El Paso’s first-ever cat cafe is coming to the Sunland Park Mall. In hopes of bringing modernization to El Paso, business owners are establishing their franchises in the growing city.  The cat cafe, called Sun City Kitty, will be a place of unison for two of the most lovable things: furry friends and caffeine.

Megan Oslund, the owner of The Makers Collaborative, is collaborating with El Pasoans Kristyn Ingram and Sarah Walker to start this business locally. Cat cafes are aimed to create serotonin filed environments, considering both caffeine and cats increase psychological health.

According to berkley.edu, an Australian study found that cat owners have overall better mental health. Cats, being low maintenance, are often easily pleased and as a result, a simple petting session can please both the cat and human. Like many pets, cats offer companionship and even serve as therapy animals making them ideal for an environment like Sun City Kitty.

“Considering it is El Paso’s first cat cafe, I think it will bring in a lot of people that want to interact with cats and eventually become a comfortable place for both cats and humans,” said senior Madeline Ansley

Sun City Kitty will be made possible with the help of El Paso Animal Services. El Paso Animal Services will be providing more than a dozen cats and also using the cafe as an offsite adoption location. This will make the cat cafe not only beneficial to cafe-goers but for cats as well. The cafe will make the adoption process more accessible, facilitating the search for loving homes for cats.

“I think Sun City Kitty can create good exposure for cats by facilitating the adoption process and discouraging the stigma against cats and cat owners,” said Ansley.

Cat owners can also bring their furry friends to the fun, as long as they are on a carrier or a leash. Sunland Park Mall is pet friendly, providing good care and comfort for your cats. Furthermore, cat merchandise will be available such as cat carriers and apparel for cat owners.

There are various concerns and questions regarding the care of the cats. These concerns include wether or not they are neutered, what will happen if a cat becomes ill, what measures will be taken to slow down the spread of diseases, etc… Many believe that these concerns must be addressed publicly in order to ensure the safety and lives of these cats.

“As a cat-lover I love the idea; however, the cat cafe can go wrong very easily,” said English teacher Jan Bassett. “I’m more concerned for the safety of the cats and making sure they aren’t capitalizing off these animals.”

The new business will come to Sunland Park Mall in April of 2022 and will be located next to Hot Topic on the second floor.