Kelowna now has a cat café. We checked it out.

The long-awaited Catelowna Cat Café , on the second floor of 1441 Ellis St., invites visitors to immerse themselves in feline companionship.

Owner Ashley Karnes, wanted to help many cats and other animals that needed homes in the Okanagan, and with her background as a cook, she wanted to combine the two.

That's where Catelowna comes in, which has now opened its doors.

She told 103.1 Beach Radio’s Big Ginger once the idea came to her, she reached out to Interior Health to find out if it was possible.

“They said that the idea came up a couple of times in Kelowna previously. And so they gave me a whole list of parameters that I had to work with,” she said. “From there I just started working on the business plan in the fall of 2019. And then I just got back to it last year and found a space with a lot of windows and a landlord that would want to rent to me and all the cats.”

Currently, Catelowna houses a vibrant community of 30 cats available for adoption, all of whom were rescued from partnering centers and shelters.

These furry friends eagerly await their forever homes, and for those interested in adopting, certain procedures need to be followed to ensure a seamless transition.

“We give them the adoption form from the rescue center that owns the cat. Then we forward that adoption form off to the rescue center,” Karnes said. “They leave a call or want to do a home visit and then when the adoption is approved, they can come and pick their cat up. We would prefer somebody to come back and have a second visit just to double check, just to make sure that they have got the right cat for them.”

So how does it work?

Guests can book ahead of time to avoid disappointment for their one-hour time slot. It costs $16.

They cannot have more than four people per group and should wear or bring socks to explore the cat filled area.

Be prepared to enter a quiet and calm environment. No drinks purchase is necessary.