Business & Tech
Cats Find 'Furever' Home At Rahway Kitty Hall
The new cafe allows locals to hang out with homeless cats as they roam free. All cats at the cafe are up for adoption.
RAHWAY, NJ — Having a love for cats her entire life, Kristin Barber opened Rahway Kitty Hall to help homeless cats find their forever homes.
The cat cafe opened on April 2 at 209 West Main St. in Rahway and already two cats have been adopted.
Barber got the idea when she visited a cat cafe in the New York City.
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“Ever since I visited that one I thought I would love to open one of these and find homes for all these homeless cats that really need home,” Barber told Patch. “This allows them to take them out of the shelter environment and roam free with people. This way people can come in and see what the cats would be like in their own house.”
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The cats inside Barber’s cafe are all through Angel Paws, a non-profit shelter in Colonia. The cats range in age from 1 to 13.
“I have had cats since I was 4 years old and multiple cats,” Barber said. “I started with one cat and slowly picked up another one and then I would have stray cats wander in my yard as a teenager. Then I had kittens who had their own kittens and one time I even had 20 cats in my basement at one time.”
After having the idea to open the Rahway Kitty Hall, Barber approached the mayor about the idea and it eventually came to fruition with the help of Angel Paws.
Customers can come in and hang out with the cats for $10. They are also allowed to bring in their own drinks, such as soda and coffee. Rahway Kitty Hall also partners with a restaurant next door where patrons can order food and have it delivered to the cafe.
“Our cafe gets people into a different environment,” Barber said. “Some people who come in are not interested in adopting at all and may just love cats but have someone at home who is allergic. So they can come here and play with them.”
“It has worked out great,” said Elaine Chelak, co-founder of Angel Paws. “Of out the original 11 cats in the kitty hall, we have had two adopted.”
To learn more about the Rahway Kitty Hall call 732-208-4184 or visit rahwaykittyhall.com or Facebook.
To learn more about Angel Paws visit angelpaws.org.
(Image via Rahway Kitty Hall)
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