Mr. Kitty's Cat Cafe Reaches 500 Adopted Cats

Shelli Schuppel, the owner of the Cat Cafe, expressed her excitement, stating, "I never thought we would do it this fast. I was hoping to adopt 100 in our first year, so if that trajectory continued, maybe 200 by our second year. Here we are, two years and four months in at 500 adoptions. We’re pretty ecstatic about that, it’s pretty neat!"

The Executive Director of the Eau Claire Community Humane Association (ECCHA), Shelley Janke, highlighted the impact of the Cat Cafe in boosting local adoption rates. She noted, "I think it has greatly increased exposure for adoptions in our area because it has moved the adoptions away from our shelter to a different location."

Cats temporarily reside at the cafe while remaining under the care of the ECCHA, functioning as a foster home. Janke remarked, "We have foster homes all across the community, and this is just one location."

This partnership represents a first for ECCHA, and Schuppel noted how they have evolved together over time. She mentioned, "We’ve been growing and learning as we go. We’ve changed a few things as we’ve moved along just because we’ve learned what works and what doesn’t. I think we’ve got a pretty smooth process going now between how the adoptions go out and how we get our new kitties."

Janke also commended Schuppel and her husband Jim for their successful outreach. "Shelli and Jim have done a great job welcoming people into the cafe too and introducing them into the adoption world, and I think that’s really cool for the shelter."

Schuppel expressed surprise at the diversity of people interested in adopting cats since opening the cafe.