Stop into Tinker’s Cat Cafe for a cup of joe, a delicious treat or some kitten cuddles. Utah’s first Cat Cafe, opened this year and business is purring along. Lisa Boone, owner and animal enthusiast, first got the idea for a cat cafe three years ago while watching an episode of The Amazing Race. Her first call was, obviously, to Utah Department of Health.
Next, Boone started meeting with shelters and participating in their events. At last, Boone found herself opening a little business in Salt Lake. Tinker’s is made up of two sections, a locally sourced coffee shop with pastries and cookies (many of which are vegan friendly) and a cat lounge, complete with an attendant, for people to cuddle kitties. Boone aims to create an “intimate cozy cafe feel and lounge setting.”
There are about 15 cafe cats at any given time, three of whom are full-time residents. Others are brought in from local shelters and are 100 percent adoptable. Find one you like and you can take your new buddy home for only $40. Boone says an hour is enough time to get a feel for a cat’s personality—you definitely want to “test the waters without committing to a full-time cat-human relationship. 302 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-519-2287, tinkerscatcafe.com
