Kittywinkles is Belfast's first cat lounge, a super-relaxed space for people who love cats, coffee and cake!
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This project will only be funded if at least £20,000 is pledged by .
About this project
Kittywinkles will be a cat lounge based in Belfast. We are aiming to create a super-relaxed zone for animal-lovers who crave hot beverages and cat hair. The lounge cats will nap or play or plot world domination and might wander onto your lap for a tum-scratch. Please obey!
What's a cat lounge?
Cat cafés originated in Taiwan in the late '90s, they are pretty commonplace these days but not in Ireland. We know it's hard to find an understanding landlord who will let you keep a cat nearby in your home or under your bed. It's a shame but that's where we can help.
At Kittywinkles you can lounge and laze and lol amongst a few friendly cats. Sip your tea, connect to the WiFi and admire the very small, hairy mammals.
How does it work?
1. Book your visit online at our website.
2. Be super excited and tell everyone you're going.
3. Arrive bright-eyed and fluffy-tailed.
4. Kick off your shoes and cuddle a kitty.
Who would visit Kittywinkles?
We expect to see lots of different people come through our doors when we open, humans who:
- love cats (of course!)
- love cats but are too busy to own one
- love cats but aren't allowed to have them in their homes
- live with other humans who have cat allergies. Achoo!
Hiya! I'm Caitlin (or Kitty). I've always been a cat-person and you're probably one too. Here I am, barefoot and surrounded by cats in the mid-90s, that's the dream, isn't it?
Not too much has changed, I still love cats, but these days I wear shoes.
Living in Belfast I found it difficult to keep pet cats at my rented accommodation and I've found others have experienced this, too. I first came across cat cafés 2 years ago and fell in love with the concept. It wasn't until they started popping up in the UK that I eventually got to experience a visit for myself, which is what led me to develop my idea for Kittywinkles.
For the past 8 months I have been working on bringing this project to life. With the help of some fantastically talented buddies I'm ready to take the next step and share my plans with Kickstarter.
Meet the clowder of cats behind Kittywinkles
There's a few people involved in bringing this idea to life…
- Caitlin McClelland - Founder/Top Cat
- Jonny Campbell - Design/Marketing
- Filly Campbell - Photography
And we have lots of help and support from Joe, Sara and Charlie Fox.
We have run our plans past Belfast City Council, we have floor plans for our ideal space, we have been talking to numerous shelters and rehoming services and taking their advice onboard, some of the lil' kittywinkles are waiting to move into their new home and check out our fancy buns!
Now we need your help to make it real.
Timeline
If we're successful and everything goes to plan here's how the timeline of events will look:
- 24th June - Kickstarter campaign comes to an end.
- 8th July - Final funds will be transferred to Kittywinkles.
- Late July/August - We would hope to have the Kittywinkles space locked in, the signature on the dotted line and we can then begin the catification (i.e. fit out).
- Late August/Early September - We will be introducing the cat residents to the lounge and inviting kitty critics and backers to visit.
- September - Backer visits and launch party.
- September/October - Open to the public!
Floor plans
We have been visiting locations over the past 4 months and we've found some great spaces but we're unable to make any more progress until we have funds though that hasn't stopped us from mocking up the floor plans for our ideal space.
Our Kickstarter goal of £20,000 is the absolute minimum amount we need to get up and running. We have big ideas and we'll be using every penny to make Kittywinkles amazing.
Where will the funds go?
Stretch Goals
The more funds we can raise the better we'll be able to make Kittywinkles for everyone, cats and humans alike. If we raise more than we need we can get a bigger and better space and we can do lots of fun things too:
At £25k we can create a cat utopia: kitty bridges in the sky, cat trees and lots of cool board games and books for visitors.
At £30k we can add mini drinking fountains for the resident cats to drink out of AND a giant cat flap for humans to use (c'mon, isn't that alone worth it?).
At £35k we can upgrade the whole shebang: bigger and better premises meaning more cats, fancy new drinks and treats from far-away lands and, if the space permits it, an outdoor sun garden for kitties.
Tiers (of joy!)
