In early 2021 I visited my first cat café. It was the most wonderful experience I’ve had in a “adoption facility”! Being a veterinary nurse for most of my adult life and a cat mom since I was 4, this concept of a fun and, most importantly, relaxing space to meet a new pet was eye opening. Cats have a huge impact on both your physical and mental health by lowering stress levels, heart rates, and boosting positivity. The adoption experience should be the same. Calmer humans + stress free cats = forever homes found. For weeks after my visit I could not stop thinking about cat cafés. During this time I jokingly told my partner that I should open one in Lakeland with cat safe plants instead of coffee, combining my passions. We laughed about it and moved on. But honestly, once those words left my mouth and I pictured a beautiful jungle with tiny panthers and a potted forest, I was obsessed!

As the planning process began, Botany Cats continued to take form in my mind. I decided to make my shop mobile and housed out of a camper so that I could bring the love and fun to the community. I wanted to connect with Lakeland’s strong small business community by partnering with locally owned businesses, the farmer’s market, and pop up events to create a rotating venue for Botany Cats. Everyone could use a kitty cuddle from the caffeinated at a coffee shop, to the casual shopper at a plant store; with my ability to travel I can be in all of those places!

Botany Cats is Florida’s first cat adoption lounge and plant nursery. Its goal is the same as any shelter or rescue, finding forever homes for felines. So far I’ve been averaging about 10 adoptions per month of cats that the community has reached out to me about rehoming! I’m so blown away by the need I’ve been seeing for a business like mine, and all the people willing to help our community kitties, especially my fosters, who help me get more cats and kittens off the street.

I’m paws-atively overjoyed to be able to bring this one-of-a-kind business to Lakeland, and to hopefully open up Swan City’s heart to more feline family members. Come visit me at my home base: the Polk Museum of Art’s parking lot, or check my calendar for when I’ll be paw-ping up around Lakeland!