Ottawa cat cafe closing after 6 years

A cat is seen at The Feline Café and Rescue Foundation in Hintonburg in this 2021 image. (Leah Larocque / CTV News Ottawa)

A cat café in Ottawa's Hintonburg neighbourhood is closings its doors.

The Feline Café said on its website that after six years in business, it can no longer make ends meet.

"The COVID closures over 2020-2022 had been incredibly difficult from a business perspective, and we've still been suffering from the financial losses during this period where we barely managed to survive," the post on its website says. "This hardship, combined with the coming inflation and recession, has caused us to reach the decision that now is a good time to close the café."

When it opened, it served café fare, but also had a separate lounge where people could book time to visit and play with the cats that had been rescued by the Feline Café Foundation.

The café, located on Wellington Street West, had put out a request for help in 2021 as pandemic restrictions took their toll on the business. Despite pivoting to takeout groceries and starting an online store, the struggles mounted.

"Although a big chapter is ending for us, we feel so grateful for the incredible work we've been able to do," the café said online.

There will be a rummage sale March 4 and 5 to recover some costs. The café will be selling things like kitchenware, furniture, and books, and they hope to have an espresso bar menu.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CATS?

The Feline Café is also a cat rescue that takes in and cares for cats before they're adopted. Owners say not to worry, the rescue operations will continue.

"While we may not have our location in Hintonburg, our mission to save cats will live on! Feline Café Foundation’s team will continue to run the rescue operations remotely," the closing announcement reads.

More details about the cats available for adoption and other information about how to support the rescue can be found online.

"We want to sincerely thank every single one of you who have been part of this journey," the café's owners say. "We've loved being able to provide a safe and loving space for both felines and humans. It has been our absolute pleasure to share great coffee and cat stories with you."