Purrista Cat Cafe’

Here, Kitty, Kitty!  …Kitty?

Purrista Cat Cafe’

A Visit

          Love cats?  Read on!

          Don’t?  What’s wrong with you?  (But keep reading, anyway.)

          Love puns? Read on!

          Don’t? I don’t blame you.  (But keep reading, anyway.)

          Purrista Cat Cafe’ is Erie’s only pet cafe’. A place that CATers to felinophiles and/or lovers of strong coffee and gourmet treats. Think Starbucks, but with kitties.

          As PURR its website, the cafe’ was established by Erie native and explorer, Dena Rupp, who encountered her first pet café during her travels through Asia.

          Purrista is a place to hang out with cats in a safe, feline-friendly environment. More importantly, all the cats within the space are available for adoption due to Purrista’s partnership with Because You Care, a nonprofit animal adoption organization based in McKean.

          To visit the cats, there’s a nominal fee. I scheduled my hour-long  appointment, signed the liability agreement and paid–all online–arrived early as instructed, bought a strong cup of coffee and a sugary vanilla cupcake, and biding my time, browsed the site.

          Entering Purrista for the first time it’s as one might expect: all things puss, enough to drive one CATatonic: cat art, books, classes, coffee cups, earrings, greeting cards, even a board game Cat-opoly, a feline-lover’s version of Monopoly (It’s true! Google it!).

          Unsure what to expect after entering the glass-enclosed cat lounge, I found the approximate 12 kitties within the area, all calm, quiet and content. Aware of Cat Etiquette & House Rule number three: Let the cats approach you.  Never force interaction, I walked around the area, witnessing cats in their happy habitat, sleeping, bathing themselves and silently judging me.  (That’s okay; that’s what cats do.) 

          Trying to entice interaction didn’t fare well due to their natural cautiousness and aloofness with strangers. I petted two cats who allowed me to approach them and, though happy the cats were so at ease, I felt somewhat like a trespasser in their warm, quiet, sunlit storefront domain. Though booked for an hour visit, after 40-some minutes, I silently bid them farewell, hoping they’d soon find their FURever homes and left. 

          Sweetie pies all, my heart went out to them, yet stopped short of considering adoption. Currently with several cats of my own, logic in my case, won a rare victory.

          Like me, can’t adopt? Then consider volunteering. Purrista and Because You Care seek help.  Donate what you can. Time, supplies, money.

          Purrista.  A PURRfect place to visit.

*** GG

Purrista Cat Cafe’ is located at 30 W. 8 St., Erie. For more information, visit purristacatcafe.com

END