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Downtown Glendale, Arizona is getting a cat cafe!

Our cafe will help socialize cats in a comfortable cafe setting, as well as help to foster adoptions

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Downtown Glendale, Arizona is getting a cat cafe!

Downtown Glendale, Arizona is getting a cat cafe!

Downtown Glendale, Arizona is getting a cat cafe!

Downtown Glendale, Arizona is getting a cat cafe!

Downtown Glendale, Arizona is getting a cat cafe!

Our cafe will help socialize cats in a comfortable cafe setting, as well as help to foster adoptions

Our cafe will help socialize cats in a comfortable cafe setting, as well as help to foster adoptions

Our cafe will help socialize cats in a comfortable cafe setting, as well as help to foster adoptions

Our cafe will help socialize cats in a comfortable cafe setting, as well as help to foster adoptions

Lisa Cleaveland
Lisa Cleaveland
Lisa Cleaveland
Lisa Cleaveland
1 Campaign |
Glendale, United States
$3,987 USD 111 backers
11% of $35,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Choose your Perk
featured

Name a Kitten!

$15 USD
23 out of 75 of claimed

Munchkin

$5 USD
1 claimed

Kitten

$10 USD
Est. Shipping
June 2017
1 claimed

House Cat

$25 USD
22 claimed

Russian Blue

$35 USD
Est. Shipping
June 2017
11 claimed

Bengal

$50 USD
6 claimed

Maine Coon

$50 USD
Est. Shipping
June 2017
6 claimed

Cheetah

$100 USD
Est. Shipping
June 2017
5 claimed

Leopard

$200 USD
Est. Shipping
June 2017
1 claimed

Tiger Business Partner

$300 USD
1 claimed

Lion Business Partner

$500 USD
0 claimed

Panther

$1,000 USD
0 out of 5 of claimed
Overview
Why are we so passionate about cats? It's more than just being a crazy cat lady (or gent?). It is about the bond between a human and their furry friend, a special bond that transcends understanding. We want to spread the love. We want to shatter stigmas. We want to educate and expose. But most of all, we want to connect cats and humans. Visit our website for more information: www.mewsandbrews.com

Check out some of our Purrks!

A Brief History of Cat Cafes

The first cat cafe opened in Taiwan in 1998, and became a very popular tourist attraction. The concept grew, and gained traction in Japan, where the living spaces are cramped, and most do not allow pets. Cat cafes became a popular destination for young workers looking for companionship and comfort.

Mews & Brews

Mews & Brews Cat Cafe is a proud member of the Cat Cafe Embassy (http://www.catcafeembassy.com/), whose mission is to get more cats good homes, provide quality drinks and snacks, and be an educational resource for our communities on cat care. We accomplish this by communicating on best practices and providing cozy atmospheres for our cats and customers. We hope to settle ourselves in the Downtown Glendale, Arizona area, specifically Catlin Court.

We will be partnering with Shelley's Desserts to provide high quality, homemade tasting desserts, including gluten free items. From the cafe, you will be able to order tea, coffee, lattes, and smoothies.

Events

Yoga with Cats

Mewvie Nights

Beer/Wine Tastings

Paint Nights

Crocheting/Knitting with Cats

Chair Massage Events

Author Readings/Play Readings

Art Showcases by Local Artists

Student Finals Week - discount on weekly membership during finals week for students who wish to come in and study for any amount of time, free WiFi included

Private Events - If you would like to hold an event such as a birthday party, bridal or baby shower, or other event, you may reserve the entire cat space (there will be a limit on the amount of persons depending on how large our space will be and how many cats will be present)

Memberships and Discounts

Monthly Pass - Unlimited visits for one monthly fee

Student Discount - Discounted one-time entry and memberships for students who show student ID

Veteran and Senior Discounts - Discounts on one-time entry and memberships

Yeah, but who benefits from a cat cafe? The answer is: Everyone!

Cat Cafes benefit shelter cats - Our cat cafe will partner with Sun Cities 4 Paws Rescue who will provide us with cats that will specifically be able to thrive in a free-roam environment where people can come visit and socialize with the cats. This free-roam environment allows the shelter cats to have more freedom and not be stuck in a cage, who would otherwise only be brought out when their cage is cleaned or when someone might be interested in adopting them. It’s a more comfortable environment where they can be themselves, and socialize, if they so choose.

Cat Cafes benefit cat shelters - Most no-kill shelters are at full (if not over) capacity at all times, and have to turn away surrenders. This leads to cats being dumped, sometimes on the street (which contributes to the ever-growing feral population), and other times at shelters that may not be no-kill. Our cat cafe will help relieve the burden of our partner shelter being over-capacity, and also allow the shelter to accept more surrenders.

Cat Cafes benefit people - When you come in after a long day at work, grab a nice hot drink (whether it be tea or coffee), and sit down with our cats, you are allowing the calming effects of cat purrs and snuggles to soothe your inner soul. It’s also scientifically proven that cat purrs are good for your health!

Cat Cafes benefit local businesses - Our cat cafe will be partnering with Shelley’s Desserts, downtown Glendale’s local bakery. When you purchase a baked good from our cat cafe, you aren’t just supporting us as a local business, you are supporting other local businesses too!

Where Will My Money Go?

1. Location, location, location! We have a couple places in mind in the Downtown Glendale area that we're very excited about. However, we need funds to secure them. We don't want to deal with landlords (since they're usually not too keen on having animals in their space), so we are planning to buy the property we want, which will require more money upfront, but it means we can do more with the space, and won't have to ask permission to do it!

