Located in the Leesburg Historic District, an intimate two-story cafe often catches the eyes of passersby. Those who enter are greeted on the main floor by a miniature cafe and cat-themed shop. However, many new customers are clueless to the fact that the floor located above them is occupied by a multitude of kittens and cats, waiting to be adopted by their forever families. One thing is for certain: The Catty Corner Cafe is not your average cup of joe.
On April 1, 2022, Heather Donahue’s dream to open her own cat cafe became reality after nine months of legwork and hardship. Completed by a ribbon cutting ceremony with Kelly Burk, the mayor of Leesburg, the opening of Donahue’s cafe cemented her belief that she had made the right decision in starting her own business. “It was kind of overwhelming, because I had no idea how greatly we would be supported,” expressed Donahue. “We had a line out of the door the day we opened. It was, and still is, remarkable.”
The Catty Corner Cafe has currently assisted 165 different cats in finding their forever homes with customers who visit the cafe. However, one particular Maine Coon mix found its permanent place within the business. Cello, the ambassador of the cafe, came to Donahue from the Humane Society of Loudoun County. She was the first cat to arrive at the cafe, and the only cat to stay. “Everybody wanted to adopt her, but I loved her so much that I didn’t want to let her go!” exclaimed Donahue. Now, Cello lives out her days socializing with customers in the comfort of her adopted home.
However, Cello is not only a symbol for the cafe, but an educational tool as well. When feral cats go through Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR), a tip of one of their ears is removed to indicate there is no need for them to be trapped and neutered again. TNR is painless for cats and is undergone while they are anesthetized. Before Cello was adopted, she underwent TNR, and now her tipless left ear is often used as a visual aid when Donahue educates customers about the TNR program.
Kaya Valle-Tamvlay is an employee at the cafe, and although she has only been working there since August 2024, she enjoys her job immensely. “I love it here! I have three jobs, and the other two are serving jobs with food, so this is a very calming environment for me,” Valle-Tamvlay expressed.
Valle-Tamvlay was introduced to the cafe by her best friend, and manager, Sage Kelly. Kelly has been an employee at the cafe for two years, and she loves every minute of it. However, her favorite aspect of the job (besides the cats, of course) is experiencing the little moments. “I’m actually a little late to doing this interview, because I was helping an old lady spend some time with the cats, since she couldn’t make it to our lounge due to the stairs,” stated Kelly. “I think just seeing people make special moments here means a lot to me.”
For Kelly, the cats at the Catty Corner Cafe are not just animals for her to look after, but friends as well. When Kelly broke up with her boyfriend, she came to work the next day crying and feeling upset about the whole situation. However, there was a furry friend available to comfort her in her time of need. “[The cat] started purring so loudly, like it was on my heart, and she was making biscuits on my stomach,” remarked Kelly. “They can read your energy so well.”
As the Catty Corner Cafe nears its three year anniversary, Donahue continues to witness what was once just a dream become something bigger. “We have customers coming to us and supporting us by just visiting the cafe, and that’s what keeps our doors open,” stated Donahue. Whether it is a cappuccino or a cat that intrigues you, Cello and her family offer the best of both worlds. You do not have to be a crazy cat lady to fall crazy in love with the Catty Corner Cafe.