Cats are going like hotcakes at the International Village Catfe
There’s a cat shortage at Vancouver’s first cat café.
Fur has been flying off the shelves, so to speak, at Catfe since it opened its doors Dec. 14. So far, 11 cats have found new homes, leaving the felinethemed café on the second floor of International Village low on cats.
“I didn’t expect the adoptions to happen so quickly in the first couple of weeks,” owner Michelle Furbacher said Sunday. “But it’s also really exciting. We’ve stumbled upon this new, really effective way for adopting cats.”
Most of Catfe’s cats come from SPCA branches in northern B.C. and the Interior, but limited holiday hours and poor highway conditions have hampered transport, leaving the café with three cats by the new year, down from its target of eight to 12.
Furbacher stressed Catfe’s cat shortage isn’t indicative of the situation across the province.
“There is no shortage of cats needing homes, especially come spring,” she said. “There’s always a huge abundance of cats then. We are trying to figure things out with (the SPCA) to see how we can get more cats.”
Catfe attracts cat lovers who already have a mind to adopt, as well as those who want to play with cats without long-term commitment.
“There’s a lot of people who haven’t spent much time with cats, who don’t know what cats will be like,” said Furbacher, a former SPCA volunteer. “Just being here in a social environment and getting to know these animals, it’s a new experience for a lot of people.”
Only 15 people at a time are allowed into the cat lounge — a separate area from the café that houses the cats — so as not to overwhelm the kittens.
Due to the unexpected high demand from walk-in customers, Furbacher tweaked the café’s reservation system, capping reservation slots at 10 people per hour and leaving the rest for walk-ins.
Furbacher has consulted with the SPCA to ensure high standards of welfare for the cats. Staff has also been trained in SPCA adoption counselling and matching procedures, the SPCA said.
“We are really grateful to Michelle and her team for enabling us to bring these cats into a community gathering space where they can interact with potential adopters,” said Lorie Chortyk, B.C. SPCA general manager of community relations.
“It’s a wonderful way to showcase the animals.”