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When customers walk in, they’re greeted with a typical café set up: a menu of coffee and bakery options, an ordering counter and tables scattered around the room.

And then, there’s the cats.

‘They know when you’re happy’

Derrick, 17, of Sissonville, and Cooper-Brown, 15, of Charleston, said they liked the cats’ unique personalities. At the café, Derrick was drawn to the chaotic, playful energy of a black domestic short-haired cat named Nibbler, while Cooper-Brown was smitten with Thumbs, a large medium-haired domestic cat named for his extra toes. As part of the orange cat’s unique look is his lack of ears, which were amputated because of infection.

Also visiting the cats Monday night was Abigail Carte, 19, of Nitro, who heard about the new business on Facebook and was eager to play with some of the “sweet� cats she’d seen online.

“Cats are just so friendly,� Carte said. “I feel like they’ll just come when you’re sad, to cuddle with you. They know when you’re happy, and they want to play with you.�

Carte, Derrick and Cooper-Brown gathered toys to entertain the more active cats as other felines wove between people’s ankles, purring for attention. After a full day of play, some cats retreated through a pet door to a private space, away from human eyes.

The café guests agreed the new downtown storefront shop is the cat’s pajamas, noting that its cozy, feline-themed interior sets the tone for relaxation and play.

“I love how calm it is and how much room there is for the cats,� Carte said. “There’s so much entertainment, so much enrichment, for them.�

Nearby, two tabby cats watched birds on what café owner Lora Reynolds, called “Cat TV,� which is a flat-screen television showing scenes cats might find stimulating. Their heads bobbed and weaved as the birds moved, and, sometimes, they would disturb the peace by pawing at the screen to try to catch a bird in flight.

Cooper-Brown recalled a time she turned on Cat TV for her cats at home. This, unfortunately, led to the cat pouncing on the television and knocking it over. A total loss for the television, but a win for her cat.

‘A good place to live’

For Reynolds, providing a space where adoptable cats can roam freely and interact with people is the heart of her mission. Plus, it keeps them out of shelters and pet shops.

“I really didn’t like seeing cats in cages,� she said. “I didn’t really feel like people could get to know animals through cages.�

Reynolds also enjoys a life uncaged, she said. The Greenbrier County native lived in various places, including New England, before moving back to the Mountain State about 10 years ago.

She had never started a business before, nor had she ever worked with animals. Instead, she worked with several nonprofits. But she said she researched many cat cafés as a patron.

For Reynolds, the priority for the café’s design was to give cats and people their own comfortable spaces where they can take breaks as desired.

The room where customers can interact with cats connects to it through a door, so customers also can have a cat-free experience in the café portion of the business and just watch them through a large viewing window. However, she also designed the café to give cats a separate room, with food, water and litterboxes, that they can access at any time through a pet door installed in the wall of the main cat area.

The café also serves as a place for people to understand a cat’s personality before adoption.

Reynolds plans to keep 12 to 14 cats in the café at all times.

“They are little beings,� she said. “Getting to interact with them allows you a better sense of getting to know who you’re taking home,� she said. “At the end of the day, that’s what I’m trying to do — find these cats good places to live.�

‘One-of-a-kind, unique experience’

Morgan Morrison, who co-owns , at 205 Capitol St., and serves on the , said the cat café has been a welcome addition to the downtown community.

“This new business model offers a one-of-a-kind, unique experience that Charleston hasn’t seen before,� she said. “We’ve heard nothing but positive feedback.�

While Reynolds has been open on Summers Street for just a couple of months, she said she’s learned a lot and is ready for whatever is next.

“I don’t think I’ve suffered more than anyone else who has taken this path,� Reynolds said. “I have been fortunate to have overcome obstacles to actually open the [café] doors. I’m hoping to get a lot more accomplished in the spring.