The Orlando Cat Café is offering a free cup of Axum Coffee and free admission to the Cat Play Area for all federal employees and their families affected by the government shutdown.
“We really wanted to do something for those individuals affected by the shutdown, including their families. Spending time with the kitties is not only a fun outing for the entire family but can actually help reduce stress,” says Sandra Cagan, owner of the Orlando Cat Café.
A 2009 Study published in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Neurology found that having a cat can reduce your risk of having a stroke or heart attack by a third.
Medical News Today researchers looked at data from more than 4,000 people between the ages of 30 and 75 years old over the course of 10 years. About half of the participants were either current or former cat owners, while the other half had never owned a cat at all. After analyzing the data, the researchers found that cat owners, overall, had a 30 percent lower risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke compared to people who didn’t own a cat, even when accounting for factors like smoking, diabetes, heart health, and cholesterol levels.
Professor Adnan Qureshi, a researcher from the University of Minnesota who led the study, told The Telegraph that he believes that “stroking the pet could cut the level of stress-related hormones in the blood.”
The Orlando Cat Café houses between 12-20 cats and kittens, all ready to lend a paw and relieve stress to furloughed government employees affected by the shutdown. Online reservations are strongly recommended and customers only need to show their Federal Government ID upon arrival and will receive a free cup of drip coffee with their admission to the cat play area.
The Orlando Cat Café is located at 532 Cagan Park Avenue in the Cagan Crossings Town Center, about 4 miles west of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made at www.orlandocatcafe.com.
ABOUT ORLANDO CAT CAFÉ
The Orlando Cat Café opened in September 2016. Working together with SPCA Florida, Cagan Management Group, Inc., and Axum Coffee, our joint mission is to save the lives of homeless cats in Central Florida while drinking good coffee. Visit orlandocatcafe.com for more information.
ABOUT SPCA FLORIDA
Founded in 1979, SPCA Florida is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization headquartered in Lakeland, serving all of Polk County and the surrounding communities. Dedicated to improving the lives of pets and people, SPCA Florida provides caring, compassion and hope to more than 4,000 homeless animals entering our doors each year.
Simplistically, every $100 donated to SPCA Florida, or essentially the cost of an average adoption, equates to $3,000 worth of positive economic impact throughout Polk County, Central Florida, and the state. Additionally, we are proud of the fact that 91% of every dollar goes to program resources and helping homeless animals.
