Sorry, Feline Lovers: Chicago's First Cat Cafe Is Delayed

By Anthony Todd in Food on Aug 8, 2016 2:13PM

Here's a little guy from the Tree House Humane Society

We've been waiting for Chicago's first Cat Cafe, a project of the Tree House Humane Society, for almost a year now, since it was first announced last October. The city approved the project, they raised millions of dollars, but trouble is brewing in cat-land and the project is delayed.

The cat cafe is only a small part of Tree House's new facility, which will be located at 7225 N. Western Ave. Unfortunately, the Tribune reports that the pricetag for the project, which was originally budgeted for $6 million, has increased to $7 million, and the organization is $2.7 million short. There have been allegations of mismanagement by staff, a change in leadership and an internal investigation by chicago law firm Kirkland and Ellis. In other words, a pretty big mess.

So what's the future like for the cat cafe? Well, it's still coming, interim director Kerri Burns told the Trib. They hope to open by the end of this year, though that will require raising a large chunk of money. It might be time for a kitty-themed kickstarter campaign.