NEW HAVEN -- There is a cool new way to meet a cat that you might consider adopting.
It's a new New Haven business that the owners are hoping will become the cats meow.
Five cats presently rule this roost on Whalley Avenue in Westville. It's called the "Mew Haven Cat Cafe", the first of its kind in Connecticut.
"Cat cafés started in Taiwan in 1998 and they became incredibly popular in Japan," said Angela Pullo the owner of Mew Haven Cat Cafe.
These businesses migrated to the states about three years ago taking on a new feature.
"All of these cafés started working with shelters and everyone. All these cats became adoptable," Pullo added.
Mew Haven Cat Café, at 904 Whalley Avenue, is essentially a show room for these sometimes frisky felines, who are made available by Animal Haven in North Haven.
"You can buy a cup of coffee or a cup of tea and you can come here and spend an hour and interact with these beautiful cats," said Pullo.
And, she says, they limit the number of people in the cat cafe.
"So you can get to know the cat and the cat can get to know you and see if you guys are a good fit," Pullo adds.
After this soft opening to introduce folks to this concept, Pullo and her husband will close down on December 13 and "spend a couple of months to put in the cafe area," she says.
The things people will sacrifice for the affection of animals, including the owners of Mew Haven Cat Cafe.
"I am particularly allergic," said Pullo, with a smile.
She says allergy shots help.
"But, after being here for eight hours a day if I'm here all the time playing and petting with the cats, I will be sneezing," she said.
The cats who live at the Cat Cafe 24/7, are Chicken Cutlet, Hanger Steak, Sandy, Sonny and Rizzo.
"They are absolutely worth it and, honestly I love my time here," Pullo said.