At Coffee Cats in Valley Junction, guests can attend cat yoga sessions, or just loaf around. (Photo: Duane Tinkey)
By Hailey Evans
If you’ve ever been to Valley Junction, you’ve probably strolled past the big bay window of 312 Fifth St., where there’s almost always a cat or two to be spotted napping in the sun. Coffee Cats cat cafe is part coffee shop and part cat lounge, and any cat lover’s dream. For a $10 cover charge, visitors can hang in the lounge with 10-12 cats from the Animal Rescue League.
This Saturday, the business is celebrating their fifth anniversary with a party. There will be special drinks and live music, plus the event coincides with Valley Junction’s Sale-A-Bration. ARL staff will be onsite to assist with adoptions, and might even set up a “cuddle zone” full of kittens, according to Coffee Cats’ marketing director Sara Carlson.
Cat cafes are big in Japan, but here in Iowa, they’re few and far between. In July 2020, owner Mary Jankowski was toying with the idea of retiring from mental health counseling when she saw an article on cat cafes. She pounced on the chance to open her own here in Des Moines. After researching all the laws and regulations, finding a space and contracting with the ARL to fill the lounge with residents, Coffee Cats was open for business.
If you can’t make the party, the cafe opens Tuesdays through Saturdays at 9 a.m., and at 10 a.m. on Sundays. One VIP tip: The best time to go is Tuesday mornings, said Carlson. “Because the cafe is closed Mondays, the cats are usually extra excited for more playtime on Tuesday,” she said.
Just try not to get too attached. Carlson said in many cases, cats from the lounge will get adopted within a week of arriving. In fact, the cafe is also celebrating their 1,700th adoption. (If you just did the math, that’s about 340 per year, nearly one cat per day since opening!) Staff from the ARL stop by about three times a week to refresh litter and food supplies, provide any cat check-ups, and to drop off new residents.
Beyond their anniversary party on Saturday, the cafe hosts all kinds of activities year-round, including cat yoga, toy and supply drives for the ARL, birthday parties, bingo and trivia. They also sell art from local makers, and source their coffee from Grounds for Celebration. You might recognize the donuts from Cha Cha’s Hiland Bakery available on weekends.
Guests can stop in for specialty espresso drinks like the Calico Mocha any time, but reservations are recommended for a spot in the cat lounge.
