ORLANDO, Fla. — The owners of a downtown Orlando cat café are working to support animals in need while also being a resource for people in the community.

It took about five years from the time David Strauss and his family dreamt up the idea to find the right place, finance it, and transform what used to be a night club into the perfect spot for the felines.

All of the rescue cats at The Kitty Beautiful are vaccinated, fixed, microchipped, and ready to be adopted.

You can pay a small fee for admission to get into the cat lounge to hang out or play with the cats. The money helps cover the costs of taking care of the rescues at The Kitty Beautiful.

There is a separate café area in the front of the building featuring food and drinks from local businesses.

“The sandwiches are going to be made with cat shaped bread," Strauss said. "I feel like if you’re going to come to a cat café, you really have to have ridiculously cat themed food items." 

A critical part of the mission is finally happening after being delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

When they first opened, it was important for the owners to be a resource and partner with the community to help adults with autism looking for work, because both of their children are on the autism spectrum.

“That was something from the very beginning we were very excited about, it was very much part of our mission," Strauss said. "We'd had to put it on hold for a year and a half due to COVID, but we are looking forward to moving forward on that again."

Walk-ins are welcome, but the owners do recommend making a reservation on the weekends if you want to spend time in the cat lounge.