While sit down cafes are considered a great place to go for inspiration, there is a better alternative. Cat cafes have risen in popularity lately and one has even opened in Lee County. The Catty Shack, a golf themed cat cafe, has been a hot spot for those who enjoy being around furry critters.

The cafe is located at the Gulf Coast Town Center, in the west village area. When customers walk in, they are greeted by a quaint cafe with a glass wall overlooking the cat room and several areas for seating. 

At the shop, there are opportunities to order coffee, shop for cat themed items, and watch the cats. To actually go in and play with the cats for 50 minutes, customers must pay a $15 entry fee.

One of the best things about the cafe is that all of the cats there are up for adoption. This means that while providing a fun place to unwind and drink a fun, cat themed drink, they are working to lower the amount of strays on the streets. The cats come from the Gulf Coast Humane Society and all are fixed and have gone through standardized intake processes.

This shop is a great alternative to pet shops. Coming in and getting to interact with the cats is a perfect way for potential owners to find their dream furballs. The cats vary in age, size, color, and everything in between. 

During my visit, the cats were very playful and one even jumped at the T.V. screen trying to get a bird in the video shown.

Not only are the cats pleasant, but the employees are as well. They are incredibly knowledgeable on the animals present and enjoy providing help and background information to better a customer’s experience.

The one downside of the Catty Shack is that their food and drink are not worth the price. They cost more than an average starbucks item and don’t nearly taste as good. The coffee has little to no flavor while the treats are dry and not good quality.

However there are plenty of other products worth spending money on in order to help this business. The Catty Shack shop contains merchandise ranging from small pins and stickers to labeled objects such as silicone cups and cloth handbags to headgear like labeled hats and cat headbands; and to larger articles of clothing.

Overall the Catty Shack is a good place to relax and interact with loveable felines. While the food and drinks are subpar, the cats, merchandise, and good service make it worth a visit.