Georgia Magazine - July 2018 - 32

Coming soon

CAMERON WHITLOCK

Pounce Cat Cafe, a Charleston, S.C.-based cat cafe, has leased
a space to open a second location in Savannah this year.

The cozy atmosphere and cat-themed décor at Java Cats Cafe in
Atlanta make humans and cats alike feel at home.

Kittles at Purrvana Cafe and
Cat Lounge in Atlanta looks for a
forever home.
32

UNGE
CAT LO

Atlanta location:
415 Memorial Drive S.E.
Marietta location: 85 Atlanta
St. S.E.

E AND

Java Cats Cafe

javacatscafe.com; (470) 305-7575
In March 2017, Hadyn Hilton
founded Atlanta's first cat cafe with
the goal of fighting homelessness-
among both cats and people.
With a uniquely philanthropic
mission, Java Cats Cafe aimed to fill a
need in a growing city.
"With many people moving into
the city at a very rapid rate, we've
experienced a high adoption count,
because people want to share their
apartment with a companion," Hilton says. "Atlanta is such a cool and
trendy city already; a cat cafe complements and offers another unique
place for locals."
Hilton partnered with PAWS Atlanta, a no-kill shelter in Decatur,
to supply Java Cats with about 16
adoptable residents at a
time. The Gathering, an
Atlanta-based nonprofit
that supports the local
homeless community, was
enlisted to supply prepackaged food for the
cafe. Java Cats also committed to donating its
coffee grounds to local
farmers for soil.
More than 250
adoptions later, Java
Cats Cafe in Atlanta's
Grant Park neighborhood has been a
greater success than
Hilton ever thought
COURTESY PURRVANA CAF

"Savannah is a very diverse community," she says. "It's also a very
animal-friendly city."
Since opening last Halloween,
Purrvana has seen a steady influx of
tourists and students visiting.
"Of course for students, it's
great," Underwood says. "It is welldocumented that being around cats
helps lower stress levels and blood
pressure. A lot of students-like
tourists-are away from their pets."
Much like the city of Savannah,
Purrvana's storefront and cat space
offer a historic Southern charm. The
early-20th-century building was once
listed on Savannah's 100 Worst Buildings list. Today, its antique interior is
a huge part of its draw.
"Our [cafe] is very cozy," Underwood says. "We are in a historic building, so the furnishings
reflect that as well. You kind of
feel like you're in a parlor."
Purrvana hosts about 14
cats at a time, all of whom come
from Palmetto Animal League in
Okatie, S.C.

Katy Pawry takes a "cat nap" at Java Cats
Cafe in Atlanta. She is available for adoption.

More online at www.georgiamagazine.org

possible-so successful, in fact, that
Java Cats recently opened a second
location in Marietta.
"Things have been very busy,"
Hilton says. "This has been a lot of
fun. It's been better than I ever expected or imagined it would be."
While its cat lounge is small, Java
Cats Atlanta's ambient décor, catmotif art and vertical space make it a
comforting experience for its visitors
and feline residents. In contrast, Java
Cats Marietta sports a large, open
floor plan, with room for up to 30
adoptable cats. The Marietta location
also offers a selection of craft beer
and wine to visitors.
Hilton says she chose Marietta
for a second Java Cats location based
on demand from her customers.
"An overwhelming amount of
customers come from [the Atlanta
suburbs], and we've heard over and
over again, 'I would come every day
if you were closer,'" she says. "So,
after finding the most amazing location, I decided to go for it."
Java Cats has hosted many events
and fundraisers, including a clothing
swap, a '70s-themed "singles mingle,"
an oratory book club and trap-neuter-release classes. To celebrate its
one-year anniversary, Hilton and her
staff hosted a Java Cats Film Festival
at Orpheus Brewing in May.
Cameron Whitlock is a freelance
writer and photographer who lives in
Atlanta.
GEORGIA MAGAZINE

http://www.javacatscafe.com http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - July 2018