Our cats are so incredibly entertaining! They are sweet, silly and as you can see with this high-rise dwelling kitty, they love to make new friends! Not only does this cat enjoy playing with the squeegee, the window washer is equally entertained!
Share photos and videos of your cats being cute and silly on our facebook page!
On nearly every list of pet loving cities, you will find my city - Austin, TX close to the top. Our affinity for animals is the reason that we are America's largest No Kill city. Throughout the downtown area alone, you can find dozens of pet-friendly parks, pet themed events taking place and even animal-themed artwork!
Last October, one more animal-friendly business, Blue Cat Cafe opened it's doors to cat and coffee lovers. In that time-frame, they have teamed up with the Austin Humane Society and offer up their cafe space to cats looking for homes. I had a moment to chat with owner Rebecca Gray, who delightfully shared that since their opening day, the Blue Cat Cafe has adopted out nearly 200 cats!
Jazz, my personal cat and tote
bag model was adopted through
Austin Humane Society. Order a Jazz tote here >>
Being a volunteer photographer for various rescues and an avid animal lover, I am always thrilled to visit and support other small businesses that support local charities and help promote our area's adoptable pets. In particular, the Austin Humane Society will always have a special place in my heart, as my two kitties, Jazz and Izze Belle, were both adopted from them.
Today, I decided to take a little time away from the studio and visit Blue Cat Cafe for the first time (I know, I know... how did it take this long??). After stepping through the doors, I was greeted by a handful of curious cats. The cafe itself was fairly empty when I arrived, with 3 small groups of visitors, each playing with various cats and toys. The walls are covered in cat-themed artwork and shelving units that allow the cats to jump and climb to their furry little heart's content. In the middle of the cafe, a large man-made tree wrapped with rope (purrfect for climbing and scratching) stretches up to the ceiling, where cats can pass across the room on on a raised walkway designed specifically for them. If that's not enough, the cats have adorably designed beds to curl up in (my favorite being the hollowed out Macintosh), plenty of hiding spaces to retreat to if they are feeling overwhelmed and all the attention they could ever want from the many patrons visiting the cafe. Oh, and of course, a smaller sectioned off space hosts a handful of fuzzy little kittens who are currently available for adoption. I happily spent some time snuggling up with these charming babies who had just returned from their spay/neuter surgeries and were now waiting for their new families to find them.
I attempted to count the cats in my initial view, but every time I turned around, a new furry face would appear. My best guess was 15 - 20 cats reside at the cafe at any given time? While I don't know the exact number of cats, I can tell you that this place is certainly a great spot for any cat lover! The coffee is tasty, they offer an entirely Vegan menu (always a plus to a cruelty-free lifestyle supporter like myself) but the cats are definitely the real treat here! Next time, I will happily bring my laptop and stop in for a coffee and some kitty-themed work hours!
Want to visit the Blue Cat Cafe yourself? Stop by during their business hours at 1400 East Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78702. You definitely won't regret the visit!
Meet Rico, my latest custom cat portrait model.
Order a painting of your own kitty at www.petstudioart.com
Featured Adoptable Cat of the Week: Cadence This lovely tabby girl came into the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter pregnant and scared. After being a wonderful mother to her babies and seeing them all off to their new forever homes, this sweet lady is now waiting for her chance to be taken care of. Cadence is a calm girl, just over 1 year old and is very gentle. Come meet her at the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter in Georgetown, TX.
When choosing rescues to work with for a monthly fundraiser, a lot goes on behind the scenes. I usually spend about a month preparing for each fundraiser as well as really researching the ins and outs of the rescues that I will be raising donations for.
Last week, I confirmed with Shadow Cats Rescue that they will be my featured organization for the month of November - a wonderful month to offer holiday gifts AND raise funds for kitties in need! As with every rescue I work with, I really wanted to take some extra time to get to know the pets in their care. Fortunately, Shadow Cats sanctuary is local (their Veterinarian and I actually share a parking lot!) so I was able to experience their sanctuary first hand!
Nana's Corner hosts custom built climbing and lounging area!
Unlike most of the rescue organizations I work with, Shadow Cats does very few adoptions. They focus primarily on offering a sanctuary to special needs cats. This ranges from the Cats of 'Cookie's Corner' who are Feline Leukemia positive to the Cats of 'The Outback' who have a variety of special needs or medical issues. Each cat at the sanctuary has a unique story and I was completely awestruck as Jacki (vice-president of Shadow Cats) gave me a private tour of their facility.
With 87 cats currently living in the sanctuary, I wasn't quite sure what to expect as I arrived. The Shadow Cats sanctuary is located in a quiet, calm neighborhood, which backs up to a beautiful wooded area, complete with a view of a quaint creek running right through the backyard. The Cats of 'The Outback' and 'Nana's Corner' are treated to a view of birds chirping and enjoying the numerous birdhouses and feeders setup on the property.
Our first stop on the tour was 'Nana's Corner', where I was promptly greeted by the handsome Wylie, featured above. It didn't take long for my legs to be surrounded by kitties waiting for a chin scratch or their turn to sniff the new visitor. As I looked around Nana's Corner, not only was I impressed with how happy and healthy each cat looked, but the amount of detail that went into their living environment. Custom made cat trees, cubbies to climb and hide in and fluffy beds were everywhere to be seen. The windows were lined with thick ledges for the kitties to climb and lounge on and several bowls filled with fresh, clean water and food lined the walls.
Billy, one of the many
Cats of The Outback!
Moving on to 'The Outback' - which can be viewed through a live-stream camera on Shadow Cats website - I was delighted to see a kitties paradise! The Outback is a wonderful outdoor, safely enclosed deck area, which houses some amazing kitties! This area was by far my favorite area of the sanctuary, I could have easily spent the afternoon here loving on the kitties of The Outback. In addition to the many ammenities that Nana's Corner offered, this area also offered an array of cat-walks that were craftfully installed all around the roof of the outback. The roof is made out of a sturdy wire and screen, offering the kitties lots of sunlight but also offering shade with the variety of ivy and plants growing. As she showed me around, Jacki also pointed out some of the amazing details of The Outback, including a HUGE covered area that extended under the entire length of Nana's Corner and the many 'houses' that are heated during the cooler winter months!
Louie and mom, Lilly enjoying each other's company!
After reluctantly leaving The Outback, I was treated to a visit to 'Cookie's Corner', which is home to several Feline Leukemia positive kitties, including the famous Louie, an adorable kitten who was rescued along with his beautiful mother, Lilly. The kitties of Cookie's Corner are housed in an indoor area (which you can also see on the Shadow Cats live-stream cameras). The kitties are treated to a view of a beautiful and very active bird feeder, offering endless entertainment to these sweet cats!
After my tour, I had the pleasure of spending some time in the main office chatting with Sheila, president of Shadow Cats and Jacki, vice-president. During our chat, I was so struck and impressed with the passion these two lovely ladies have for their rescue cats. We chatted about the sanctuary and it's beginnings as well as the many additional programs that Shadow Cats offers, including their TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release) program for feral communities as well as the 'One Life Fund' which offers funds to other rescue organizations that pull animals from kill-shelters in the area! I LOVE that Shadow Cats supports other area rescues that share the same mission!
All in all, I left Shadow Cats feeling inspired and completely pumped up about our upcoming fundraiser! Please be sure to check out my website starting November 1st and grab some limited edition kitty items to support this awesome rescue!
Stephanie Conrad
Pet Studio Art | Owner | Artist www.petstudioart.com
