Cuddles and coffee: Windsor to get first cat cafe

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Stray cats in need of a home will soon have another place to meet potential paw-rents and enjoy some cuddles at Windsor’s first cat cafe.

According to a story on the Windsor Eats website, after six years of hard work, the idea is finally coming to fruition.

Cafe owner Chantelle Gaudette has recently signed a lease at 1326 Ottawa Street to set up shop for ‘Yay For Strays.’

Windsor Easts says the new business will partner with the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society and will foster about 20 cats at a time. The cats will be free to roam and available for café-goers to play with or potentially adopt.

"They are cats that are from the local shelter, so they are essentially up for adoption,” Gaudette told AM800 News. “You can go in and hang out with them, and play with them, and all that, but essentially they're up for adoption. So they are there in a non-caged environment. I'll be working with the Humane Society of Windsor, and basically getting cats from them."

Guests at Yay For Strays will be able to buy something to eat or drink, and visitors can enter the “cat lounge” area. An admission fee will be charged for every 30 minutes someone would like to visit the cats, a waiver will also need to be signed.

She says the cafe and lounge will be in in two separate rooms.

"You'll walk into the cafe first, get something to eat and drink if you want, pay your admission, sign your waiver, and then you'll go through two doors,” Gaudette said. “In the middle of the doors you'll be asked to wash your hands, one door can't be open while the other door is open just in case you've got a little kitty that's a runner, it'll never get into the cafe."

Gaudette told AM800 News Yay For Strays hopes to be open six days a week, with one day dedicated for cat pick-ups for those who have adopted, and to give the new cats in the lounge a chance to get accommodated as they are brought in to the cafe.

According to Windsor Eats, doors are expected to be open within the next month or two.

-- With files from AM800 News