Test Drive a Pet at Huntsville’s Cattyshack

We only have one friend with a child around my daughter’s age in our quarantine bubble, so when she called and asked if we wanted to join her for an hour at the Cattyshack Lounge, I said YES without hesitation. We have been pandemic hermits for a good part of 2020, so to be honest, she could have asked if we wanted to mow her lawn and I might have jumped at the opportunity.

What to Expect from your Visit to Cattyshack

We arrived at Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment with little idea of what we were going to experience, but boy were we happily (and furrily) surprised! The Cattyshack Lounge is a cat lounge run by Cattyshack, Inc, a 501-3c non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue and adoption of shelter cats in Alabama. It’s $10 per person which gets you a full hour to snuggle and play with all of the adoptable kitties and a pre-packaged snack and drink. Your donation goes toward vet bills and food for the rescue cats!

To be COVID conscious, there is an allowance of 6 people per group. After each session, all toys and surfaces are sanitized by the staff before the next group is allowed to start their snuggle session. Masks are required throughout all of the Lowe Mill campus and must be worn in the cat lounge as well.

Taking a Trial Run with Adoptable Cats

When I sat down with the owner, Tina Cooley, she was very excited about letting all of our readers know the benefits of visiting a cat lounge. She says cat lounges allow your child to explore the idea of having a pet before bringing one home. The room is cozy with couches, cat trees, and baskets FULL of cat toys! All cats have different personalities, so having time to experience the cat’s personality can help set up a more successful adoption journey. The cats of Cattyshack are much more socialized than those in a shelter, because they all live with foster families during the week, then come to Cattyshack Lounge every Friday and Saturday.

The lounge is also a great place to teach children how to properly hold a cat, let them explore boundaries with a pet, and to test out whether or not your little one might have a cat hair allergy! Cooley says she always keeps Benedryll and Allegra on hand, just in case. The lounge is great for the cats as well, since they get to learn how to interact with humans, which helps them find their furever homes even quicker!

If you visit the cat lounge and happen to fall in love with one of the kitties, you can fill out an adoption application to begin the process. However, the lounge isn’t just for those looking to adopt! We go just for snuggles and to help support a local non-profit, plus my daughter is a huge fan of cat toys and the fruit snacks she gets on the way out. There are no same day adoptions, as Cooley likes to make sure that her kitties are headed to a safe home.

Plan your visit to Cattyshack

Playing with one of the residents of Cattyshack in Huntsville, AL

Reservations: Reservations are required. Reserve your time here.

Cost: $10 per person. Reservations are for parties up to 6 people for one full hour. A pre-packaged snack and a beverage are offered to each guest at the end of their visit.

Location: 2211 Seminole Drive SW, Huntsville, AL 35805 (map)| Cattyshack is located in Studio 1062 at Lowe Mill. Enter through door 4 for the easiest access.

Hours of Operation: Friday – 12:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Saturday – 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Contact: Email – [email protected] | Phone/Voicemail – 256-203-4284

Find them on social: Keep up with Cattyshack’s latest news on their Facebook or Instagram.

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Haley Loveday

Haley Loveday likes apple juice in a wine glass and the smell of freshly snuffed candles. She's a mother, a wife, a book worm, a writer, and a renaissance craft woman. She loves the rain, movies, and live theatre. She's absolutely terrible at high fives, but will never quit trying. She has a breathlessly wild daughter, Emmylou, who is just as much punk as she is princess, and a beautiful wife, Marge, that would move mountains to make her happy. She was born in Huntsville, raised in Jasper, then found her way back by way of Space Camp counseling in the summer of 2014. Rocket City has been her home ever since.