Popoki + Tea

06/30/2024

We have so much gratitude for the many people in our family and community who have shown us love or helped us out in some way over the last week. Moving out is one of the most stressful things ever, so trust when we say that we so appreciate the extra hands! We’ve tackled a lot on our to-do list just in the last four days, and we’re still not done, but as we approach the home stretch, we wanted to say, once again, THANK YOU. 💖

06/27/2024

We have a lot of random odds and ends, so help us lighten our load! 💖 First-come, first-served, so please refrain from DM-ing us about items. Our large furniture and appliances have already been sold, and we’ve donated our cat-related items to . Hope to see you on Friday!

06/23/2024

Thank you to everyone who’s been a part of our Popoki + Tea community over the last 6 years: our team members, rescue partners, members, guests, online customers and donors, neighbors, artists, vendors, family and friends!

From a monthly pop-up at The Public Pet that started in June 2018, to the opening of our location in February 2020, and the four years since, our journey was a ride that’s been fun and uplifting, bumpy and devastating, and ultimately fulfilling.

As of tomorrow, assuming all scheduled adoptions pan out, we will have found homes for at least 576 cats—and that’s not even counting the several dozen kittens from our pop-ups! Approx 600 cats who got a second chance, thousands of guests whose days were made a little brighter, and especially for our adopters, lives changed forever. Popoki + Tea lives on through you all. 💖

We are now facing the daunting process of moving out, so if anyone is interested in our furniture, please send us a message! We have 4 coffee tables with cubbies, wire shelving, and a couple of benches. Our undercounter fridge is pending sale. I’m sure there’s more items that we’ll post about in our stories 😅

Our plan is to keep our social media accounts active—we won’t be posting or checking as much, but we still have a handful of adoption announcements to share once those adoptions have been finalized. Moving forward, we’ll continue to share post-adoption updates as we receive them!

Mahalo to for generously gifting our staff these sunflowers! 🌻

06/22/2024

Brownie and Pandora have found their forever homes! 💖 (Adoptions #569 and #570) Brownie’s newfound guardian had been looking for the “purrfect” first cat and instantly knew Brownie was “the one.” Meanwhile, Pandora originally was with us as a kitten, so we’re happy she found her second chance home. She went home with another kitten that a couple of our longtime volunteers fostered named Lemon. Congrats to both Brownie and Pandora, and their families! 🙌🏼

06/20/2024

After our previous post, all of our cats now have sponsors who have allowed us to waive their adoption fees, including Gabriel! 🙌🏼 He has developed a reputation for being the first cat to master opening our sliding doors by an impressive ground roll that would make jiujitsu students’ jaws drop. But here’s the thing… Gabe’s never interested in going out the front door. He’s interested in hanging out with us in the lobby, and he always targets our bench as his finish line. We really hope he finds a family who understands his quirks, can give him plenty of spots in their home to explore, and a nice napping spot by a window like he does here. Gabe is the ultimate curious cat, but don’t forget, that famous quote about curiosity and a cat has a second part that people always leave out: “Satisfaction brought it back.” We hope Gabe finds his second chance in a more-than-satisfactory forever home. 💖

06/19/2024

Someone has generously sponsored the adoption fees for Olive, Sienna, Smokey, Mabel, Buster and Claudette… and three of our previous guests have sponsored Summer, Cruise and Carl’s adoption fees, too! 👏 Olive, Sienna, Buster and Summer are our shyest cats who are so absolutely sweet, and we trust they will fully come into their own when they find a true home where they can be comfortable and shine. We hope that these sponsored adoptions provide incentive to anyone who might have been on the fence about applying for any of these sweet kitties—outgoing or shy, they all deserve a loving, forever home 💖

06/18/2024

Nani has gone to her forever home! 🙌🏼 (Adoption #568) She was rescued from an outdoor colony, where she had given birth to kittens very early in life—that’s why she’s so smol!—before rescued her, and got her fixed and adoption-ready. She now gets to enjoy life with her newfound human and another kitty on the Windward side! Happy “tails,” Nani! 🎉

06/17/2024

(Update - Brownie is pending adoption!) Brownie was found in a Wahiawa colony and, I mean, look at him! 🥹 He’s taking his time being comfortable in our space and has just started coming out from our back room. He’s a big fan of laps, actually! And he’s chill about being held, too! Know anyone looking for a furry companion? Maybe it could be sweet Brownie! 💖

06/14/2024

Smokey is over here like “how many laps do I have to sit on before someone finally takes me home” and girl, we feel that 😥 Like we honestly thought she’d be outta here in a week because of her penchant for sitting in people’s laps… but she has yet to find the purrfect home. If you can’t adopt, please share this post and/or come visit her before we close on 6/23, will ya? Book now: https://www.popokiandtea.com/visit-us/

06/10/2024

🍃 HE IS GROOT! 🍃 Groot is small yet mighty! This very social guy is still looking for his forever home! Learn more about our adoption process ➡️ popokiandtea.com/adopt

