Kittydelphia is Coming!!!

Philly cat lovers, get ready…the first-ever Kittydelphia is coming! The three-day pop-up shop event and celebration of all things feline is happening Friday, July 7th through Sunday, July 9th at Gravy Studio & Gallery in Northern Liberties (910 N. 2nd Street).

Kittydelphia will feature cat artists, local cat-centric merchants, appearances by area celebrity cats, gift basket raffles, and lots more. All donations and raffle proceeds will benefit PAWS — Philadelphia's 100% donor-supported no-kill shelter, which will have adoptable cats on-hand at the festivities.

Kittydelphia is the brainchild of Laura Kicey, the artist and designer behind Olive & Rye Cat Art — custom cat portraits, plus cat-themed art, apparel and homegoods — which is named after her beloved calico and tortie kitties adopted from Philly PAWS in 2014. Olive and Rye's antics are seen daily on their popular Instagram @oliveandrye.

(Don't even get me started on how much I love those two cats...and their humom's artwork!!!)

Among the merchants and vendors appearing alongside Olive & Rye Cat Art at Kittydelphia are Polydactyl Cats (whimsical cat toys designed and handmade by Randi Warhol); Xenotees (hand-printed shirts, totes and other apparel crafted by Noelle Burke in her Philadelphia studio); and Kawaii Kitty Cafe (Philly's first cat cafe, located in South Philadelphia and partnered with PAWS to foster adoptable cats). Kittydelphia will also feature art prints from The Dancing Cat, feline bowties from Cherished Paws Gems, cat cookies from The Dark Side Cookies, and more.

Kawaii Kitty Cafe (759 S. 4th Street) will also be hosting Kittydelphia-related festivities that weekend in the cafe area, though reservations are still required to enter Kawaii’s cat room.

Three extremely delightful feline guests are scheduled to appear at Kittydelphia: Turbo Two Legs, a dapper Instagram celebricat who has rear-leg paralysis but lets nothing slow him down and is a terrific spokescat for adopting special-needs animals; Sophie the Model, an aspiring meowdel and outspoken ambassador for black cats; and Miss Raspberry, a beautiful 4-year-old Persian cat with an unforgettable face who's also quite the social media darling. Their humans will happily speak about the joys of rescuing/adopting cats and/or living with pets with disabilities.

If you're crazy for cats, you definitely won't want to miss Kittydelphia! Visit kittydelphia.com for updates!



RSVP on Facebook and visit Kittydelphia on social media:

Instagram: @kittydelphia
Twitter: @kittydelphia
Facebook: Facebook.com/kittydelphiashop

Pop-Up Cat Cafe Coming to Dallas!

I'm starting to think this blog has found a new calling in reporting on all of the fun cat cafe's opening up all over the country...I just wish Vermont would hurry up and jump on the bandwagon!

First Ever Dallas Cat Café at The Cat Connection

The Cat Connection, a locally based pet supply store and cat only hotel and spa, will be home to the first Cat Café in Dallas for four weekends starting Saturday August 8th, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The Dallas Café will be a first for the DFW metroplex and will feature adoptable cats and kittens compliments of various local rescue groups. Guests will be able to play with cats on a first-come-first-serve basis for up to twenty minutes. Operation Kindness will provide adoptable cats and kittens for the Grand Opening on August 8^th, and be on hand to facilitate adoptions. Donations are not required but are appreciated as they will go to support local rescue.

Photo: Sauerkraut's Facebook page

For their launch weekend, guests will have the opportunity to indulge in specialty coffee drinks and treats in addition to meeting a special guest of honor, Instagram star Sauerkraut Kitty.

While popular in Japan for decades, cat cafés have become a reality in the United States within the last year. These cafes appeal to a wide audience from those who can’t have a cat due to rental restrictions or an allergic housemate; to those looking to adopt and want to interact more intimately out of their cages to order to get a better sense of a cat’s temperament.

Errin West, co-owner of The Cat Connection believes the café will be, “A great opportunity for cat lovers in the area to connect with and interact with adoptable animals in a relaxed setting, hopefully increasing adoptions for local rescue groups.”

The Cat Café will be open on Saturday August 8, 15, 22 and 29 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM CT. For more event details, please visit www.TheCatConnection.com or follow them on social media. They are located at 14233 Inwood Road in Dallas.

To ensure both feline and human attendees have an enjoyable time, The Cat Connection asks that no outside animals be brought to the event. Children are allowed under an adult guardian’s supervision. A complete set of guidelines can be accessed at The Cat Connection's website: www.thecatconnection.com