Cats rescued from ‘death row’ will be up for adoption at this business. What to know
Allison Lawson sits behind the coffee bar inside a space that will soon become Alley Cat Cafe, the first of its kind in the Columbus, Georgia, area, which she co-owns with her husband, retired Air Force Master Sgt. Justin Lawson.
The cafe sits mostly empty now, sunlight entering through the windows and not a sound to be heard inside. That’ll all change soon enough.
In a few weeks, this place will be buzzing with excited customers, baristas frantically putting together orders and curious cats peeking out from the cafe’s cat room, where customers can pay to spend an hour with cats. All of them will be available for adoption.
Construction of the upcoming Alley Cat Cafe on 5592 Whitesville Road recently wrapped up, and Lawson hopes the cafe can open within the next two months, pending some logistical items like permits and inspections.
“We started the cat cafe because Columbus, Russell County ... the kitten community has had a boom this summer,” Allison Lawson said. “We saw a need, and we thought we’d raise awareness with the cafe. People can come in, have coffee and play with the kitties, get to know their personality and hopefully take one home.”
The coffee will serve Black Rifle Coffee, a veteran-owned coffee company. In addition to coffee, Lawson expects to serve light pastries. According to the cafe’s website, it will sell wine and beer once the required licenses are obtained.
The cafe must outsource its food due to health regulations, so the details on which types of food will be provided are still to be determined.
Coffee and cats
The cat room, which takes up the majority of the cafe’s space, extends the length of the dining area. Customers can view the cats through windows or venture into the room, separated by a double entrance so the cats won’t escape.
Every cat featured at Alley Cat Cafe will be a rescued animal, Lawson said. The business partnered with Pat’s Rescue Cats, a nonprofit based out of Phenix City, Alabama, and run by owner Pat Swift. Swift pulls cats from kill shelters in the Phenix City and Russell County areas.
Swift said that as of last week, she’s pulled around 225 cats since November, each of which were at risk of being euthanized.
“Every cat that we have in here has actually been up for euthanasia and been rescued from death row,” Lawson said. “That’s kind of our theme. At one day or another, they all had their supposed-to-be final day, and they were rescued at the last minute.”
Admission to the cat room will cost $12 per person (children 10 and under $7), and the cafe strongly suggests reserving a spot ahead of time. Walk-in spots will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. “Cat packages” will also be made available (five cat room visits for $45). Admission to the cat room includes a free coffee, tea or soft drink.
Swift said the cafe will keep around 10 cats at a time in the cat room. Those wishing to adopt one of the cats must fill out standard adoption forms and questionnaires. The cafe will not allow individuals to take home cats on the same day, so as to properly vet each applicant.
For more information about Alley Cat Cafe, visit alleycatcafecolumbus.com or their Facebook page. For those interested in volunteering, contact the cafe at alleycatcafe@outlook.com. For more information about Pat’s Rescue Cats, visit its Facebook page.
