Santa Barbara’s
Charming Cat Café
The Downtown Hangout Is Full of
Adorable and Adoptable Felines
By Richelle Boyd | June 6, 2024
Tucked in the walkways of the Victoria Court on State Street is a place I often like to visit called Cat Therapy. This cozy corner shop always attracts passersby with slow-blinking cats sitting in the window.
Inside is filled with climbing trees, chairs, and a wall of lounging areas — and, best of all, lots of cats! More than two dozen of them. They’re either up and about and rubbing legs or chasing each other, or sometimes, when they’ve just eaten or it’s reached midday, curled up for a nap.
Their ages range from cute four-month-old kittens to sweet older cats. It’s a home-like environment with no cages, and part of Cat Therapy’s mission is to “try to foster, socialize, and adopt as many cats as possible” according to Anahi De la Cruz, an employee.
They’ve worked with different shelters since opening in 2017 but are currently partnered with ASAP Cats (asapcats.org) in Goleta and have logged more than 900 adoptions total. “I adopted my first cat here two years ago. I fell in love while visiting,” reminisced De la Cruz, who was a customer at the time.
I find myself dropping in when I miss my own cats, or when I catch one staring at me from the window as if it’s saying, “Come in and pet me!” There’s a small entry fee, but it’s worth it to snuggle and play. De la Cruz told me this fee goes toward providing for the cats, so it feels like a win-win situation.
And I’ve never understood why cats get a bad rap — sure, they claw up your furniture or knock stuff off the table, but it’s all about making the space theirs. Cats, just like dogs, love us and our homes; they just have more to say about it.
“We get to learn each personality because every cat is different,” said Vivian Navarro, another Cat Therapy employee. “We get to know them and can say, ‘This cat likes this; this one doesn’t.’ ”
But seeing is believing. “Visiting us is a heartwarming experience,” founder Catalina Esteves told me. “We encourage all animal lovers, whether they’re looking to adopt or not, to come spend time with our cats.”
So whether you’re wary of cats or adore them already, Cat Therapy’s “cat café” is where you can face your feline fears or find your newest furry friend.
See cattherapysb.com.
Credit: Ingrid Bostrom
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