There’s something magical about walking into the Cat Café at Hearts Alive Village on Rainbow. The energy shifts: it’s soft, calm, and quietly joyful—a sanctuary not just for cats, but for people, too.
Opened in 2022, this space was created as a haven for rescue cats in transition and has since become a heart-centered destination for anyone in need of comfort, connection, or just a little reprieve from the world. You step inside, and you’re greeted by cats—some curious, some aloof, most content to just lounge by the window, stretch out on a tower, or curl up in a nook with pure, unapologetic cattitude.
There’s an entire process happening behind the scenes. Cats rescued from the streets or shelters are first brought into an acclimation room, where they adjust to safety, warmth, and quiet. Once they build confidence, they move to the free-roaming room—learning how to socialize with other cats. Only when they’re truly ready do they join the café, where they can interact with people, receive love, and offer it freely.
While I was there, interviewing Christy Stevens, the executive director and heartbeat of Hearts Alive Village, a sweet, skinny cat jumped on my lap and made herself at home. She had clearly known neglect, yet she purred with trust, curled into me, and stayed. That moment said it all—this place is healing.
The café itself is donation-based: $15 unlocks your visit, with complimentary coffee, tea, snacks, and of course, all the cat cuddles your soul can handle. Families come in, kids giggle on the floor, couples sip tea while scratching ears and noses. It’s a place where love lives in the quietest gestures.
When she was just 10, Christy’s daughter dreamed of this. In her fifth-grade journal, she imagined a rescue and sanctuary—and that dream became Hearts Alive Village. Today, it’s more than just real, it’s thriving.
In a world that can be loud and overwhelming, the Cat Café offers something rare: a moment of peace, a purring reminder to slow down, and the comforting truth that healing doesn’t have to be complicated.
Sometimes, all it takes is a cat in your lap.