Every kitty has a story at Cat Tales!
Cat Tales Cat Cafe is an aMEOWzing place to spend time in the company of adoptable cats. Check out our TV feature HERE!
Our two story space on Franklin Street is home to 12 cats who are waiting for their perfect person. Guests 7 and older can get to know the cats in our cage-free comfortable lounge. The low stress, free roaming environment lets the kitties be themselves. Their true personalities shine which increases their chances of finding their perfect human match. It's a win for adopters, a win for the kitties, and a win for overburdened shelters!
Not currently looking to adopt? No problem! Just by being in the Cat Lounge, you are helping to socialize the kitties and support the mission of the cafe. You love cats, the cats love attention, and the extra attention helps the cats find loving homes. And when we say 'happy trails' to one kitty, we welcome a new one!
Not sure about this whole cat thing? We won't judge! We have seating inside our cafe where you can watch the kitty entertainment. It just might make you a cat person after all!
All this plus coffee/beer/wine! We told you it was aMEOWzing!
Cat Tales Cat Cafe is owned and operated by Katy Poitras and Ilene Speizer (bios below). We are excited to announce our new non-profit Cat Tales Rescue NC, which is now our rescue partner providing cats! We look forward to expanding on our goal of connecting devoted families with adoring cats and having some fun along the way!
Meet Katy and Ilene!
Meet Katy
Katy’s first love was animals of all kinds. When it became clear she did not have the stomach to become a vet, she pivoted to plants. She studied Horticulture at Clemson University and had a lovely 15-year career as a self-employed landscape designer and contractor in Charleston, SC. She is a certified Coastal Master Naturalist and North Carolina Plant Professional.
Katy moved to Chapel Hill in 2015 to marry and live with her husband Robert and his 2 daughters. Katy brought 4 pets to the marriage so all seemed fair! Right as Katy was planning her move, it was announced that “a Cat Cafe” was coming to Charleston! She was intrigued, and watched Pounce Cat Cafe open, thrive, and do tremendous things for the cat community of Charleston. She researched the concept, which seemed like a perfect fit for a university town, and fell in love with the mission!
While familiarizing herself with the town, and looking for potential spaces that would work for this unique business, she crossed paths with Ilene, a UNC professor, who was working on the same mission! They decided to combine their efforts, and the rest is Cat Tales history!
Meet Ilene
Ilene has lived in Chapel Hill since 2005, and this is where her children would call home, even though they were both born in New Orleans. She moved here to be a faculty member in the Department of Maternal and Child Health at the Gillings School of Global Public Health. As part of her work, she works with local partners to improve the health and well-being of women, children, and families in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere. When her younger daughter turned 13, she wanted to volunteer at Orange County Animal Shelter, but required an adult companion until she turned 16. For five years, the mother and daughter duo walked dogs, cleaned kennels, socialized cats, and helped animals find their forever homes. Following a visit to Crooked Tail Cat Cafe in Greensboro, Ilene thought that Chapel Hill would be a great place to have a cat cafe - lots of college kids missing their animals!
A twist of fate brought Ilene and Katy together, and they bring different skills to the business. The partnership works because they share the same passion for helping the beloved Cat Tales kitties find their forever homes.
Ilene spends her after-hours time assisting with the virtual home visits of potential adopters, giving recommendations and advice on creating a positive transition and happy home for the newest furry member of the family. This one on one connection leads to lifetime relationships with their treasured adopters!
History of Cat Cafes
The first cat cafe opened in Taiwan in 1998, and the concept took off in several cities in Japan. Cat Cafes became popular in high-density areas, where people could not have pets of their own, but longed to spend time with a cat. Local cafes had resident cats, where visitors could sip their coffee, connect with kitties, and enjoy their company. They grew in popularity as business owners realized that customers valued this experience.
When the trend came to the States, the model was flipped to be more focused on the cats, versus the food. Most cat cafes in the US partner with a local shelter and house adoptable cats, instead of permanent resident cats. Most offer a wide variety of beverages, and some offer snacks, depending on the state and local regulations. So, while they are called “cat CAFEs,” most of them have very limited food options, if any.
Cat Tales is proud to be a fully licensed and approved cat cafe. We are licensed by the State Agriculture Department of North Carolina, and follow strict standards and protocols to ensure the health of our cats and customers. We are excited to be one of several wonderful approved cat cafes in the state of North Carolina.