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Purrfect timing: Aristocat Cafe celebrates 100th adoption ahead of first anniversary

Rebecca Barnabi
Aristocat Cafe owner Amanda Atwell greets Glenna in the cat room during the shop’s grand opening April 13, 2023. Photos by Rebecca J. Barnabi.

When Amanda Atwell opened the Aristocat Cafe in downtown Harrisonburg, she set a goal to rescue and adopt out 100 cats before the cafe’s one-year anniversary on April 13, 2024.

Today, Nicholas became the Aristocat Cafe’s 100th adoption. He will go to his furever home this weekend, and the cafe will have an all-weekend celebration, including giveaways, name draws and a special fundraising drink to celebrate the 100th adoption.

The special drink will also celebrate the first birthday of the cafe’s resident cat Madrid.

“This is an extra exciting milestone to reach not only at the same time, but also well before Aristocat’s first year in business birthday,” Atwell said.

Cats at the cafe, who come from the Humane Society of the Shenandoah Valley, live in their own 480-square-foot sanctuary in which customers can enter and visit.

The cafe’s name comes from the 1970 Disney film, a favorite of Atwell’s. Aristocat Cafe offers more than 85 varieties of tea, as well as coffee and snacks.

Tea time and felines is blending of two passions for Harrisonburg businesswoman – Augusta Free Press

About meow time: Aristocat Café celebrates grand opening in Harrisonburg – Augusta Free Press

Purr-fect surprise: Aristocat Café finds homes for 58 felines nearly seven months after opening – Augusta Free Press

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca J. Barnabi is the national editor of Augusta Free Press. A graduate of the University of Mary Washington, she began her journalism career at The Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star. In 2013, she was awarded first place for feature writing in the Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia Awards Program, and was honored by the Virginia School Boards Association’s 2019 Media Honor Roll Program for her coverage of Waynesboro Schools. Her background in newspapers includes writing about features, local government, education and the arts.