LEWISBURG, Pa. — They say cats have nine lives, and volunteers at The Scratching Post in Lewisburg have spent the past five years making sure these felines live those lives to the fullest. This week, the cat cafe is celebrating its fifth anniversary.
"There were so many doubters who said that's never going to work. 'People are never going to pay to see cats.' And people pay to see cats!" Angela Brouse said.
Angela Brouse and Sarah Kline opened The Scratching Post in December 2017. Since then, more than 500 cats have been adopted through the cat cafe.
"People are coming from out of state who don't have cat cafes in their town. There are people who travel the country and visit cafes throughout the country," Brouse said.
"It's just really neat to see that it's had such a big impact on the community in such a short amount of time," said Kelly Harris, who has volunteered at The Scratching Post for about two years.
"So many people that walk by and are so curious and stop in, and before you know it, they're filling out an application," Harris said.
"This is a therapy outlet for them. This is a way they can come and just unwind, relax, and enjoy some animal companionship," Brouse said.
The Scratching Post will celebrate its anniversary at this Friday's late-night shoppers' night in Lewisburg.
"We'll be providing hot apple cider out front," Brouse added. "And we'll have a special gift for the first 100 people who come for some hot apple cider."
The event starts Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. in downtown Lewisburg.
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