06/08/2024

Among our team, we say Tonio looks like the guy on the Pringles can… or the Monopoly guy… 🧐 If you’re looking for butler vibes, but like, a very affectionate and floofy butler, Tonio is your guy. Sometimes he will just sit there and chill with you and ask you to be pet without using actual words because, you know, he’s a cat. Just don’t expect him to actually get the door for you or bring you a drink because, again, cat. If anything, YOU will be at his beck and call, and he can just be the guy in the suit that looks like the butler. Anyways I’m rambling. Come visit Tonio! 😅

06/06/2024

✨ ADOPTION UPDATE! ✨ Lulu (formerly named Copa) and Koko (Farrah) are besties! Two years ago, they found their forever home with , who says they’re doing well and sent us these adorable pics. Thanks so much for the update! 💖

05/29/2024

Mabel and the rest of our kitties are breathtaking, aren’t they? 😻 Now that summer is here, we’re reverting back to our normal hours of operation! We hope to see you in before our last day (6/23). Booking your visit in advance helps so much, and you can do that in the link in our bio or popokiandtea.com. Mahalo! 💖

05/28/2024

Malcolm’s passion for cats knows no bounds. They initially joined our family as an adopter, and later joined our team as a cat lounge host. Malcolm was an integral part of our team—and they also worked with the Purradise Cat Care team down the street from us! Soon, Malcolm—along with their two kitties—will be returning back to their home state, Alaska, where they’ll be pursuing a vet tech degree, so they can help even more animals. We’re so thankful to have had Malcolm on our team, as they played a critical role in caring for our kitties, while also taking care of our guests. Until we meet again, Malcolm! 🐾

05/25/2024

What? You thought with all the recent adoptions, that we were running out of cats to play with, didn’t you?

Well… thanks to and , we have some new kitties for you to meet—and hopefully find forever homes for! Here’s Brownie, Groot, Ziggy and Tonio! Pandora is also with us but we’ll try to get a good pic of her once she’s done hiding 🫠

Ziggy has already taken up a new hobby—getting his steps in on our cat wheel—while Groot will give you the most aggressively cute nudges because the man is desperate for pets and attention! ✨

Since it’s a three-day weekend, please book your visit at popokiandtea.com to ensure we have space for you; walk-ins are subject to availability! See you soon! 🐾

05/22/2024

Over the two years Edwards was with us, we’ve literally seen him grow up before our eyes. So imagine how bittersweet it is for us to report that Edwards is finally in his forever home in Portland, Oregon! (Adoption #567) 🎉 His guardian is a friend of fellow P+T alum ’s family—who also sponsored Edwards’ adoption fee—so we’re hoping to see plenty of future updates about play dates! Many thanks to everyone who helped find Edwards his home, as well as everyone who helped him get to Portland! Happy “tails,” Edwards!

05/21/2024

Chikito has found his forever home!! 🎉 (Adoption #566) Chikito’s original family lost their home to the Lahaina fire, and an emergency move meant Chikito needed a second chance with another family. Fortunately, he’s found his second chance with Michelle and Matthew. They loved how chill, calm, and sweet Chikito was when they visited us, and once they saw him on the news, Michelle took that as a sign that they needed to put in to adopt him right away! We look forward to seeing adoption updates from Chikito’s family! Happy “tails,” Chikito! 💖

05/19/2024

Chase was our ginger guy who always put his paws against our window during nap time… welp, he’s found himself a loving home of his own! (Adoption #565) 🎉 His newfound family got to know Chase when they visited us, and he was adopted out from another adoption site. Chase was one of our longest-standing fosters, so we’re so happy that he and his family have finally found each other! Happy tails, buddy—and we hope you’ll continue greeting your neighbors through your new windows! 🐾

05/14/2024

Good mews: Char Siu has found his forever home! 🙌 (Adoption #564) Char Siu, who we also called Charlie, was the extravert of our lounge, and he finally found a family who will keep him entertained as much as he will entertain them! Check our stories for a quick update from his family! Congrats to Charlie and his family on finding each other! 💖

05/06/2024

We celebrated an adoption over the weekend, with Echo finding her “furrever” home! 🎉 (Adoption #563) Echo will relish all the love and attention from her newfound family! Happy “tails,” Echo!

Visit popokiandtea.com/cats to see our remaining cats that are looking for loving homes!

05/04/2024

✨ Adoption Update! ✨ Mochi, formerly known as Mantis when she was with us at Popoki + Tea, is enjoying life with her family and feline sister! In a recent message, her guardian writes: “In between shifts at the biscuit factory, Mochi drags her favorite blanket around the house for naps ♥️” Mahalo for this heartwarming update, Jamie!

