‘Each cat has an entire story:’ Charlotte’s first cat café celebrates 1,000th adoption
Less than five years since Charlotte’s first cat café opened, Mac Tabby Cat Café has hit a major milestone. The local business known for serving up coffee, craft beer and cat cuddles celebrated its 1,000th adoption Tuesday evening at its NoDa location. And No. 1001, too.
“Each cat has an entire story of how it wound up at Mac Tabby. We have been able to tell one thousand stories so far, and it’s the greatest honor,” owner Lori Konawalik, the self-proclaimed “lead cat wrangler,” said via email.
We’ll tell you all about the special feline who gets to have 1,000 as part of his story, but for those unfamiliar with Mac Tabby, here’s a quick rundown on the café that serves as part coffee shop, part rescue mission.
How Mac Tabby works
Origins: Mac Tabby was founded on the idea of bringing together good energy, good people, great coffee, craft beer and cats, Konawalik said. With the help of 299 Kickstarter backers, the business — which doubles as a foster home for rescued cats — opened Dec. 16, 2017, on North Davidson Street before moving to its permanent home in NoDa in 2019. Mac Tabby was so successful that it opened a second location in Concord on May 1, 2021.
How it works: For $12 per person, cat lovers ages 7 and older can reserve a 60-minute cat lounge experience that lets them cozy up with adoptable felines that roam freely throughout the café. Private experiences are also available, in addition to a monthly “kitty time” for younger children. The cost is $8 for walk-ins, pending availability.
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Café only: You don’t need a paid admission to order from the café menu, which boasts of an assortment of brownies, cookie bars and fresh bakery items. Bar choices include espresso drinks, coffee, smoothies, hot teas, beers, ciders, wine and prosecco, as well as Italian soda, flavored lemonades, kombucha and more. You’ll also find a selection of kitty-themed goodies, local art and Mac Tabby merch available for purchase.
Looking to adopt? Every kitty at Mac Tabby is looking for its forever family. Konawalik and team have partnered with rescue group Princeton’s Meow to manage the approval and adoption processes. The $120-135 fees cover the cost of spay or neutering, along with microchipping, initial health visits, flea and tick treatments and vaccines. More info on the adoption process can be found here.
Leo Wyatt finds his forever home
Speaking of adoption, meet Leo Wyatt, the special kitty who has the honor of being Mac Tabby’s 1,000th adoption.
Leo and his sisters were surrendered to a high kill shelter without their momma cat. A volunteer pulled them out and bottle fed them, otherwise they would have been euthanized, Konawalik said.
He’s now 5 months old. His listing on Princeton’s Meow describes him as “the sweetest, most affectionate kitten” and goes on to say, “Leo is active and playful, loves to chase toys and interact with people. His purr could move mountains and he freely shares it with everyone he meets.”
One of Leo’s Facebook fans wrote this about the black and white kitten: “I seriously don’t think he could get any cuter because he broke the cuteness meter!!!”
Leo joins a family whose elderly cat passed away a while back. Their 10-year-old daughter, Lauren, has been wanting another feline companion for some time, and when they saw Leo, it was a perfect match.
“They fell in love with Leo Wyatt because looking at him makes them smile,” Konawalik said. “They think he looks a bit cartoon-like! Plus, they loved his personality and how he was a good balance of loving and playful. They knew he was the one.”
Leo’s adopters were surprised when they picked him up Tuesday, unaware he would be the 1,000th adoption. The business celebrated with a champagne toast and new banner commemorating the 1,000 milestone.
They also celebrated adoption 1,001: a solid white kitten named Reddi Whip who went to the same family as Leo. Now Leo has a brother.
“It takes a lot of caring humans to get each cat from where it starts to its forever home,” Konawalik said. “We are a small part of the greater good and are thankful to be able to spread goodness into the world in the very best way, one cat at a time. One thousand... and counting.”
Mac Tabby Cat Cafe
Location: 25 Market St. Southwest, Concord, NC 28025
Neighborhood: Concord
Location: 3204 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: NoDa
Instagram: @mactabbycatcafe
