Lancatster Cat Cafe

11/15/2024

We’re so excited for you to meet our partners at the cat cafe!

: located just around the corner in Columbia, CAS is a 501c3 nonprofit adoption facility that‘s dedicated to rescuing, re-homing, and providing quality healthcare to animals. All of our cats will ADOPTABLE through Columbia ❤️

: Made With Love Not Gluten is a dedicated gluten free bakery in Mt. Joy that’s worth the hype. All of the pastries and snacks coming into LanCATster Cat Cafe will be gluten free with some vegan options, as well!

: Based in Lebanon, PA, Kitty Town Coffee is a roastery that many cat cafes across the country use for their delicious coffee options (each blend named after real cats) and their mission of helping feed homeless cats with every bag sold 😻

We can’t wait to start working with all these awesome and intentional businesses!

p.s. All these amazing businesses are woman-owned, as well 💅🏻

11/06/2024

You know what?
We’re going to actually make the cat cafe a touch MORE q***r, more affirming and more inclusive. Just ‘cause.
Please don’t forget, you are loved.
❤️

09/25/2024

This is NOT an update post.
This is a “I was walking around my gorgeous little city and wanted to show love and appreciation for the tiny libraries people put in their yards for the good and delight of the community, and OH MY GOD I SAW SOME CATS IN A WINDOW I’M GONNA DIE” post.
If these are your cats, I’m sorry for the absurdly long time I cooed and talked to them. Also I need to know everything about them: are they sisters? A bonded pair? Names? Please & thank you 🙏

🍁

09/17/2024

Throwin’ up some “before”s because the “after”s are coming ✨
Update time!
We’re been chugging along over here, talking to the necessary people and making the necessary arrangements to begin our revamp on the space. We can’t wait for the renovation to get underway, and we know you can’t either. It makes our hearts SO happy that you’re as eager as you are for the cat cafe to open, but please, remember to be patient with us, too. This is literally our first rodeo (🤠) and apparently talking to architects, building code inspectors, and structural engineers takes time. This is all in effort to make the space truly lovely and unique for everyone who comes in.
But do NOT get discouraged, because we’re coming. Some stuff we’re currently working on/excited about:
- PAINTING, the inside and outside.
- Our ceilings are brand spankin’ new.
- We have books from GIRL SCOUTS, and a whole puzzle/book/game closet. And taking donations! Speaking of,
- We have a whole ROOM of donations from you!
- We will soon have the most intricate and amazing cat mural you’ve ever seen.
- And, finally, such exciting plans for the layout of the space that we think you will LOVE.
Your enthusiasm means so much and it fuels us to work as fast as we can on this. But remember, this is a VERY grassroots project; we’re not being funded by any big organization or have any substantial assets behind us. We’re just some cool people with a dream ❤️ and we hope you’ll keep supporting it even if it takes us a little longer than planned. It’ll be worth it 😻

***rbusinessowner 🌈

09/15/2024

This morning, the cat cafe received a very special gift ❤️

Girl Scout Troop 70585 have donated a tiny library to be a permanent fixture at the cat cafe to be enjoyed by all! And, if that wasn’t amazing enough, get this: all the books donated AND the library itself are LGBTQIA+ themed. Girl Scout troop member Amelia and their parent wanted to make sure that q***r youth were represented and celebrated in the books that were chosen for the library. Being the recipient of such a beautiful and meaningful donation means so much as a q***r adult myself; I’m so grateful that kids can see themselves reflected in these books as they grow up and become exactly who they’re meant to be.
Thank you, Troop 70585, Amelia, AJ, and parents for creating a little more sunshine in this world, and sharing it with everyone who enters the cafe. It’s going to make so much more of a difference than you even know ❤️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️
Thank you so much to for the amazing book selection ❤️❤️❤️
***rbooks #🏳️‍🌈

08/20/2024

Howdy y’all, just a quick PSA:
I posted a story last night about a cat mural that we’re creating at the cafe of individual’s cats. This was in reference to the accessibility-driven Kickstarter campaign that we’ve had going for a over a month to raise funds for some changes to the building! There were different tiers of donations and rewards, and having your own cat painted on the mural was the third highest tier! Unfortunately (but also fortunately cuz YAY), this tier had limited availability and was for the first 100 people who donated. However, there are SIX HOURS left of the Kickstarter and if you would like to add your cat to the mural AND attend our soft opening, there are still spaces available for this VIP reward!!!
I love receiving pictures of your kitties! But I just want to clarify that if you have not donated to the Kickstarter by the time the spaces were filled for the mural (spaces were filled on July 27th), they will not be able to be included, UNLESS you donate towards the highest tier in the next six hours.
On another note: can you believe the Kickstarter is almost concluded? And that we’ve surpassed it THIS MUCH?!?! 😭❤️😭

08/16/2024

Hey, it's Jax. I want to touch on a few different things in this update about our accessibility Kickstarter. Buckle up.

1. I know I've said it before, but I truly can't express how grateful we are for the outpouring of support/love we've gotten from the community. This includes your generous donations towards our Kickstarter fund to make the building as accessible as possible. We've exceeded our goal amount by a few THOUSAND dollars. That's a huge deal. And there's 3 days left!

2. The goal of the Kickstarter is to make the cat cafe accessible to all: those who use mobility equipment, have different sensory needs/abilities, etc. The main structural goals we were focusing most on were: widening doorways, building an accessible bathroom, and potentially adding a ramp to the building. With your donations, we will be able to improve SO MUCH about the building, which I am so excited about.

3. With full transparency, I am disappointed to say that at this time, we will not be able to install an outdoor wheelchair ramp at the cat cafe. Our team has met with city officials and architects to discuss this at length; due to city codes and ordinances, a ramp would not be feasible in the space that we have. While this is a bit of a gut punch, I also understand; when I chose this building for the cat cafe, I knew that I wanted this safe, new, third space to be part of beautiful, historic downtown Lancaster and add to the vitality of the city. This does, however, have its drawbacks in situations like this where it is impossible to bend the rules.

4. Our accessibility still remains incredibly important to us and we are still able to make big changes inside the building to drastically improve the space. Please know, your donations WILL be to going towards some serious changes for the better. In the meantime, we will be continuing to brainstorm and prioritize our future in terms of our accessibility, and how we can provide that.

5. I understand and also feel that this is hard news. It was for me, too. But please know: we want you there. We want you to feel safe and seen. And maybe, we'll be hitting the gym so we can help you up those stairs ourselves. 💪

08/12/2024

Now that I’m feeling better and can get back at it, I wanted to shout out a really, really cool person who’s been so instrumental in this process: .it.better, my general contractor. Megan (or Punk, as I call her, short for Punk Sue Tawney; her roller derby name!) has been such creative, innovative, and fun collaborator in this project. When I began looking for a contractor, I knew I wanted to work with a small business owner (bonus points if I could support a q***r-owned business) who would work cohesively with me and help me achieve my vision while I helped achieve theirs. I found that and more in Punk who’s helped me find and even create my vision so much in our time together so far. This is just the beginning and I am so excited to keep working with her and watch this place come to life!
Also, today we unknowingly wore matching overalls and had to do a photoshoot about it.

***rownedbusiness ***r

08/07/2024

Hey friends,
Just wanted to reach out with a little personal news:
Certainly not the update I wanted to be providing, but, surprise! I have/had appendicitis. Currently in the hospital after surgery just beginning the healing process ❤️‍🩹 due to this, I will be a little less quick to respond to messages for the next few days while I focus on acclimating to life without an organ (what’s that thing do, anyway?).
I’m okay, and being cared for very well by hospital staff and my very sweet partner.
Thanks for understanding, and I’ll be back soon with some better updates :)

08/01/2024

These are my donations. 😎
Thank you so much to everyone who has dropped something off for the future kitties that will be living at the cat cafe. Your kindness and generosity has made SUCH a difference; just look at all this stuff!

