Milwaukee To Get First 'Cat Cafe' in 2018

MILWAUKEE, WI — Coffee, wine and cats.

That's the brainchild of cat lover Katy McHugh, who plans to open Milwaukee's first-ever cat cafe in the area in early 2018.

Called Sip & Purr, McHugh said she got the idea while sitting in a coffee shop in Amerstam. A big yellow tabby cat named Gigi walked over to her table and made a home on her lap as she inhabited the cafe with family.

She was struck by how peaceful the experience was, so she sought to create her own cat cafe.

I wanted everyone to have a place where they can relax and enjoy the companionship of cats. So that's what I set out to do. Fast forward one year and SIP & PURR will be the first ever cat cafe in Milwaukee," she said on her company's website.

Sip & Purr is scheduled to open sometime in early 2018. She's partnering with the Lakeland Animal Shelter, who will be staffing the cafe with adoptable cats.

The cafe is zeroing in on a location and will have a cafe area and a separate cat lounge area.

Sip & Purr will offer locally sourced coffee, beer, wine and light meal options. Keeping with health code standards the cafe and cat lounge will be separated by a wall and doors. No cat will have ever stepped paw in the cafe so non-cat lovers can enjoy Sip & Purr in a cat-free zone.

Guests looking for the full cat experience can head into the cat lounge to hang out with the cats as they roam, climb, and cuddle as they please. “Being able to interact with adoptable cats in a cage-less, fun, relaxing environment helps make connections. Potential adopters are able to really get to know the cat’s personality and visualize how he or she would fit in at their home,” said McHugh.

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