Chicago's First Cat Cafe Hopes To Open Next Summer, Needs Your Help
By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 29, 2015 6:25PM
It's National Cat Day so we thought we'd check in on the progress of a story that took Chicago by storm last year: the impending arrival of the city's first cat cafe.
Tree House Humane Society, Chicago's first no-kill cat shelter, has outgrown their current home and are moving into a new location being built on land anonymously donated to the organization. The new facility will more than double the number of cats Tree House can rescue and will house an adoption center, veterinary clinic and, yes, a cat cafe called the Cat'fe.
Tree House had hoped to be further along in development of the new center by now, and a rep told us they had planned to break ground on the new construction last spring. But they ran into a number of permitting issues with the city that set their groundbreaking back until June instead. That means they are now hoping to be able to open their doors to the public sometime next summer. We know that sounds like a bit of a wait, but it will be worth it.
Tree House still needs help in funding their new home though. Currently they've raised $5.2 million of the $7 million goal. In order to raise public awareness that the need is still there they are launching The Real Tree House Cats Of Chicago, a portal with weekly episodes of the cats living at Tree House with an easy to use donate function should you choose to support our feline friends. The campaign was created pro bono for Tree House by Chicago-based agency Critical Mass with additional support from Charity Engine through their hosting of the program's landing page.
Here's your first look at one of the first three The Real Tree House Cats Of Chicago episodes that's currently available.
You can watch the other two episodes that are currently live, and donate to support Tree House, here.
If you feel like getting dressed up like a tuxedo kittie, Tree House's Black Cat Ball is coming up next month. Held at Redmoon Theater, this is an evening full of cocktails, a silent auction, food, dancing, and other entertainment. With the move to the Redmoon space, who knows what kind of entertainment there will be. We're pulling for lots and lots of cat costumes.
Tree House is hoping donations will help them turn their cat home from this:
into this:
Artist rendering of new facility courtesy Tree House
Celebrate National Cat Day by helping some local kitties in need.