Purrrfect: Winnipeg to get its first cat cafe in July

Soon Winnipeggers will be able to sip a cup of coffeeand cuddle with a few furry four-legged friends in West Kildonan.

The city is getting its first cat cafe. The full name is Miss J.La's Fur Babies Cat Cafe and Adoption Centre, but owner Jennifer Laferriere, says it will be known simply as Fur Babies.

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"My dream was opening a cat cafe," she said Wednesday.

"It's really exciting."

Laferriere plans to populate the cafe with about 10 cats, all on loan from a rescue centre in Winnipeg.

"We'll see how well that goes. The cats have to get along and got to make sure they're not overwhelmed," she said.

Humans will pay $10 for one hour in the cafe. On the menu will be hot and cold drinks as well as a desserts likecustom cat-themed cookies. And there are plans for cat yoga.

"It might be for people who can't have cats where they live or they just like being around them," said Laferriere.

"Maybe for an hour you don't worry about anything you just relax."

In recent years, a number of cat cafes have opened up in Canada including in Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto. A website has even popped up to track feline cafes around the world, calledCoffee With Cats. At last count,there were 255cafes in 37countries and143cities.

Laferriere hopes some of her patrons leave with more than just a good feeling and a bit of cat hair on their shirts she hopes the cafe entices people to adopt.

"That's the whole purpose to find them homes," she said.

"Hopefully they'll get adopted quickly so there should be new cats coming in all the time."

Fur Babies is set to open in early July at 1099 Kingsbury Avenue near Watson Street.