A CAFE WITH CAT-TITUDE
Hang out with cats while enjoying coffee at Regina cafés, Mark Melnychuk writes.
Gillian Meyer and her daughter, Mackenna, visit the Excalipurr Cat Cafe, where customers can enjoy coffee and a snack and hang out with some furry friends.
Here we’re trying to create a better space for animals, and that’s a lot of times what veganism is about. It’s about creating a better life for different animals and just caring about other beings other than yourself. Alex Baylak
Stepping into Excalipurr Cat Café feels like entering Camelot — if it had been ruled by cats.
The walls resemble the interior of a medieval castle, with furry creatures perched on ledges looking down on those entering their kingdom.
The café even has a portrait honouring a former king, a cat fittingly named Arthur who once belonged to Excalipurr’s owner.
Arthur was a rescue kitten that Chelsey Legendre and her husband took in two years ago. Sadly, Arthur soon became sick and died. But he left enough of an impact on Legendre that she incorporated the medieval legend surrounding his namesake into her business.
“He was a big part of our lives for a very short period of time. He really touched our hearts and we just kind of wanted to dedicate it to him,” Legendre said.
Excalipurr, which opened at 2156 Albert St. on Dec. 20, 2017, is one of two cat cafés that have popped up in Regina during the past year. The first official cat café to open in the city was VegaBoo Cat Haven, which opened Oct. 28.
VegaBoo, located at 3211 Eastgate Dr., was founded by Regina resident Alex Baylak.
She got the idea for the café while attending university in Vancouver, where she used to frequent a cat café. Being an animal lover who was already hoping to start a vegan café, it was the perfect combination.
The cafés have a similar layout. Customers enter on the café side, which operates like a regular coffee shop. The area where the cats live is on the other side of a closed door. For spending time with the cats, VegaBoo charges a $5 cover for adults, $3 for children and kids under four are free. Excalipurr charges $3 for 45 minutes in its cat room.
VegaBoo can have a maximum of 15 cats living at its location at one time, while Excalipurr holds up to 12.
Keeping the cats separate from the food service side is in keeping with health and safety regulations. There’s a strict schedule for litter box cleaning at Excalipurr, and an ample supply of lint rollers for staff and customers.
At both cafés, customers are allowed to being their drinks and food into the cat area. Feeding the cats is not allowed, and Legendre said customers are given fair warning that the cats may take interest in any desserts topped with whipped cream.
Inside the cats’ domain, there’s no shortage of things to keep them amused. The spaces are filled with toys, scratch posts and objects for cats to climb. The cats also have access to an area hidden away from customers in case they need some time to themselves.
It may be an unconventional setting for a cat to live in, but Baylak and Legendre said their hosts thrive in the environment.
“It’s really a space for people to be comfortable, as well as the cats to show their true personalities,” said Baylak.
Part of ensuring the cats are happy is choosing the right cat for the job. VegaBoo functions as a satellite adoption centre for the Regina Humane Society, which places cats there that are more sociable and can get along with other cats.
“Animals are like people. You get all kinds of different personalities,” said Bill Thorn, director of marketing and public relations for the humane society.
There are still the occasional squabbles. Legendre said the cats of Excalipurr, which come from the Regina Cat Rescue, quickly established a social hierarchy. At the top of that ladder is J.R., a big grey and white cat.
“Every time we get a new cat in the space, he lets them know that he’s the boss man,” Legendre said.
Cat cafés originated in Taiwan, where the first one opened in 1998.
The concept became more popular when they began opening in Japan during the early 2000s. Since Japan is a small country with a large population, cat cafés are ideal because many residents live in apartments that don’t allow pets.
The concept has been making its way into Canada, with Montreal being the first North American city to get a cat café in 2014.
Legendre has a background in running coffee shops, having previously helped her mother-in-law manage Rochdale Roca House. She had been following cat cafés on social media for years, and thought the idea could also work in Regina.
Legendre hopes customers who can’t have pets in their rental properties will use the café to get their “cat fix.”
The cats aren’t permanent residents at the cafés. All of them are up for adoption after customers fill out an application and pay a fee.
“You can come in and pretty much leave with a cat,” Legendre said.
Adopting a cat from Excalipurr costs $140. VegaBoo’s adoption rates are set by the humane society. Adult cats typically have an adoption fee of $99, and kittens are $185.
A lot of VegaBoo’s customers are leaving with cats. Baylak has seen up to four cats get adopted in one day. The humane society said between 25 and 30 cats have been adopted through VegaBoo since it opened.
“It’s super rewarding to be able to know that you’re a part of that, and you’re a big help for these animals to find a home,” Baylak said.
Excalipurr has seen 33 of its cats find homes since opening in December. The Regina Cat Rescue said the café has provided a central location for people to see a variety of cats, as opposed to having to visit multiple foster homes.
One thing you won’t find at Regina’s cat cafés is meat. Excalipurr’s menu is vegetarian, while VegaBoo is vegan.
Both offer an assortment of baked goods and desserts, while VegaBoo also has burgers, sandwiches and salads. Excalipurr will soon be offering a food menu.
The meatless menus are an extension of the owners’ love for animals.
“Here we’re trying to create a better space for animals, and that’s a lot of times what veganism is about. It’s about creating a better life for different animals and just caring about other beings other than yourself,” said Baylak.
There’s a lot of responsibility that goes along with running a business, never mind one with living creatures to look after.
On the other hand, it means getting to spend your working day with cats.
“If it is a stressful day, you can come de-stress in the cat room and hang out with them,” Legendre said.