Adoption Center & Cat Café operating hours announced

Pictured is the inside of The Mews Herald Adoption Center & Cat Café.

MORGANTON, N.C. — The Cats’ Cradle, a foster-based cat rescue, has officially opened the doors to its adoption center and cat café, The Mews Herald, and is welcoming the public to come experience this exciting new addition to downtown Morganton.

The Mews Herald is housed in a historic former newspaper building, located at 301 Collett St. in downtown Morganton, and blends cat adoption and education, an event space, and a small café.

The café offers a variety of cold and iced coffees, hot chocolate, cold beverages and signature non-alcoholic “cattails,” along with snacks, cat-themed items for sale and rescue merchandise. The café also will offer fresh baked goods with options to vary throughout the week.

The opening of the center is a long-awaited dream come true for founder and director Lynda Garibaldi.

“I’ve been wanting our adoption center for at least 26 years and now we’re going to have our own place and it’s the best location possible and the most beautiful place possible,” Garibaldi said. “I’m just excited to welcome the community in to see our new adoption center and to see our cats.”

The center features two adoption rooms where guests can view adoptable cats from observation areas called The Press Box. A separate cat cuddle room allows visitors to interact directly with cats during half-hour and one-hour sessions for a small fee. Appointments for the cuddle room will be booked starting on Saturday.

An on-site event space, The Mewsroom, will host activities throughout the year, including paint-and-sip events, children’s arts and crafts, trivia and game nights, movie nights and yoga. The 1,800-square-foot space also will be available to rent for small gatherings and private parties, including children's birthday parties.

Garibaldi said it’s taken a village of people to help the organization meet this huge milestone.

“We’re had so many dedicated people who love cats and volunteer to take care of them as fosters, as transport, to clean, to fix things and just make this adoption center really beautiful,” Garibaldi said. “I can’t wait for everyone to come in and see it and meet our wonderful people who are volunteering and meet our cats and, hopefully, take one home.”

Regular operating hours for The Mews Herald will be Wednesday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. beginning Feb. 18.

As always, guests are welcome to bring donations of cat and kitten food and litter for our feline residents to enjoy during their stay.

The Cats’ Cradle also is seeking volunteers to support its mission. Opportunities include social media management, advertising and marketing, volunteer training, public education, special events assistance, fundraising, grant writing, trap-neuter-return (TNR) efforts, feral colony support, and cat fostering. Volunteer and foster applications are available on the organization’s website.

Founded 26 years ago as a foster-based rescue, The Cats’ Cradle is dedicated to improving the lives of cats through rescue, adoption, education and community outreach.

For more information, visit www.thecatscradlenc.org or call 828-475-6732 during normal business hours.