We have put together a list of rewards we hope you'll love. Check the reward section (☞) for bookings. Every backer will be part of our exclusive Kittywinkles Kickstarter Club and will have access to limited specials, exclusive tastings and first dibs on some very special merchandise.
We also made some fun things you can hold!
We have a add-on rewards for you to choose from too. These rewards are unlocked when you pledge at least £10. You can select an add-on by doing the following after pledging:
1. Click the “manage your pledge” button on our page and add the amount for each add-on reward you want to your TOTAL PLEDGE.
2. When the campaign is over, you'll tell us which add-ons you want.
3. Save your pledge and don't change the tier that you originally pledged at.
Add-on rewards can be picked up from Kittywinkles Cat Lounge on your visit.
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Kittywinkles Badges +£2.50
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The Trump Dump +£4
“Make litter boxes great again with The Trump Dump. #TrumpDump2016”
Does your kitty hate using the litter tray? Introducing the The Trump Dump. Your kitty will have no trouble using their tray when they know that stinky face is hiding underneath.
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Artwork by Martin Miguel. Check out his series of Not Nice Portraits.
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Kittywinkles Transport Receptacle for Oral Caffeination* +£7
An exclusive piece of Kittywinkles treasure with timeless elegance and enduring strength. Hipsters love 'em! (*Enamel coffee mug)
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Kittywinkles Leg Warmers +£11
If you've somehow been able to get a leotard onto your cat and teach it an '80s aerobics routine then the next step is Kittywinkles Leg Warmers for Tiny Kitty Legs. There are 2 styles to choose from and colours may vary.
As these are all handmade, by me, delivery dates may vary depending on demand. Novelty purposes only, but I'd love to see you try!
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Kittywinkles Kitten Mittens +£14
Hand-knitted wooly mittens for kittens and cats. Can also be used as candlestick warmers. Novelty purposes only. Putting shoes on a cat is an extreme sport in some countries. There are 3 styles to choose from; Kittywinkles Originals, Sports Socks or Uggly Boots.
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Kittywinkles Kit-Tee +£20
Don a Kittywinkles T-shirt and be the envy of all your friends.
We think our city is ready for a cat café and now we need your help to bring Belfast's first cat lounge to life. Whether you're having a catch-up with friends, need a chilled-out place to unwind, or just want to spend some quality time with little kitties, Kittywinkles will be yours but we can only do it with your support.
Thank you all for reading our story. Please pledge whatever you can, and most importantly, please help us share this campaign, so that together we can bring this project to life!
Find out more
Find us at http://www.kittywinkles.com or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
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Thank you!
xoxo
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Japanese cat café clip used in the video: "YEAR OF THE CAT" by famechan is licensed under CC BY 3.0
Kitty...winkles...?
It just rolls off the tongue, that's why!
Will you find all these cats in the forest?
Nope, not this time! The animal shelters in Northern Ireland do an amazing job at caring for and rehoming cats and I decided I wanted to adopt a small herd of them for myself (but I'll share with you). Adopting an animal is a cool thing to do but if your landlord/mum/narcissistic goldfish doesn't like the idea then you can visit the Kittywinkles' cats whenever you like! It's our aim to provide our cats with a happy, permanent and enriched environment.
I can haz?
No, iz mine.
Do you need any spare cats?
Welllll... no-but-I'd-take-them-all-if-I-could. These cats are a tight-knit gang and newcomers would have to complete a gruelling gladiator-style initiation.
But… I can pet a cat for free if I leave a trail of cat treats to my front door.
'Course you can! But these kitties will be waiting for you AND we have FANCY TEA! The admission charge keeps these cats in fine satin robes and pedicures (and food and vet checks).
I need to pick up that cat. Discuss.
Trust me, if you plonk yourself down with a coffee the cats will approach you. Just... Stop doing that creepy smile.
I'm on a diet and I'm not allowed to eat cat hair for 6 weeks. What else can I have?
Good news! The café area will be a strictly kitty-free zone and, hopefully, so will the bathroom.
Aren't cats meant to be free to frolic on hillsides?
After being domesticated for 9500 years, cats are happy to live in pampered luxury. There will be loads of safe spaces in the café and the staff will be watching to make sure they're happy and calm.
