A 'Purrfect' Happy Ending: Cat Cafe Open For Business

SAYVILLE, NY — It's a happy ending for one woman, a self-professed — and proud of it! — cat lady, who turned her vision for a cat cafe on Long Island into reality.

"The Shabby Tabby Cat Cafe" opened on Saturday at 249 W. Main Street in Sayville — after months of planning by Ryan Shea, 36, a registered nurse from Yaphank who knew she wanted to devote her life to finding homeless cats homes after her own beloved cat passed away.

And it was the purrfect idea whose time has come on Long Island — a cat cafe, where patrons can cozy up to some cuddly kitties and savor the peace and relaxation that only feline company can afford.

Shea created a Kickstarter campaign, "The Shabby Tabby Cat Cafe," to raise funds for the project, a place where cat lovers can come for a kitty fix in the middle of a hectic day.

Her idea has taken flight: In the days since she opened, she's already found homes for Pancake, a six-month old with a paw deformed from birth. "She functioned perfectly and I’m so glad such amazing people chose her," she said.

Also going home is Peanut Butter, a five-year old orange cat adopted Monday; Shea added that she was also fostering four "babies", kittens named Sailor, Sebastian, Ringo, and Sawyer, who also found their fur-ever families.

"It’s so great when they get adopted. We love them so much so it’s sad but it’s the goal, so we are happy," Shea said.

So far, the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, Shea said: "It's great to see how people come in and sit with the cats and become happy instantly. It’s so cute because it proves how calming and relaxing cats are," she said. "I’ve always loved them so it’s awesome to watch how many people are so positively affected by them. They’re great animals and it’s an amazing atmosphere."

The Shabby Tabby is open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., but closed Tuesdays beginning in November.

Shea's dream began to take shape in July, when she announced that she'd found a location for the cat cafe.

Long Island, Shea has said, has everything from gorgeous beaches, amazing nightlife, parks, restaurants, museums, wineries and much more. But not a cat cafe in sight. "What we also have are hundreds of thousands of homeless cats throughout the island and not nearly enough shelters or foster families. This is where we come in," she wrote.

Shea worked tirelessly with Steve Scaduto to get the space ready.

"I'm so happy to finally have a place," she said. "It wasn't easy finding a location whose landlord, neighbors, and layout actually worked with the type of business it is. This one is great. It's a pretty big space so we are really planning to do a lot in terms of 'catifying.'"

Shea said the response has been tremendous.

"I'm so excited that so many people are looking forward us opening; it's really encouraging. I'm working as hard and as fast as I can — I want it to be perfect," she said.

Currently, limited, pre-packaged snacks are available but as time progresses she hopes to expand the cafe portion.

"The Shabby Tabby will be more of an event based, hang out with cats and cat lovers, adoption spot, but it will be tons of fun. Everyone's free to bring whatever food or drink they want in with them," she said.

Her dream consists of a cozy haven where patrons can find a purring piece of heaven where cats can roam free and interact with potential new forever families.

"What is a cat cafe, anyway?" she asked. "A cat cafe is basically a big foster home for homeless cats. A place where they can roam free, interact with each other, spend some time with us humans, and just live a happier life while waiting for their fur-ever homes."

All of the cats will be adoptable, Shea said. "The mission of The Shabby Tabby is to get as many homeless cats into forever homes as possible," Shea said. "We understand that many people cannot have pets for one reason or another — allergies, apartment rules, schedule conflicts — so even if you can't adopt you can still come in and get your kitty fix."

The cats at The Shabby Tabby roam free in the cat room, "a thousand times better than being pent up in cages all day," Shea said. The setting affords a relaxed place for cats to show their "true personalities to potential adopters, and visitors," Shea said. "Being able to hang out and feel comfortable in their environment is so beneficial to these kitties. And you."

Shea, originally from Huntington, has always loved cats. "I am an animal person in general," Shea said. But it was the loss of her beloved cat Brody that compelled her to want to do something in his memory. "He's inspired me so much and I miss him like crazy." But losing him, she said, has motivated her to "in turn, help other cats in need. I've turned what was the hardest thing I ever had to go through, ever, into something good," Shea said.

Shea said volunteering with rescue organization including the Golden Paw Society in Huntington Station opened her eyes to how many cats need help in the world, and on Long Island.

After seeing a post about a cat cafe on social media, along with stories about cat cafes that flourish in places including Tokyo, she began exploring the idea and said she modeled hers on those that aim to provide homes for cats while at the same time giving them a happy quality of life while they wait for their new families.

Shea now has three cats, Lily, Ollie, and Bandit; she loves to adopt older cats and give them a new lease on life. Cat cafes she's seen on social media help to promote adoption, she said.

At the cafe, she hopes to offer a wide range of playful cat merchandise or even open a kitty boutique.

Multiple published studies document the benefits of hanging out with four-footed felines, Shea said; cats are well-known to decrease blood pressure and the risk of strokes, and trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone associated with emotions including trust and love, according to healthfitnessrevolution.com.

"Cats just have a natural calming ability," Shea said.

With an eye toward forever homes for the cats, Shea will be partnering with The Golden Paw Society, "an amazing cat rescue group located in Huntington," Shea said. "All of our cats will come directly from their adoption center, and the adoption process will be according to their policies. By fostering 10 to 15 of their cats at a time, it frees up space in their adoption center for other homeless cats to occupy."

In addition, Shea said she's exploring the possibility of serving wine and beer to allow for wine tasting nights; other events could include Paint Nights and Paint Your Pet sessions, Karaoke with Cats, crafts — catnip toys, scratching posts, catnip planters — seasonal activities, such as photos with Santa and the Easter Bunny, pumpkin carving, cats in costumes, and lots of other fun ideas. Also planned will be yoga events with cats.

And she hopes to use the cat cafe to educate, Shea said. "Over the last couple of years I've learned a lot about the problems we have on Long Island regarding feral kitties, and how we can help," she said. "At The Shabby Tabby we will hold educational events such as trap-neuter-release classes. TNR is the most effective approach to managing the growing population of community cats. Education is key," she said.

Sharing information is a key component of her vision, she said, with the goal of raising awareness, especially during kitten season. "Cat mating season is approximately January through February and about two months later tons of kittens are born. To help secure the supplies they'll need to care for new arrivals, and to recruit willing humans as foster families, The Shabby Tabby will host adorable fundraisers called kitten showers," she said.

As she sees her heart's dream realized, Shea said the love of one cat stays forever in her heart: "Rest in peace to my angel Brody," she said. "Without you, none of this would have happened. Thanks for saving all the kitties in spirit."

Patch photos by Ryan Shea.