Cat cafés are struggling because of the pandemic

KitTea Cat café. Photo from the fundraising page.

Cat cafés are in the hospitality business. Well, they're actually in the cat rescue business as well but essentially they are in the hospitality business which is on its knees because of the coronavirus pandemic. The lockdown has pretty well stopped these businesses and social distancing has undermined them and the people work from home are less likely to visit cafés of any sort including cat cafés.

In this instance San Francisco's first and only cat café is in financial trouble and the owner is asking for help. KitTea Cat café in Hayes Valley opened in 2015. It is owned by Courtney Hatt who said that it was closed for much of the pandemic. It is now operating at a fraction of its normal levels and the income can nowhere near cover their expenses including a $10,000 rental. She wants to move to a cheaper place but the landlord won't release her from her five year lease.

San Francisco’s @kittea_sf is at risk of closing b/c they’ve had to cut back capacity during the pandemic.

Owner Courtney says they’re not being let out of their $10K a month lease.

They desperately need supplies & have @gofundmehttps://t.co/I9uyx5ywBR

(Me visiting in ‘19) pic.twitter.com/X4RMdFkYlJ

— Dion Lim (@DionLimTV) September 21, 2020

She became emotional when people offered to help. She needs food and supplies including cat litter. She has a Go Fund Me page if you'd like to contribute. It has raised a huge $43,000 at the date of this post. The anchor/reporter at ABC7 News, Dion Lim had visited the place and she tweeted about it, I guess with the intention of publicising their plight.