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A new cat cafe came to Philadelphia in 2024. Now, it has a new partner.

Since Get a Gato opened in South Philly in April, it has facilitated the adoption of about 75 cats, first with Fishtails Animal Rescue before transitioning to Morris Animal Refuge in mid-December.

A fixture in Philly’s animal welfare community for 150 years, Morris is helping find forever homes for cats through the cafe, which can host up to 12 felines at a time.

“Philadelphia alone has thousands of cats on the streets,” said Get a Gato manager Alena Rose.

The new partnership streamlines the intake and adoption process, Rose said. The cats can be transported easily from the vet at Morris to the cafe on the 600 block of Christian Street.

The cafe’s mission is to make it easy for potential adopters to meet cats and create a space for those who can’t to enjoy some feline companionship, all while supporting the cause.

Beyond coffee and food,  Get a Gato merchandise like hats, shirts, stationery, cat toys, stickers and pins are just some of the items for sale that help support animals in the city’s shelters.

The cafe hosts trivia on the first Monday of every month, and the prizes are tickets to spend time in the cat lounge. The cafe offers other activities like painting, yoga and sound baths, all in the company of the cats — if they choose to join.

If the animals need a break from visitors, there are plenty of spaces for them to safely retreat.

Charlene, a 9-year-old long-haired tabby surrendered to Morris after her human passed away, watched the action on Monday from inside a box on the floor.

Of the 12 cats residing at the cafe, Charlene and two kittens are still available for adoption.

A ticket to spend 50 minutes in the cat lounge is $15, which is perfect for Natasha Martin, a New York resident visiting Philly with her husband. They’ve had cats in the past but now travel too often to have a pet of their own. They make a point, though, to visit cat cafes whenever they can.

Martin spent Monday morning hanging out with Yule, a playful 1-year-old tabby cat who’s been adopted and will soon leave the cafe. “It’s mainly for us to have some company and play with the cats. We miss having them,” she said.

A little later, Jeremy Kaplan-Mayer, 19, bonded with Walter White, a playful 7-year-old who reminded him of his late cat, Winter.

Kaplan-Mayer and his mom Gabrielle have since rescued Odin, a hunting dog, and they can’t have a cat in the house.

“We love cats,” she said. “So it’s just a really fun way to spend time with cats.”