Story by Rebecca West
Photos courtesy of El Jefe Cat Café & Hunter’s Kitten Lounge
Over the last decade, the world has been introduced to an increasing number of cat cafés. In the U.S., they’ve cropped up coast to coast, and here in Tucson, we have two now. The allure is understandable if you’re a feline fan. You get to chill in a tranquil atmosphere surrounded by creatures lithe, agile, and graceful in form and sweet in spirit, all while sipping your favorite mocha, macchiato, latte, or frappuccino. Add activities such as yoga or movie nights with cats, and you’ve got yourself a winner of an idea, if attendance is any indicator.
At least that’s been the case for El Jefe Cat Café and Hunter’s Kitten Lounge, both of which cater to cat fanciers while helping to reduce homeless cat populations. That’s because the felines who loll about the confines of these establishments aren’t neighborhood strays or personal pets of the proprietors. They’re rescue kitties housed or fostered by local shelters and rescues brought in daily in the hope that their immediate proximity to ailurophiles will encourage adoption, and it’s working in a big way!
The Hermitage & El Jefe
We contacted Michelle Blumenberg, Interim Executive Director of the Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter & Sanctuary, about the facility’s experience with El Jefe. As a cage-free cat sanctuary, the setup at El Jefe would be ideal, as the felines there are used to being able to roam freely and explore their environs. Blumenberg informed us that over the seven months they joined forces with them, they saw more than 100 cats adopted by Tucson residents.
She stated, “During our partnership this past year (2025), we saw wonderful results — 144 cats and kittens were adopted through El Jefe, which represents a significant number of animals finding their forever homes. The collaboration was mutually beneficial and helped increase visibility for adoptable cats in our community.”
She went on to explain, “While we had a lovely partnership during the time we worked together, El Jefe has since transitioned to working with multiple rescue organizations rather than partnering exclusively with one shelter,” and that they were “grateful for the opportunity our partnership provided” during their convivial working relationship.
When you take in as many felines in one year as the Hermitage, about 700-800 — they miraculously place between 600 and 700 cats and kittens into new homes annually, regardless of outside adoption opportunities — you’ve got to be creative and open to new ideas and opportunities when presented. hermitagecatshelter.org / eljefecatlounge.com
SA Cat Rescue & Hunter’s
The Southern Arizona Cat Rescue is a foster-based rescue that relies on volunteers to help them in their mission to give every kitty a chance at their best life. In July of 2024, they opened Hunter’s Kitten Lounge, another bright and airy café where patrons can enjoy a beverage and commune with cats available for adoption. In this case, the cats come from their own rescue.
It was a brilliant idea based on the rising success of cat cafés both near and far, which has worked out quite well for them. Like the Hermitage, they are inundated with cats each year and manage to find homes for most of them, adopting out approximately 650 per year. According to Director Melissa Lesinsky, “It goes up every year with more people learning about us and our mission.”
The lounge’s first year in business saw 290 adoptions take place. Kittens are understandably adopted the fastest due to their irresistible appeal. As to the clientele the lounge attracts, “Most guests are first timers and some repeat, but we do have a handful of regulars that we see weekly, and the cats really start to know them. It’s cute. The majority of regulars are those who can’t or don’t want to adopt, but need kitty love,” Lesinsky shared with us.
The staff frequently hear visitors say that being there was a very relaxing experience, and that they feel so calm they don’t want to leave, which is incredibly encouraging considering the numbers involved. The Hermitage and Southern Arizona Cat Rescue are but two of the many feline rescues in and around Pima County. From the stats they provided, you can do the math on the estimates for vulnerable, at-risk felines in the area.
Benefits of Cats
Cozying up with cats can lower blood pressure and trigger the production of serotonin and dopamine, the happiness hormones, in addition to other positive aspects of their company.
They include, but are not limited to, stress reduction, social connection, empathy, rising self-esteem, a sense of purpose, and better heart health, while decreasing loneliness, anxiety, and depression. When you adopt one, everybody wins.
