When Taiwan's Cat Flower Garden opened in 1998 as the world's first cat cafe, it sparked a global trend that continues today. The concept quickly spread throughout Asia, Europe, and North America, creating welcoming spaces where people could relax with cats while helping adoptable animals find forever homes.
Now Somerset County has joined the movement with the arrival of Catcetera, a cat lounge that opened this spring in Raritan.
The response has been overwhelming. In its first month alone, more than 1,600 visitors traveled from throughout New Jersey and New York to spend time with the lounge's resident cats.
For co-owner Wendy Zimmerman of Bridgewater, the idea had been years in the making. Along with friend and business partner Jessica Adams of Manville, she began exploring the concept in 2018 after visiting other cat lounges and adopting two cats from Catsbury Park in Asbury Park.
"I thought, this is awesome," Zimmerman says. "Everybody's coming in and then leaving happy."
Catcetera partners with two rescue organizations—Project MEOW in Philadelphia and Beacon of Hope Animal Rescue in Pittstown—to provide foster care for adoptable cats. At any given time, between 25 and 35 cats roam freely through the lounge's two cat rooms, allowing visitors to interact with them in a relaxed, home-like setting.
"Our goal is to get cats adopted and allow the rescues to save more cats," Zimmerman says. "Rescues are struggling to find people to foster cats. We act like a big public foster home."
The rescue groups provide fully vetted cats that are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. Catcetera assumes daily care responsibilities, including food, litter, toys, and socialization.
"I love seeing cats that are shy and scared come out of their shells and realize they're safe," Zimmerman says.
Visitors can reserve one-hour sessions online for $20 or stop in as walk-ins when space allows. To ensure a positive experience for both cats and guests, attendance is capped at approximately 15 people per session.
When visitors form a bond with a cat, Catcetera helps facilitate the adoption process through its rescue partners. Adoption applications and approvals are handled directly by the rescues, while the lounge helps coordinate pickup and celebrates the occasion with keepsake photos.
But Catcetera is about more than adoptions.
"We are building community—using cats," Zimmerman says.
The lounge already hosts cat yoga sessions, combining 45 minutes of cat interaction with a 45-minute yoga class. Future events include bingo nights, painting classes, board games, trivia competitions, and community gatherings designed to bring people together while supporting animal welfare.
Zimmerman also hopes to offer programming for senior citizens who may be unable to own pets where they live.
"This gives them the opportunity to engage with animals," she says.
The name Catcetera reflects the lounge's playful spirit. While brainstorming ideas, Zimmerman discovered the Latin roots of "etcetera," meaning "and the rest."
"I thought, that's perfect," she says. "A place for cats and everything else."
As cat owners themselves—Zimmerman has five cats and Adams has two—the partners understand the benefits feline companionship can bring. Cats can help reduce stress, provide comfort and offer companionship without demanding the constant attention often required by dogs.
What has surprised them most, however, has been the support they've received from the community.
"So many people have helped us by offering donations or volunteering," Zimmerman says. "I'm speechless. Cat people are just awesome."
As Catcetera continues to grow, its mission remains simple: create a welcoming space where cats can find homes, people can connect, and the community can come together—one purr at a time.
Book a visit:
Catcetera
44 W. Somerset St., Suite B
Raritan, NJ 08869
catceteranj.com
Instagram: @catcetera_nj
“We are building community—using cats.” —Wendy Zimmerman