Jackson’s Animal Rescue opens cat café in Hoylake

Jackson’s Animal Rescue opened its cat café today (Monday, March 11) on Market Street in Hoylake.

Jackson's Animal Rescue was set up in 2015 by Steph Oliver, who said the idea behind the new café is to try and educate people "on the constant problem of breeding and selling cats".

Jackson’s Animal Rescue cat cafe in Hoylake (Image: Jacksons Animal Rescue)

She told the Globe: “Every time we build a new cattery the spaces fill up so quickly. Last year our waiting list to bring a cat to us reached two years long. It was horrendous.

“A lot of the cats we see aren’t strays or feral it’s people breeding their cats or people deciding they don’t want them anymore for whatever reasons so we wanted to do something that would get more education out there and tackle it at the route rather than clean up the mess.”

The café is spaced out over two floors and is home to 13 rescue cats who will all be available for adoption.

Steph Oliver with staff members at Jackson's Animal Rescue cat cafe (Image: Jackson's Animal Rescue)

Steph said: “The cats we currently have in the café are going to stay here for around 18 months and then they’ll be looking for homes.

“We will keep all the cats here as a bonded group during that time and then everyone will go to their new homes at the same time so that way we don’t cause them any stress.

Jackson's Animal Rescue cat cafe (Image: Newsquest)

“Then we’ll get a new group in. That way it keeps the cats interested because I think eventually they would get bored and we want them to go to their forever homes.”

Steph hopes the café will become a place where people can become educated on the importance of neutering and responsible pet ownership as well as help to raise funds for the rescue.

One of the cats available for adoption (Image: Newsquest)

She said: “If we’re able to we would like to build a new cattery at the rescue which would have 16 pens which would help save thousands of cats.

“We have talks booked in about animal welfare in general, we’re going to host introvert reading sessions and quiet hour for anyone with autism. In the future, we would also like to do educational sessions for young people.

Some of the cats at the cat cafe (Image: Newsquest)

“I love cat cafes, but I always see it as a missed opportunity for a rescue rather than a business opportunity.

“Other cat cafes have these beautiful really expensive pedigree cats and then people who go end up wanting one of those breeds.

Jackson's Animal Rescue cat cafe (Image: Newsquest)

“I wish people would feel that way about other cats and these guys here are here to teach people that you don’t need to spend thousands on a cat

“We want to show people that these cats are just as cool as the £3,000 Rag Doll cat.

“The cats here can tell their own stories - as much as we can go on and on on social media about the importance of neutering cats if people come here and see what the rescue has had to deal with we hope it will make a bit more of an impact.”

To find out more click here.