The purr-fect cafe for cat lovers in North Carolina
By Emma Ralls
A&E Editor
For the self-proclaimed cat and coffee lovers, The Crooked Tail Cat Cafe is the place to go. It has been, as their catphrase proclaims, “Saving cats. Creating Smiles. Since 2017.”
The woman behind it all is Karen Stratman. In 2017, she wanted to open the first cat cafe in North Carolina. She opened the first cafe in November 2017 in Greensboro and another in the summer of 2019 in Winston-Salem.
“The two shops have some similar elements, but they provide two different experiences,” Stratman said in an interview with Fox 8. ”The Greensboro store is vibrant, colorful and eclectic. The Winston- Salem store is sleek, cool and modern.”
The cafe is divided into two separate rooms: the “Kitty Lounge” and The Cafe.
The “Kitty Lounge” is the section of The Crooked Tail Cat Cafe where the felines are located. In the “Kitty Lounge,” the in-house cats are free to roam about and interact with visitors and the space’s many toys and furniture options. The website proclaims that this “cage-free environment” allows the personalities of the cats to fully shine.
The Cafe portion of the Crooked Tail Cat Cafe is a cat-free zone. It is up to the customer if they want to bring their food into the “Kitty Lounge,” but to abide by health regulations, the cats are kept out of the food-distribution area. According to the website’s FAQ section, there is no food actually made in house; everything comes prepackaged.
The menu at the cafe has a large selection of different coffees, teas and other beverages made to order. There is also a rotating list of beer and wine at the Greensboro location, along with the ever-popular MEOWMOSAS for individuals to enjoy. People can either dine in or get a drink and a baked good to go with the carry-out option.
The best thing about the Crooked Tail Cat Cafe has to be the cats themselves. The lovable felines are up for adoption and are ready to find their forever home. The Crooked Tail Cafe partners with two animal rescue organizations. The Greensboro location works with the Red Dog Farm Animal Rescue Network, and the Winston-Salem location houses cats from the Triad Independent Cat Rescue.
If people are invested in adopting one of the in-house cats, the cafe’s team suggests going to the website’s “Adopt”section and calling the correct cafe location to make sure the cat is still there. Since the Greensboro location has opened, 219 of the in-house cats have been adopted and found their forever home.
For individuals interested in visiting either location, there are different options. While walk-ins are permitted, it is recommended that people coming to visit make a reservation beforehand; there is a certain number of people that can be in the “Kitty Lounge” at one time. People can also choose between two types of ap-
Ranking the top three streaming services pointments: the “Kitty Lounge Appointment,” hour, or the “Day Pass,” $30 for six hours.
There are also different types of memberships that can be purchased if an individual is interested in becoming a frequent visitor of the Crooked Tail Cat Cafe. These “MEMPURRSHIPS” are in three tiers: the “Tuxedo,” the “Mainecoon” and the “Unlimited.”
The “Tuxedo” membership costs $25 per month and comes with three visits that roll over if they are not used to the “Kitty Lounge” each month, with any additional visits being reduced to $8. A 12-ounce drink is also included with each visit.
The “Mainecoon” membership is the same, except the number of visits included is increased to five. The “Unlimited” membership is exactly what it sounds like — unlimited visits and a free drink each visit
People of all ages enjoy visiting the Crooked Tail Cat Cafe, especially High Point University students. Naomi Ordonez, an HPU sophomore, recently visited the Greensboro location and enjoyed her experience immensely.
“My friends and I love visiting the cat cafe,” Ordonez said. “My favorite part about visiting is knowing the cats are up for adoption and that they will find great homes.”
The Crooked Tail Cat Cafe is coinciding with the COVID-19 safety guidelines and will not permit entry without a mask. For those interested in visiting, both locations are open from 12-6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday and are closed Monday and Tuesday.