Cass (front) and Damon are two of the house cats. Damon was a recent foster turned permanent resident of Kitties & Cream. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

not kitten around

Nanaimo cat lounge bringing fosters from overcrowded Prairie shelters

Feb 6, 2022 | 6:37 AM

NANAIMO — A novel idea for the Harbour City is helping give a new lease on life for some four legged friends.

Kitties & Cream in Nanaimo’s Old City Quarter partnered with a pair of Saskatchewan-based animal rescue organizations to help find forever homes for the animals west of the Rockies.

Owner Kelly Whiteside told NanaimoNewsNOW while they also have partnerships with a few location rescue operations like CatSpan Ferals out of Nanoose Bay, the Prairie groups were most in need.

“The Saskatchewan rescues reached out to us last summer, and it took a lot of work to make it work…between all the travel restrictions, the wildfires, the floods, closing all the roads, and then the snow, it’s been a process trying to finalize this.”

Initial attempts were made through animal rescue groups on Vancouver Island, but Whiteside said few had a need for extra space.

provincial legislation

'Being pushed down this path:' Nanaimo council re-zoning thousands of properties for higher density

10h ago

notable change

Federal government grants B.C. request to ban public drug use

12h ago

whale watching

Orca pod spotted in vicinity of orphan B.C. killer whale, but no evidence of family

13h ago

Shelters in Saskatchewan were overflowing with cats.

“I know they are extremely overwhelmed. They are one of 30 plus cat rescues in the area and they have over five hundred cats on their waitlist with temperatures being below 30, and with kitten season right around the corner.”

She hopes this will help alleviate some of the stress on those organizations and allow them to help even more cats.

Whiteside’s idea for a cat cafe was inspired by a trip to Japan where customers cuddled cats while sipping their latte.

The concept hasn’t gotten to fruition yet in Nanaimo, but people can schedule appointments to come and play with the foster cats in their lounge and even start the adoption process.

The closed-off area has plenty for the cats to play with and will give customers a chance to meet some of the fosters. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

The first transport of fifteen adoptable cats from Prairie rescue organizations will arrive near the end of February.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow