A local business is providing a unique opportunity to cat lovers in Regina and it’s also helping to ease the burden on one local rescue.
“It’s a really cool concept,” owner of Excalipurr, Chelsey Lagendre said. “I love being able to provide a space where people can come meet with the cats and spend time with them.”
It’s exactly what Lagendre hoped for when she started envisioning Excalipurr in the Spring. A traditional coffee shop on one side and a room filled with cats on the other. A wall separates the two, putting to rest health concerns.
“You’re more than welcome to bring your coffee, your drinks, your food and hang out with the cats in here,” she said.
It costs $3.00 for 45 minutes but there’s also a walk-in special which costs $5.00 for an hour and a half.
“If you fall in love with one of them, you can apply to adopt one and take them home,” Lagendre said.
It’s the second cat cafe to open in Regina since the end of October. Right now, the cafe is home to several cats as it works in partnership with the Regina Cat Rescue.
Because the rescue doesn’t have a building and relies on fosters, the cafe allows for more cats to be seen under one roof.
“It’s an ongoing challenge. Year after year, we’ve really seen the numbers spike the last couple of years with the really warm weather and the winter,” Rachel Molnar Regina Cat Rescue Volunteer said.
Even though the cafe just opened, its mission is on target, already finding homes for four cats.
“This is a great idea to be able to come in and sit in a fairly relaxed atmosphere and just watch the cats play and have them come up to you and get a general feel for their personalities, customer Dustin Ormiston said. “Then if you fall in love with one you can take one home.”
While the concept isn’t new, Lagendre expects more cat cafes to pop up around the province as cat rescues and humane societies jump on board.
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