2. Build-out/construction. With any location, we will need to have two separate areas, one for the cafe and one for the cat zone. And each part will be required to have separate ventilation systems (due to health regulations) as well as an "airlock" between the two areas (two doors between the spaces, so cats can't escape, or accidentally mix with the food-stuffs). There will also be maximum amounts of catification to think about, making sure that there is a separate area for cats to hang out away from the humans, and hiding places, climbing places, and lots of things to scratch/sniff/rub against. We want to create the ultimate kitty haven.

3. Licensing/Permits. In order to do construction work, and serve food/drinks, we need to have permits to do so.

4. Cafe equipment/Supplies. If you've ever been to a coffee shop, you know they have lots of shiny, stainless steel equipment. We'll need all of that too, to make sure you get the best quality beverages. We'll also need coffee, tea, cups, lids... well, you get the picture.

5. Furniture/Supplies. We didn't forget about the humans! We want to make sure you have comfortable places to sit and snuggle with all of our adorable cats! We also plan to have a quiet library room for students and bookworms, with desks and chairs, so they can study or read in the calming presence of fluffy cats. 

6. Indiegogo fees/Perk fulfillment. Indiegogo takes a little of what we make (they have to make money too!) and it also costs us money to give you guys all this awesome stuff (cost of the shirts, shipping/handling, etc)

Sun Cities 4 Paws 2015 Statistics and Background

In 2015, our partner shelter, Sun Cities 4 Paws, took in 927 cats and adopted 882. We are hoping to increase that amount by allowing cats that best fit our model of a free-roam area to come live at the cafe until such a time that they are adopted by their furr-ever family. Our partner shelter is currently capable of housing about 100 cats/kittens at any given time at each of their main locations, and 8-12 at any given time at both of their partner PetSmart locations. During kitten season, they have upwards of 150-200 kittens in foster between both locations.

Currently, 4 Paws has about 10-12 FeLV+ cats between both locations. Unfortunately for FeLV+ cats, there is a very low chance of getting adopted due to the stigma around cats with FeLV (feline leukemia). As part of our mission at Mews & Brews Cat Cafe, we hope to diminish the stigma around feline leukemia and get more of these cats adopted as they deserve a home just like any other cat. People think that all FeLV+ cats will not live very long. In fact, shelters that are not no-kill will usually put these cats down if they test positive for it. Sun Cities 4 Paws has taken in cats that have tested positive for feline leukemia, rather than put them down. Unfortunately, at this time, they are unable to take in any more unless they can adopt out the ones they currently have, since they require their own separate space away from cats that do not have it.

In 2015, 4 Paws only had 28 cats euthanized (see the chart in our photo gallery!), and those cats either had terminal illnesses or were in the senior foster program. Their Asilomar rating is generally in the 96-98% range. In just the last 3 years, close to 3000 cats have been saved from euthanasia and the streets.

The main challenge of a no-kill shelter is the plight of over-capacity. With people constantly dumping unwanted cats on their doorstep, and a waiting list that extends out for sometimes more than a month, 4 Paws does the best they can. Being a small, no-kill shelter means little to no state/county government funding, excessively high vet/medical costs, dwindling donations, and the difficulty to get grants due to the overabundance of rescues trying to get funding.  

But we can help. YOU can help.  

How?

1. Donate. Support the start-up of our business so we can help our partner shelter. Our cafe will assist in fostering adoptions, as well as raise awareness to the importance of spaying/neutering your pets. Any amount will help.

In our photo gallery, you can find a pie chart breaking down where exactly the funds that you donate will go to help us open!

2. Adopt. Help us get more cats out of the shelters that are ready to go home, so that the shelters can better assist the cats in need of more specific care. We will host adoptions on-site thanks to the training provided to us by our partner shelter.

3. Spay/Neuter. Has your pet been spayed/neutered? Kitten season happens because so many stray/feral cats are not spayed/neutered, and end up contributing to the overall population of strays/ferals by constantly reproducing. If your pet has not been spayed/neutered, please consider doing so. There are a wide variety of free/low-cost spay neuter clinics available. Reach out to us if you would like more information. All of the cats we will have available for adoption will already be spayed/neutered.

4. Volunteer. Whether you would like to volunteer at Mews & Brews, or directly at Sun Cities 4 Paws, there is ample opportunity to get your hands dirty. Contact us for more information.

5. Foster. If you don’t want to have cats long-term, or you’re willing to become a crazy cat lady with 22 cats living in your house with you, consider fostering. This helps open up the shelters to take in more cats. Contact us for more information.

6. Want to help, but none of the above look interesting? Contact us. We will need people to help us design and build out our cafe, catify our space, make sure we’re stocked with the right materials, etc. We will do our best to find a place for any willing volunteer who wants to help us out.

For more information on Feline Leukemia, see this article: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+213...

For more information on the effects that spaying/neutering can do for the overpopulation of ferals, specifically TNR (trap, neuter, return) programs, see this article: https://www.abqjournal.com/895490/city-tnr-cuts...

For more FAQ's, visit our website FAQ's page! www.mewsandbrews.com/faq

Sun Cities 4 Paws Bio & Memberships

4 Paws is no kill, non-profit, volunteer, tax-exempt organization. Our mission is to rescue cats in the Sun Cities area; to provide temporary care either in foster homes or in a permanent shelter for such animals, while facilitating their adoption in appropriate homes; to cooperate with other organizations dedicated to the rescue and care of homeless animals, and to work for humane solutions to the problem of pet overpopulation.

Income is derived from adoptions, memberships, thrift store sales, fundraising events, and bequests.

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