How Utah's first cat cafe is helping cats find forever homes

What would a cat Disneyland look like? For Lisa Totzke, owner of Tinker’s Cat Cafe, it would include drinks with punny names, sweet treats and lots and lots of cats. In fact, it’s what her shop on the corner of 300 East and 900 South in Salt Lake City looks like today.

Totzke opened Utah’s first cat cafe in 2017 and has been welcoming cat and coffee enthusiasts ever since. On one side, you can order a cat-puccino. On the other is the “cat lounge,” where patrons can chill with the cool cats.

“It can be really therapeutic for people,” Totzke said. “Hopefully you leave smiling.”

Finding cats fur-ever families

Aside from offering cuddles and cuteness, the cafe serves an even greater purpose. Totzke partners with Salt Lake County Animal Services to pair cats with forever homes.

Most of the cats you find at Tinker’s are available to be adopted on the spot. They’ve all been vaccinated, microchipped, spayed or neutered. Totzke estimates 640 cats have been adopted since Tinker’s opened.

“Seeing a cat who is incredibly scared at the shelter open up, and then find a family to go home with, is just really, really rewarding,” said Kaya Boone, manager of Tinker’s.

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Stopping by for some 'pet therapy'

Of course, adopting a pet is not mandatory when you visit Tinker’s. In fact, only about 20% of customers are there to adopt, Totzke estimates. The majority simply want to hang out with the animals.

“We get a lot of tourists that come in who miss their cats, so they just want to spend time. And then our local regular customers that we love come in just to spend time with kitties,” Totzke said.

Boone said, “We've had people who get monthly passes with us as opposed to getting therapy. They just find it more relaxing rather than maybe talking to somebody one on one.”

A little girl gets to know one of the kittens at Tinker's Cat Cafe in Salt Lake City. Photo by Chad Hurst

Helping anxious cats grow

Not only is Tinker’s good for people, it seems to help the cats as well. 

“If we have ones that are hiding in the back or are really shy, we have a lot of sweet older cats that will find them and snuggle them," Boone said, "and that's always just so heartwarming to see as they get socialized over time.”

“When cats come here, they start off a little shy, really nervous,” said Josie Holt, assistant manager. “And as the week progresses from them being here, you can fully see them come out of their bubble."

As the cats adjust, “They get less hissy, they get less aggressive, they walk up to people or they'll just be out in the room," Holt said. "Some cats take longer, but it's really lovely to see cats that are used to being in kennels and small spaces feel so comfortable."

Meeting the cats in a more homelike environment is good for potential adopters too. “I think that they socialize in a different way here, and I see their personalities come out in a way that I don't see at the shelter," Boone said, "and so you maybe get a little bit more insight into what you're signing up for before adopting and taking somebody home.”

Spend some therapeutic time at Tinker's Cat Cafe. Photo by Chad Hurst

If you’d like to spend some time with eight to 14 friendly cats all at once, you can make a reservation online. Admittance is $8 to $12. Space is limited, but you may be able to walk in, depending on availability.

“If you are an animal lover,” Totzke said, “I think this is the highlight.”

And if you decide you’d like to adopt a cat while you’re there, that’s perfectly fine too. There are a couple of forms to fill out, and staff will ask you some basic questions regarding compatibility such as, “Do you already have pets at home?” and, if you have a dog, “Has it ever been around a cat before?”

Finding a better life through adoption

“I think adoption is really important," Holt said. "Those cats only know one life, and it's a lot shorter than we have, you know? And so it's best to give them an environment and a life that is full, and full of love. And the partnership that you can create with a kitty is like nothing else.”

“It's so bittersweet when we have adoptions,” Boone said. “We're always so overjoyed that … we're placing cats in the right home. At the same time, you do get really attached working here. They kind of feel like your cats, too.”

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