
Tail Town Cat Café will reopen its doors Friday, Jan. 17, following a close brush with the devastating Eaton Fire that swept through Pasadena on Jan. 7. The establishment bills itself as “Southern California’s largest nonprofit cat café.”
The 2,000-square-foot facility, situated on the Altadena-Pasadena border at 1780 E. Washington Blvd., emerged unscathed from the blaze that caused extensive damage to surrounding blocks.
During the emergency, staff and volunteers successfully evacuated more than 30 resident cats to foster homes outside the fire zones, demonstrating the organization’s swift response to the crisis.
“Tail Town Cat Café has been very lucky and survived the Eaton Fire, and we’re ready to provide cat fans with a place to relax as well as potentially join us to help cats, their families and the entire community that has been displaced as a result of this horrific event,” said Gwendolyn Mathers, acting Executive Director of Tail Town Cats.
The organization, a partner of Kitten Rescue, has launched two initiatives: a supply drive collecting essential items including bottled water, cat food, litter, blankets, eye rinse, medical tape and gauze, and an Eaton Fire Recovery Campaign.
Donations can be dropped off between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, while those displaced by the fire can request supplies by email through @tailtown.cats on Instagram or info@tailtowncats.com.
The recovery campaign offers multiple support options, including gift cards, monthly memberships, original artwork purchases, merchandise sales, and essential supplies through Amazon and Chewy wish lists or Glendale’s Off the Leash.
Since its 2021 opening, the café has served as both a sanctuary for up to 40 rescue cats and a unique space where visitors can interact with adoptable felines or work remotely in filtered air conditions.
The facility, which operates Friday through Sunday, offers adoption events, private parties, and art exhibitions in its cat lounge, providing a novel approach to animal welfare and community engagement.
Tail Town Cats, registered as a 503(c)(3) nonprofit and active on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, focuses on rescuing cats from high-kill shelters, abuse situations, and abandonment while providing adoption resources and public education on animal welfare.
For more information, visit https://www.tailtowncats.com/.