Lakeland’s Kitty Cat Lounge is one of the newest cat cafes in Central Florida. ©Cindy Skop

According to a study by the University of Florida, shelter admissions of free-roaming cats and dogs in Florida swelled to more than 365,000 in 2023. Additionally, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission estimates there may be 60-100 million homeless cats nationwide. And even though Central Florida’s euthanasia rates are slowly coming down, they’re still among the highest in the United States. 

It’s a daunting problem. But with any problem, one must take the first step, and sometimes that step may be to sit down on the floor, grab a wand toy and play with a cat. 

Welcome to Central Florida’s cat cafes, which are helping community cats on their journey to find forever homes. By engaging the cats and playing with them, visitors to cat cafes help to socialize the cats, so when adoption time comes, the cats can more easily adapt to their new homes. 

That adaptation is crucial to helping cats thrive, says Cindy Skop, owner of the Kitty Cat Lounge in Lakeland, one of Central Florida’s newest cat cafes.

“I know there are some cat cafes that don’t allow kids under five or six,” says Skop. “I have the exact opposite theory. Our cats need to be subjected to as many different people as possible, because we don’t know where they’re going.”

“I don’t make my room quiet either,” Skop adds. “When we clean every single day, my vacuum runs,” which she says helps the cats get used to loud noises. 

Formerly a journalist, Skop recalls doing multiple stories on euthanasia at various newspapers she’s worked at. After moving to Polk County and learning about its high euthanasia numbers, she was compelled to do something. The idea solidified after her son’s birthday trip to St. Augustine, where they stopped at The Witty Whisker. Upon returning home, Skop started working on her business plan and opened the Kitty Cat Lounge on September 9, 2023. 

As of June 2024 (when this conversation took place) the Kitty Cat Lounge had adopted out 70 cats. The cat cafe partners with Saving Paws Rescue of Florida. Adoptions are done a little differently in that the rescue partner directly interviews applicants, making sure all matches are suitable and that forever homes are more likely to truly become forever. 

Establishing a community is also important to Skop, and the Kitty Cat Lounge has many events and clubs that call the cat cafe home. Among them are a sewing club, a networking group for small business owners and pop-up markets. kittycatlounge.com

A milestone birthday led Sandy Cagan to found Florida’s first cat cafe. On New Year’s Eve 2014, Cagan watched the last story on NBC Nightly News, a feature on a New York City cat cafe that had recently opened. The lifelong cat lover with 20-plus years of experience in property management had found her legacy. 

“That story stayed with me for weeks into the new year,” says Cagan. “I wanted to give back to my community and make a difference. I thought ‘if I can pay my bills and adopt out a bunch of cats, that’s all I need to do.’ Much to my surprise and delight, it really turned into something, and we just celebrated our 2,600th adoption.” (As of this interview in May 2024.)

Orlando Cat Café was the first to open in Florida and partners with SPCA Florida. Photo by Roberto Gonzalez.

Since Orlando Cat Café opened in Clermont in September 2016, more than 170,000 people have come through its doors. There are always 20-30 cats in the café, and they come and go freely, retreating to a back room if they’re not in the mood to socialize. About 10-11 cats are adopted out on a weekly basis. Orlando Cat Café’s partner organization is SPCA Florida. orlandocatcafe.com

David Strauss and his wife, Heather, owners of The Kitty Beautiful in downtown Orlando, also found out about cat cafes through media coverage, when their daughter showed them a video about cat cafes in Japan. The Strausses, whose son and daughter are both on the autism spectrum, saw this as an attractive option for a family-owned business. 

“Their employment options are pretty limited,” says David Strauss. “My son comes in and helps in the morning and gets the place set up. He’s going to school full time, but I feel that giving him the responsibility has really helped him as a young adult with autism. It’s giving them both an opportunity to learn a lot of skills they will be able to take out and use in other places.”

Bongo, is the resident cat at ©The Kitty Beautiful. This social media star is the focus of the cat cafe’s most popular event.

The Kitty Beautiful has become a social media sensation thanks to its resident cat Bongo, who, along with his feline cohorts, stuns followers with their good looks, fashion sense and playful antics. 

It’s no surprise, then, that The Kitty Beautiful’s most popular event is Teatime with Bongo. Be sure to book far in advance. 

“We want this to be a space that people can come to relax and feel safe,” says Strauss. “Obviously, we want to make sure we’re finding homes for the cats, but we want people to know they can leave the outside world out there. Come in, be calm and relax with the cats.”

The Kitty Beautiful partners with Cats-Can and averages 2-3 new cats a week. The cat cafe has adopted out more than 780 cats since opening in 2019. thekittybeautiful.com

Florida, with 23, ranks No. 1 in the country for cat cafes, and even has a mobile cat cafe. For details, visit thatcatlife.com/florida-cat-cafes. 

Photo by Roberto Gonzalez

The Do’s and Don’ts of a Cat Cafe

According to Orlando Cat Café’s Sandy Cagan

Do follow the rules, as they are there for everybody’s protection. 

“When we ask people to not pick up the cats, we’re not doing that to be mean. Not every cat likes to be picked up, especially by a stranger that they just met.”

Do keep an eye on your kids. 

“Even the most well-behaved child will get excited when they get into a room with a dozen cats and will squeal.”

Don’t be locked into a specific type of cat you’re looking for.

“You might have seen the orange cat online and may really like the orange cat’s look, but be open to another cat making a connection with you and connecting with that cat. Sometimes bonding happens quickly.”

Do be open to the experience. 

“You may have to come back more than once. You don’t always strike gold the first time. That’s the beauty of making a return visit. Wait for that perfect connection.”

Do have fun. 

“It’s really a fun place to go and relax. There are so many things now that are such a demand on our time. You can sit on the floor and have a cup of coffee and stroke a cat.”

Don’t rule out an older cat.

“An adult cat comes in with its personality already formed. What you see is what you get. There’s something comforting in that.”