Crack a good book and cuddle a cute cat
Nova Scotia bookstore finds winning feline formula ups the cosy factor
You’ve probably already heard of Cats the musical and Cats the movie. But Cats the bookstore? One bibliophile in Nova Scotia has that covered, too.
And why not? Both Cats the successful musical and its less successful movie version are based on a book to begin with — a 1939 collection of T.S. Eliot poems called Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. And where better for cats to indulge their curiosity than among the bookshelves?
So, fittingly, visitors will find there’s more to Otis & Clementine’s Books & Coffee in Upper Tantallon, N.S., than just organic beans and entertaining literature.
There are also a whole lot of kittens in the store — and all are available for adoption.
Some feline residents may greet visitors at the door. Others may wander through the store looking for someone to pet them. More may find a spot on bookshelves or a window sill to curl up in.
“It’s a perfect fit having the cats here. It just makes the space feel cosier,” owner Ellen Helmke told website Insider.com. “Sometimes people come in just to see the cats and sometimes people don’t even know that cats are here. It’s very cute.”
Helmke opened her second-hand bookstore in 2011 and began fostering kittens in May 2019. So far, she said, she’s found homes for 30 cats. And the cats are helping her while she helps them back.
“It’s definitely been a benefit to me in terms of my quality of life and the success of my business,” she said. “The books are in good shape, but the kittens are what gets people talking.”
Some customers may be surprised to see cats when they come to shop for books, but others already know because they follow the store on social media.
South Paw Conservation Nova Scotia (SPCA), a local rescue group, provides the kittens and cats, ensuring they are up to date on vaccines, are spayed or neutered and are also dewormed. A $235 fee covers the costs, after applicants have filled out an online adoption form and been approved.
But if you find a kitty you like, Helmke advises you don’t delay.
“I usually only have the kittens for a couple of weeks on average, and then they get adopted,” Helmke said. “The interest in each one is amazing. As soon as we get new cats in people are like, ‘I want to get my application and send it in!’”
And Helmke has found fostering has been a win-win for both her business and the cats.
“It draws customers to the store,” she said, “the kittens become socialized, and they easily find homes.”