GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Happy Cat Cafe in Grand Rapids is no longer open to the public and the owner said they aren't sure when they'll be able to reopen, if ever.
According to a Facebook post, the owner of the cafe, Kati Palmurkar, lost $11,000 in one month following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
"Even with donations, we struggled to make ends meet," the post explained. "I committed to re-opening and finishing the coffee shop despite the economic downturn."
However, this week Palmurkar was struck with even more bad news. She discovered a cat from the cafe had ringworm.
Ringworm is a mild, but highly contagious fungal infection of the skin - for both cats and humans. Happy Cat Cafe closed to the public Thursday and said it would be halting adoptions until further notice. The Facebook post said the cafe's goal is to evacuate all the cats and get them appropriate treatment in foster homes.
"Happy Cat has taught me more than any experience one ever could. Happy Cat is my source triumph and failure," Palmurkar wrote. "I do not know if Happy Cat will ever re-open at this time. I'm sorry to anyone who is inconvenienced, sad, or just angry. I am too."
Happy Cat Cafe opened back in 2017 as Michigan's first cat cafe. They recently launched a GoFundMe to help with expenses.
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