CHAMPAIGN — There’s some exciting news for cat lovers. Scratching Post, a new cat and board game cafe, opened in Midtown Champaign this Wednesday.
The new hangout spot features a cat lounge with over 30 cats available for adoption.
Rebecca Minick, the owner of The Scratching Post, explained why she decided to locate her cafe in Champaign.
“I felt like the cafe needed to be located in an area where people would go to hang out in the evening after class or work for entertainment,” Minick said. “I couldn’t see that happening in a strip mall, where a lot of other cat cafes are located. I also wanted to be reasonably close to campus, and we’re right on the edge, so that worked out well.”
Minick said that most cat cafes in the U.S. serve as an adoption center and a space for entertainment.
“They’re there basically to serve as fun and comfortable adoption centers. Our local rescues are always overrun with cats that need homes, but it is often difficult to juggle a customer service/comfortable environment vibe when you’re a rescue that runs on volunteers and has to get hundreds of cats through medical intake,” she explained. “So we fill that gap to get the cats out of the rescue and in front of more people.”
Although anyone can apply to adopt, Minick says some requirements need to be met, so applying does not guarantee approval.
“We’re trying to match the best home with each cat so it can hopefully be their forever home.”
Minick said all of the cats come from CATsNAP, a local non-profit rescue. She also plans to work with VALOR out of Danville and is likely to add a few other rescues down the line.
The board game cafe is located in a separate area from the cat lounge. Minick strongly recommends visitors make reservations before visiting the cafe.
“We welcome walk-ins as long as space permits, but if we’re sold out for a given hour, we won’t be able to sell walk-in tickets until the next hour that isn’t sold out,” she said.
“You’ll also get a lot of helpful info in the confirmation email ahead of time when you book online, so you can read through the waiver, watch a few helpful videos on cat body language, and look at the parking map ahead of time.”
The Scratching Post’s first and foremost priority is providing a home for the cats.
“I just want to get more eyes on these cats. Get them out of the shelters, help to socialize them, get them adopted to quality homes, and help raise funds for the rescues while we’re at it,” Minick said.
“This could be such a great thing if it works, so I really hope people show up, and keep showing up, to help us make it happen.”
For reservations and more information, visit The Scratching Post.