All Things Cats!
I grew up with cats, like, we had four indoor-only cats at a time. Moving to Bellingham, getting an apartment that allowed cats, and finally adopting a furry friend of our own from the Whatcom Humane Society was a great experience. In today’s blog I am going to share all the fun cat places for owners and cat lovers alike!
I L-O-V-E CATS — But Can’t Adopt One (yet)
I’m starting with you all, college students, reasonable apartment, traveling-folks who can’t keep a pet people! In Bellingham and Seattle we are SPOILED by having one of the best options to be near cats without having to own one…
Buy a Beer and Be Near Kitties at NEKO: Cat Cafe
What is a Cat Cafe? NEKO is a haven for rescue cats and people to relax and enjoy each other's company. You book ahead and get nearly an entire hour to just be near 25+ cats. Best part? Most of the cats are adoptable! They have select kitties who are “Residents” who live at the Cafe and help teach the new kitties the ropes. These felines are very well taken care of by the staff and endlessly loved by everyone. They host events like yoga, offer students study sessions all while be surrounded by little Purr-monsters.
Find The Bellingham Shop Cats!
I’ve had the HONOR of being followed around at a few local Bellingham shops and befriending their shop cats. Truly a treasure and an honor when wandering a plant shop. Here is a list of a few local spots who have had Cats on Staff:
Volunteer at Whatcom Humane Society
Maybe an hour is not enough or you don’t want to spend money to be near cats. I’ve had many friends volunteer with the Whatcom Humane Society as “Cat TLC Volunteer” which has you socializing and helping out kitties before they find their forever homes. Its hard work and there will be heartaches, but my friends who have been Cat TLC people have done it now for years, so I can only imagine the rewards outweigh it all.
There are plenty of other volunteer places that I have no doubt need helping paws so be sure to look around and find one that aligns with your availability and values.
“I’m Allergic,” or “I Don’t like cats, but so-n-so does” Visit Black Cat
It’s Cat-adjacent (and there are no cats, alas) but still great fun! The atmosphere makes you feel like you are a black cat in a speakeasy with a view you can longingly stare out of without a care in the world. Most folks claim Black Cat has the best French Onion Soup in Bellingham, and I’d say I agree, though I still have a few more soup spots to try!
I Have a Cat! So Where do I…
Now, onto my fellow cat owners! I’d like to start with my firs two favorites that we’ve taken our 20-pound fluffy kitty too. He’s just a big cat, alright? He’s gotten a clean bill of health from our favorite vet — Drum roll!
Go the the Vet? | Chuckanut Feline Center
Also known as The Chuckanut Valley Feline Center off Dupont Street in Bellingham. They are the smallest little “Cat-Only” spot and we just adore them. They are very gentle, take great notes, and have done an awesome job of seeing our kitty when we unsure what was going on with him. Like, I called in the morning and had an appointment by the afternoon. Normal check-up appointments can be scheduled pretty far in advance, but I’ve always requested their wait-list or just called back to see if there were sooner check-up appointments and often has luck. On their website they say they offer, “comprehensive preventive, rehabilitation, and emergency veterinary services for pets,” and I agree. We also taken our giant fluff monster to them for grooming, a little “bloom trim”. But recently discovered one of our newest favorite spots…
Get my cat groomed? | Feline Purfection
A Feline Exclusive Spa located in Bellingham, WA! For a very reasonable price we were able to take our kitty in and he had his nails clipped in less than five minutes. Our cat definitely “freezes” and isn’t the biggest fan of car-trips, but he didn’t cry or meow once while the owner, Melody took care of him.
Cat Boarding?
We haven’t had to use a service, as we don’t go far, and often have house sitters. But a hive-mind of folks shared the following places to try for cat boarding if for some reason there is a gap in your leases for a period of time, or if you don’t have a friend who can take in and take care of your furry friend!
I’d also recommend asking a local vet as they might have connections or know foster houses that could help for a span of time. The community of cat lovers in Bellingham are truly incredible and some of the most caring folks!
In Summary — Bellingham loves cats!Sure, sure, we are a dog-friendly town, but I gotta say, the amount of cat lovers and community built for cats are awesome. Let me know if I missed a pinnacle For-Cat business that should be added!
Thank you for reading "All Things Cats!"