05/02/2024

With graduation season here, we’re starting to see an influx of private bookings to rent out our cat lounge! It’s a great way to celebrate that special occasion with the cat lovers in your life, while supporting us as we approach our closure on June 23rd. Learn more ➡️ popokiandtea.com/private-events

04/30/2024

Happy National Adopt-a-Shelter-Pet Day! As we approach our last day in business (June 23), our goal is to find homes for as many of our foster cats from as possible. Carl, Sienna, Buster and Olive are just four of the 18 cats in our lounge right now. Several of our cats’ adoption fees have also been subsidized by previous guests who want to help them find their forever homes! They all have their unique personalities, and the only way to get a sense of who they are is to come by for a visit. Book your visit at the link in our bio or at popokiandtea.com ❤️

04/30/2024

Our partner rescue Lucky Paws Animal Foundation is in dire need of help. Please chip in what you can to help them continue the critical care they provide to their rescues. The reality is that it takes dollars to carry out this life-saving work.

CHECK OUT OUR AMAZON WISH LIST!  

04/29/2024

We’re temporarily trying out later hours during the weekdays we’re open. Let us know what you think!

04/28/2024

We tend to have at least one cat that gets overlooked because they’re terribly shy, and right now, Olive is that cat. Here she is just chillin in her usual bed in the corner, where you’re likely to find her. She’s very friendly and sweet, and will let you pet her to your heart’s content. Based on her personality, Olive would probably do best in a quiet home. Know anyone who might be able to give her a good, loving home? Please share this post! 🐱

04/25/2024

We’re so sorry to announce that June 23 will be Popoki + Tea’s last day.

When we started as a pop-up 6 years ago, I had no idea that P+T would grow into what it’s become today. We’ve had the honor and privilege of finding homes for almost 600 rescue cats, and making an impact on thousands of lives—human and feline.

If there’s a cat with us that’s been tugging at your heartstrings for some time now, and you’re ready to make the commitment in giving them a forever home, do it. .and.rey have brought me so much humor, love and comfort in unexpected ways, and I’m thankful they came into my life during this journey. In fact, most of our team have adopted through us—our joke is that it’s an occupational hazard—and I’m sure they’d say the same thing about their “fur babies.”

And if you’re not in the market for a new family member? Please pass along the good word. We truly hope we can find good homes for our remaining fosters from , who we are thankful to have had alongside us over the last year.

The best way to support us until June 23? Book a visit. Buy merch. We say this all the time: your patronage helps us care for our cats until they find their forever homes. Until the end.

Our team continues to amaze me. When I broke the news to them, amidst tears, they stood up and said they’d fight till the bitter end. Eventually the meeting devolved into memes and p**p jokes 🤣 In a world where every business owner seems to complain about finding good people, we’ve found such a solid, dedicated, positive and passionate team, and I’m so sorry to lose them. They’ll go far in whatever they decide to do moving forward.

Our team, especially our manager , remains optimistic that our community will somehow save us. As cool as that would be, I remain a realist, as rising costs, increased competition and razor-thin margins are part of the reality of running a small business.

While going through every stage of grief, what gives me solace is that Popoki + Tea will live on in the hearts of our guests, adopters, community partners, neighbors and everyone else in our circle who’s been with us over the last 6 years. THANK YOU.

-Liberty

04/22/2024

Kai and Rhee have both found their furrrever homes! (Adoption #561 and #562) 🎉

Since Rhee LOVES getting in her steps with our cat wheel, hooked up Rhee’s new family with their own cat wheel, so she can keep up her daily exercise regimen! We’ll miss petite Rhee and charming ways but of course we’re all stoked that she’s found her people!

Kai (last two photos) went home with another kitty at so we don’t have a photo of the adoption, we’re happy he’s going home with a friend!

Con-cat-ulations to both cats and their families! 🙌

04/20/2024

Here’s your serotonin boost of the day featuring Chase, Char Siu and Echo! 💖 They’re just three of the 19 adoptable cats we’re fostering from . Mahalo for supporting our locally owned small business and our collaboration with Lucky Paws to help find homes for our rescue cats.

04/18/2024

✨ ADOPTION UPDATE ON JOLENE! ✨ Jolene found her furrever home almost two months ago, and she’s quickly made herself at home in her kitty purradise in Ewa! She’s already formed an affectionate sibling relationship with her new brother Monkey!

Jolene’s family writes: “She loves to spend her day either with me in my home office cuddling on ‘her chair’; she graciously allows me to share it with her 😆 When she is not in my office, you can find her sleeping on our bed or hanging out in the catio. She has really blossomed and her personality as ‘the Queen’ has emerged. We love her so much but I think Monkey might love her more; he loves having a companion. It is so cute to see him cleaning her often. At night, before bedtime they love to chase each other around, it is obvious they are having so much fun with each other. We have taken her off of dry food/kibble; she gets tuna and chicken pouches, which she loves. It looks like she has a lost a little weight with this new diet. We are so grateful to you and your mission of rescuing and rehoming cats.”

Mahalo to Jolene and Monkey’s family for this heartwarming update—and for being such a wonderful family! 💕