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Family opens first cat cafe in Monroe County

By Katy Szpak

Posted November 2, 2023

Nine-month-old kitten Chanterelle perches near a windowsill at Btown Meow on Nov. 1, 2023. (Katy Szpak, WFIU/WTIU News)

When Amber and Karrah Moore went to a cat cafe for the first time, they fell in love with the idea. Their mutual affinity for the feline companions was what began the dream. On Wednesday, the mother-daughter duo opened Btown Meow in Ellettsville, the first cat cafe in Monroe County.

The cafe sells drinks and desserts for guests to enjoy while watching the cats through the glass. The cafe partnered with the Bloomington Animal Shelter to provide the cats.

Karrah Moore plays with kitten Chanterelle at Btown Meow on Nov. 1, 2023. *(Katy Szpak, WFIU/WTIU News)*

Karrah said the new space allows her to care for cats she wouldn’t have been able to help otherwise.

“Honestly, it's kind of like a second home,” she said. “I go home with my two cats and then I come here.”

Cat cafes are a combination of a coffee shop and roaming space for cats. The cats are typically separated in a separate room to avoid cross-contamination with the food.

The idea originated in Taiwan but quickly spread to the states.

In 2015, two Bloomington entrepreneurs attempted to open Indiana’s first cat café, but the project halted when their campaign didn’t reach the fundraising goal.

The first in Indiana, Nine Lives Cat Cafe, opened in Indianapolis in 2017. There are now around 150 cafes in the U.S.

Watch: Indiana's feline-friendly cafés are giving new homes to hundreds of cats

A corkboard map at Btown Meow has a pin in the location of every cat cafe in the United States. *(Katy Szpak, WFIU/WTIU News)*

Amber expects the store to do well because of its proximity to Indiana University.

“We have a lot of IU students that come here that leave their animals at home.” She said the space is also good for people who may not be able to adopt due to allergies or apartment pet restrictions.

Karrah said she is looking forward to running the shop with her mom.

“I was working from home for the past year... I didn't feel like I really saw [family] that much,” she said. “So it was a good balance to be able to work but also get to see her every day.”

Amber said the cats have taken well to the new environment. They got the cats about a week before the shop opened so they could get comfortable in the new space.

Amber says the space also helps the cats familiarize with people before they are adopted.

Amber Moore pets one of the cats at Btown Meow on Nov. 1, 2023. *(Katy Szpak, WFIU/WTIU News)*

The shop currently has five adoptable cats in a range of ages and personalities.

Nine-month-old Chanterelle is curious and sociable. Introverted 2-year-old Tokee is currently the shop’s only male cat. Four-year-old Fluffy was mild-mannered and surveyed the play area from a hideout above. Daisy and Snow White were energetic, chasing each other and playing with the cat toys.

Those seeking to adopt can fill out applications on the cafe’s website.

The shop offers 30-minute and hour-long sessions with the cats for $5 and $7, respectively. The money goes back into the cost of care for the cats. Reservations are recommended, but walk-ins may be available.