I will be putting a pause on donations soon as we’re getting close to max capacity! The donation box will be out through this weekend, so if you have something gently used for the cafe or the kitties, bring it by and pop it in the box this week 🙂 I really can’t thank you all enough!
😻😻😻

Check out LanCATster Cat Cafe’s video.

07/25/2024

WE ARE SO CLOSE TO REACHING OUR GOAL, THANKS TO YOU!
In just a month, the community has raised close to $12k for the accessibility changes we would like to make to the future cat cafe so that everyone, regardless of their physical abilities, can come! That means we are 79% funded, as of today. Can you believe this?!? Because I CANNOT.
But listen: there's STILL TIME to donate so you can:
- get some LanCATster swag
- get YOUR cat on the cat cafe mural
- or get an invite to our soft friends & family opening!
There's a limited amount of slots available for the mural and the soft opening (only SIXTEEN more cats until the mural offer is closed!!)
We've got 25 more days to go until the Kickstarter reaches its completion.
I know we can do this.

07/25/2024

This community is AMAZING ❤️ we can accomplish so much together.

Less than two weeks after Frisco’s abruptly closed its four Lancaster County restaurants, the owners of the Peruvian chicken restaurant announced that they will soon be reopening their original location.

07/23/2024

We’ve received our coming soon sign!
We’re not open “meow”… but soon ;) 😽

🐾 Pawsome news, Lancaster! 🐾
Get ready to pounce on some feline fun because the Lancatster Cat Cafe is coming soon to downtown Lancaster at 222 N. Duke Street! 🎉 Cafe owner Jax Lanza just received their "Coming Soon" window sign and gave a sneak-peek tour of the space (still under renovation) to Lancaster City Alliance Community Engagement Manager, Alex Otthofer.

This new cafe will offer coffee, baked goods, and cuddles with adorable, adoptable cats from the Columbia Animal Shelter. 😺☕🍪 Follow their social media for more news and updates!
🐾

07/22/2024

Cats, coffee, community; it’s kind of our thing!

Patrons will be able to interact with adoptable cats.

07/20/2024

Do you have gently used STUFF?
We want it (please).
The cat cafe is taking donations in the form of (cat) furniture and supplies listed above, cleaning supplies, (people) furniture, decor, and so much more! We are trying to procure things we will be using in the cafe secondhand as much as possible, and would love to be the recipient of your gently used goods! I will be putting a large donation box on the front porch of the cat cafe that folks can contribute to as they wish. Please also consider donating these similar items to who are always happy to take donations for the kitties residing there, too ❤️

07/17/2024

Here we come!
Sidenote: I’m officially capitalizing the CAT in LanCATster from now on, it has been decreed.

CITY OF LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM) — A new ‘Cat Cafe’ will soon be opening its doors in Lancaster County. The upcoming Lancaster Cat Cafe, which will soon make its debut on 222 North D…

07/11/2024

Tonight, the put aside their helmets and skates and came out to help paint the cat cafe!

The Dutchland Rollers are Lancaster’s roller derby team and a very important community to me. Having my derby family come out to help with my new business meant so much. Community means everything and this one is pretty darn solid. Just look at them go!

Thanks to Dutchland, the cafe is one step closer to opening our doors to all of you. 🧡🖤
(Had to include my derby headshot, naturally, because Sophie is always the main character)

***rpride

07/09/2024

A few things, all deeply exciting:
1. WE ACQUIRED A CAT WHEEL. FOR CATS TO R U N ON. Like big hamsters. IN THE CAFE 🐹
2. Here’s a sneak peak of the stickers available through the Kickstarter! The quality is super durable and they’re ridiculously adorable, thank you 😍
3. The Kickstarter has surpassed 50% in funding and I’m just continually so grateful and happy for this community/amazing place we live in
4. I saw this cat in a window the other day and they’re perfect. If they’re your cat, please tell them I love them.