Local shelters are desperate after the last two weeks have brought an influx of cats to their doors--so desperate, in fact, that Los Angeles Animal Services have been cutting adoption fees in half to encourage people to adopt and foster.
"Our mission is to adopt from shelters and help minimize the number of cats that need to be euthanized," says Kristi Labrenz, founder of the Cat Café Lounge in West LA. "It's important we use World Cat Day to talk about how all the shelters are full right now."
Recently, 36 kittens were left abandoned at a shelter in Gardena. They were delivered in boxes taped shut. Labrenz says this isn't out of the ordinary for this time of year.
"It's kitten season," Labrenz says. "Many are still weaning and need to be bottle-fed which will require even more resources from shelters that are already at capacity."
The Cat Café Lounge offers a unique way for people to adopt a pet. Instead of the quintessential shelter with cement walls, wire cages, and very few windows - the Cat Cafe doubles as an actual coffee shop with modern - dare I say, millennial hipster - interior décor. The sounds of purring, along with the occasional cat fight, can be heard over elevator music playing through the café's speakers.
Unlike your favorite coffee shop chain however, you cannot walk in at-will to satisfy your caffeine fix. The café requires reservations which can be made by phone or via their website. The Cat Café Lounge is also one of the adoption centers participating in NBC4's Clear The Shelters initiative, find out more here.
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