When Lacey Nielson lost her job in February from an office supply store, all she wanted to do was snuggle with her four cats at home. And amid all that fur, she found her calling--a cat cafe.
"I started fostering cats for kitty cat connection. And at that time, PetSmart stopped doing adoption events. We have all these kittens piling up and nothing to do with them. I started sharing as much as I could on my personal Facebook. And it just spiraled into when you open up a place for you to do this, Lacey." says Lacey.
Fast forward to November 10, 2020, and Lacey and her husband, Jeff, have created a home for cat lovers and cats. Sugar Kittens Cafe and Cattery provides a place for cat lovers to snuggle and play with kittens and cats, grab an espresso or a locally baked treat, or even take home a cat for a very modest fee.
After years in the collection business, Jeff left his full-time position to join Lacey at the cafe and cattery. The couple is happy to be the first cat cafe in the metro area with significant hours and a full-service cafe.
The idea of cat cafes began in Asia, where many people cannot afford to have pets, either in monetary costs or in terms of space. In Liberty, the Nielsons say that the motivations are similar, citing many customers coming in to get their kitty fix because of their apartment living situation or a child or spouse allergic to cats.
Sugar Kittens offers a separate space for the cats to relax and play where clients can purchase time blocks to lounge and play with them. The cattery features comfortable couches, hidden litter boxes, and plenty of enrichment toys for the cats. The cattery can accommodate up to 21 cats at a time, says Lacey.
Outside, clients can grab fresh expresso drinks, cocoa bombs, baked items, or ice cream to enjoy either there or on the go. Sugar Kittens also features merchandise for cat lovers, as well as all the things you would need to take a cat home that day--carriers, collars, food, and toys for the cats.
Except for two house cats, all of the cats are available for adoption for a set fee of $100, which is a significant cost-savings over other adoption methods. The Nielsons are working with Kitty Cat Connection and the St. Joseph animal shelter to keep the cattery stocked. Lacey says that social interaction with other cats and humans has helped some more reserved cats.
At the time of this writing, Sugar Kittens had found homes for 17 cats of various ages. They've adopted out kittens, as well as older cats that were rescued from hoarding situations. On their busiest day so far, 85 people had made appointments to spend time with the cats as well.
The cattery is limited to eight clients in the cat room to comply with social distancing restrictions. They hope to allow 12 at a time once the pandemic has subsided.
Angi Banfield and her mother, Sharon Kosa, brought Angi's son into Sugar Kittens recently to spend some time with the cats. For Banfield, the cattery allows her to get her cat fix since her husband is allergic.
"Oh, my mom and I love cats. We wanted to come and visit the kitties. I can't have one at home because my husband's allergic, so I can come play with kitties here. And of course, bring my four-year-old," says Banfield.
Sugar Kittens is filling an unrealized need while supporting other local businesses and finding homes for cats in need. Visit their website for hours and prices at SugarKittensCatCafe.com.