I need more time, please!
You will be able to book the cat lounge for parties and occasions, just contact us! And if you just need an escape from your catless, coffeeless home, you can book as much time as you like and lounge amongst cats and WiFi all day long.
I also love cats, can I join the Kittywinkles clowder?
Yes! Well, maybe. If our project is successful we will be looking for cat-loving staff and volunteers with experience working in a catful/café environment to join us. Please get in touch if that's you: kitty@kittywinkles.com
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If you have a question for us send it through and we'll add it to the list.
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Risks and challenges
We're confident about what lies ahead and the steps we need to take to open Kittywinkles and for it to be amazing. Finding the appropriate premises is really important and we have earmarked a few spaces that would be perfect. We'll be exploring them further should we meet our goal.
We are also trying something new in Belfast, we don't know how successful a cat lounge will be. Does Belfast love cats as much as we do!? We suspect, yes. We want to build something genuinely unique for our community and for our visitors.
No matter what, we'll keep you updated along the way.
Learn about accountability on KickstarterFAQ
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Kickstarter is all or nothing. If we don't meet our goal we don't get any of the funds and we can't make Kittywinkles happen. If you pledge your money doesn't come out of your account until the campaign ends and the project is successful (24th June).
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Kittywinkles Cat Lounge will have two separate parts; the café area and the cat lounge. The café area will supply a variety of teas, coffees and sweet treats like cupcakes and desserts. The cat lounge will be an open space where the cats live and humans visit. Kittywinkles can be like your second living room - a comfy space where you can chat, relax or play.
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When we open it will cost around £5 per visit and visits will be somewhere between 75 and 90 minutes. Our Kickstarter rewards are priced at £10 for a reservation or £20 for a booking for two, but these rewards will get you drinks, badges, and you will become part of our exclusive Kittywinkles Kickstarter Club and will have access to limited specials, exclusive tastings and events, and first dibs on some very special merchandise.
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The cats will have regular vet checks to keep them healthy, a tailor-made living environment and comprehensive pet insurance. The Kittywinkles cat-care plan is very detailed and they will always be our priority!
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I plan on fostering adult cats from shelters in Northern Ireland. Kittywinkles won't be about getting people through the door with bribes of kittens! The cats will be ‘indoor cats’ who won’t feel uncomfortable in the lounge. Did you know...? Some shelters recommend keeping cats indoors because they are older or have been raised indoors since they were born.
Bonus info: I have looked at premises in the past where there is a small outdoor space and if the opportunity presented itself I'd absolutely love to renovate an outdoor space to make a garden space for cats. There are so many great thing we can build for the cats depending on our final location!
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The cats' safety and well-being is paramount. The period between fostering cats and opening the lounge will be used solely to perfect their living space. The cats will have lived together and formed their own territories and colonies before the public can visit them. Kitties who like the company of both cats and humans will fit right in and cats that are uncomfortable will never be forced to adjust. I’ll be seeking advice from animal welfare providers from shelters and catteries as well as Belfast City Council’s animal welfare department.
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Staff will have cats that they look out for, so monitoring shouldn't be difficult. There will be 24-hour CCTV in the lounge and visitor numbers are limited so there aren't too many humans per kitty. The lounge will feature a kitty ‘quiet room’ which will be sound-proofed and not accessible to people except for cleaning. The cats will as they please; they can play, people-watch and power-nap whenever they want.
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On days when we close staff and I will still be there to feed and groom and check on the cats, this is how other cat cafés operate too. Days without visitors will never be empty. In the future I would like love to explore the possibility of providing 'quiet sessions' for elderly people and people with disabilities to interact with the cats and use the lounge space too. Cats can be companion animals just like dogs, birds and rabbits.
Another long-term plan for the lounge is to use the space after-hours for events like kitty-yoga, art classes and movie nights. We’ve got big plans!
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The café area and the cat lounge will be separated by another room (this also keeps the kitties from running away to join the circus). Staff and visitors will not have to cross between these two areas, thus avoiding contamination.
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Funding period
- (31 days)