will notice there is a door that's propped open in this picture. Where does this lead, you might ask??
Just ask Santa Fe's very own Catio Man!
Out here is where the cafe cats will be able to freely jump, play and relax up to 12 feet off the ground in the fresh air. We are so lucky to have Gopal, known as the Catio Man, here to construct the perfect play space for the kitties.
We still have some work to do out here and this picture shows just a portion of the amazing work the Catio Man is doing for us.
Also on the way for the catio are some nice seating areas for humans to enjoy the fresh air, too.
And there's one more thing I need to show you. This is probably the most tiresome aspect of opening Santa Fe's first cat cafe - and that's meeting the stringent (but necessary) codes and regulations required by the city and state.
For starters - can you guess how many sinks we need to safely operate (at minimum)?
It's a lot more than we started with, that's for sure...
The answer is: six sinks! (Unless you count the 3-compartment sink as 3 sinks, then it's a considerable 8 sinks.)
That's right, we are going to keep things squeaky clean at the cat cafe. But since we started with just one sink, the plumbing additions are quite the undertaking.
Still, once we get the plumbing in and start moving in fixtures, we can apply for permits and our business license.
We are getting there!
Your support means the world
For those of you wondering how you can help, here are two ways:
feedback; and
once we open, volunteers.
One of the big questions I'm struggling with right now is when to be open on a regular basis - and I'd love to hear your thoughts both here in the poll, and in the comments.
What hours will you visit the cat cafe?
0%Weekday mornings
0%Weekday afternoons
0%Only on the weekends
To support the cats' food and litter needs, as well as the staff who will care for them, we will be charging a fee of $8 per visit in the cat room.
We also will be open six days a week for your tea and coffee needs, whether or not you plan to visit with the cats that day. We will be brewing exceptional loose leaf tea and locally roasted coffee - as well as serving beverages like hot cocoa and Italian sodas so no one is left out (I'm looking at you, families with kiddos!). We hope you'll take advantage of our seating areas both in and out of the cat room and stay a while.
Finally, I want to clear the air - if you or a loved one are allergic to (or maybe afraid of?) cats, you will still be able to visit the cafe and view the kitties through the viewing window without paying admission or physically going into the cat room. We would still love your support on the cafe side of things, since the cafe will help fund our cat operations.
And if you are interested in volunteering in the cat room once we open, that will really help us out. Send us a message or come talk to us in person during opening hours!
It's all about the cats
Okay, enough of the details. Foster cat, Fisby, wants me to remind you that it's all about her and all the other feisty felines in our lives.
Want more frequent updates? Follow along on social media for progress as we get closer to our opening!