KitTea Cat Café: Inside the Cozy Cat Rescue Changing Lives in San Francisco
In the heart of San Francisco, there’s a place where rescue cats lounge in sunny windows, visitors unwind with a cup of tea and a serotonin boost, and countless second chances quietly begin. But KitTea Rescue & Lounge is more than just a cozy cat café—it’s a community-driven rescue space built around the belief that cats deserve to be seen, understood, and celebrated.
For more than 11 years, KitTea has helped reshape the way people connect with rescue cats, creating an environment where adoption feels less intimidating, more personal, and deeply joyful. We’re so grateful to Courtney and the KitTea team for taking the time to share more about their mission, the evolution of cat cafés in the United States, and the life-changing work they continue to do for cats every day.
A Different Kind of Rescue Space
KitTea Rescue & Lounge was born from a simple but powerful idea: cats deserve more than life behind shelter bars.
Inspired by the cat café culture in Japan, Courtney envisioned a therapeutic, welcoming environment where both humans and cats could relax, connect, and thrive together.
KitTea was born from a desire for more human connection and a belief that cats deserve to be seen as the magical companions they are and not just fluffy faces behind shelter cages.”
More than a decade later, that vision is still very much alive.
Located in San Francisco’s Mission District, KitTea has become both a sanctuary for cats and a comforting community hub for people. The lounge helps rescue cats from difficult situations—including stray cats, feral cats, and cats at risk of euthanasia—while giving visitors a chance to interact with them in a calm, home-like environment.
And according to Courtney, that visibility is everything.
When people show up, the cats get seen, and when cats get seen, they find homes.
Helping Shape the Cat Café Movement
When KitTea first opened its doors, cat cafés were still relatively uncommon in the United States. Today, they’ve become a beloved concept across the country—and Courtney says watching that growth has been one of the organization’s proudest accomplishments.
One of our greatest points of pride is that KitTea helped pave the way for the cat cafe model to take root across the United States.
Seeing more cafés open nationwide—and knowing those spaces are now helping save countless cats—has been incredibly meaningful for the team.
But beyond the café model itself, KitTea has also worked hard to create a culture rooted in empathy, accessibility, and community care.
Over the years, the organization has donated lounge visits to children in foster care, welcomed seniors into the space, and focused on making animal connection something healing and inclusive for people from all walks of life.
Spreading empathy for animals has always been at the heart of what we do.
Cats, Community, and a Whole Lot of Personality
Of course, when you spend over a decade running a cat lounge, you collect stories.
A lot of stories.
According to Courtney, there have been far too many funny or memorable moments to count—but one experience from KitTea’s earliest days still stands out vividly.
During our very first month open, over 11 years ago, a Furry Convention had booked the lounge. Picture a room full of adoptable cats... and an equally full room of people dressed head-to-toe in elaborate cat costumes.
The real cats, she says, were deeply confused.
It was quite the sight.
That balance of humor, joy, and heartfelt connection seems woven into KitTea’s identity. Whether it’s yoga classes surrounded by cats, movie nights, watercolor events, or live cello performances in the lounge, the organization has created a space that feels playful and comforting all at once.
Their monthly calendar now includes events like:
- Caturday Mewvie Nights
- Purrlates
- Cello & Chill Concerts
- Whiskers and Watercolors
And they’re not slowing down anytime soon.
This summer, KitTea is planning a major fundraising event featuring wine, silent auctions, and additional community programming.
The organization has also recently partnered with Full Circle Cats to offer free community education classes focused on TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return), helping spread awareness and support for humane feral cat management.
Rescue Without Borders
While KitTea’s physical space may be in San Francisco, its rescue network stretches far beyond city limits.
The organization works closely with San Francisco Animal Care & Control, as well as multiple rescue groups and shelters throughout California’s Central Valley. Their partnerships even extend internationally through work with Kat’s Cats Cat Sanctuary in Doha, Qatar.
Cats truly know no borders!
That broader rescue network allows KitTea to help cats from a wide variety of backgrounds and situations, many of whom might otherwise struggle to find placement or visibility.
And while adoptions remain the ultimate goal, Courtney says maintaining public awareness continues to be one of the organization’s biggest ongoing challenges.
Awareness truly is everything.
As with many rescues and nonprofits, community support plays a vital role in keeping the mission sustainable.
Visitors can support KitTea by:
- booking lounge visits
- shopping the gift store
- donating directly
- volunteering
- or simply sharing the organization online
Every dollar spent in the lounge goes straight back into our operations and our little non-profit.
The Most Rewarding Part
For Courtney, though, the heart of KitTea ultimately comes back to something much simpler.
The smiles.
The palpable serotonin boost the moment someone walks into the lounge.
And of course, the cats themselves.
Every cat who passes through KitTea is treated as an individual—deeply cared for, cherished, and celebrated by the team.
One of Courtney’s favorite parts of rescue work is receiving adoption updates after cats settle into their forever homes.
One particularly beloved success story involves a cat named Steve, now known as Captain Steve, who lives aboard a houseboat.
We love to hear it!
Moments like those are what continue to fuel the work after more than eleven years.
Every single one who has come through KitTea has been unique, cherished, and deeply cared for.
How to Support KitTea Rescue & Lounge
Readers interested in visiting, supporting, volunteering, or learning more about KitTea Rescue & Lounge can find everything they need through the organization’s website.
From lounge bookings and private events to volunteer opportunities, cat-themed gifts, and donation information, KitTea continues creating meaningful ways for people to connect with rescue cats—and with each other.
You can learn more at kitteasf.org and follow them on Instagram at @kittea_sf and Facebook
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Nicole is a lover of all animals, especially of the feline variety. She's mom to four, three fur babies and a human baby. She and her husband, John, live on a large forest property down in New Zealand.
Their beautiful Burmese cat Baby (who is now 17 years old) was their first child, though he is now called Baby Cat since their human baby joined the party in 2022. The dogs Rosa and Mac also love cats, but the whole family agrees that King Baby Cat is enough cat for this household.
Nicole is the Director of Content Management at Catster and Pangolia. With a Bachelor's degree in Education and years of online experience, she shares her pet knowledge and the knowledge of other professionals with the world, aiming to improve pets and pet parents' lives.
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