Gatos and Beans is Birmingham’s First Cat Cafe!
Enjoy a Purrfect Cup of Coffee AND Play with Cats!
Hot cups of coffee and whiskers on kittens are definitely a few of our favorite things! Now, we can enjoy them both at **[Gatos and Beans](https://gatosandbeans.com/?fbclid=IwAR1JyxRGGvUag1B1hwsiUsYnhkvheFuIAKQGPVTTohpfxMvFHHqjcvZKkRw)** in Avondale! Birmingham’s premiere cat cafe and has been a hit with both coffee and cat lovers alike.
Stephen and Kelli Steward are Birmingham residents who had a vision of bringing the popular concept of **[Cat Cafes](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/catcafe/)** to the Magic City. The idea helped them to become top finalists in the **[Big Pitch](http://revbirmingham.org/news/announcing-the-2018-finalists-for-the-big-pitch-presented-by-pnc/)** competition and their vision has become a reality! **[Gatos and Beans](https://www.facebook.com/Gatos-and-Beans-1253224331482545/?ref=br_rs )** combines delicious coffee and adorable cats! 
##They love cats, and we’re not kitten! When you enter **[Gatos and Beans](https://www.instagram.com/gatosandbeans/)** you’ll see cat themed decor everywhere you look! Stephen and Kelli have done a great job of blending in the cat theme without it being overwhelming. All of the art was done by local artists! We love that so many in the community contributed to the cafe. 
The cafe is divided into two sections, the coffee shop and the cat room. Kelli did such a great job finding vibrant furniture for customers to relax on. We could easily set up our laptops and spend an afternoon blogging away! Kelli told us that she found most all of the furniture on Facebook Marketplace. Talk about resourceful! 
The best part of the main room is that there are windows looking into the cat room! Stephen installed windows, both large and small, so that guests can sip their coffee while observing the cats lounging around and playing. Don’t forget to look up since there are window perches by the ceiling that are occupied by cats looking down on their subjects...I mean, the customers.
The Cat Room!
If you’d like (and why wouldn’t you?), you can reserve time to visit and play with the cats in the cat room! You can hop online HERE and book a time slot. The rate starts $10/hr. and the funds help support the cats. That’s right, the cat room itself is a 501c3! Each cat is available for adoption, so if you fall in love you have the option of making the cat a permanent member of you family!
We had such a fun time petting the cats, giving them treats, and watching them live their best 9 lives! Stephen did such an amazing job constructing shelves, perches, pedestals, hammocks, and more! Of course you’ll find a few cats napping in the sunlight as they occasionally roll over asking for a belly-rub.
A match made in Kitty Kat Haven
You’re probably wondering where these cats come from. Are they pets? Did Kelli and Stephen just round up a bunch of strays? Nope! These cats are from **[Kitty Kat Haven](https://www.kittykathavenrescue.org/)**. The Haven is a no-kill cat shelter located off of Alford Ave. . We are big fans of the incredible work that Kitty Kat Haven does for these adorable animals. (You can read our story on them **[HERE.](https://www.facebook.com/kittykathavenrescue/ / http://happeninsintheham.com/kitty-kat-haven-rescue-is-the-purrfect-place-to-find-your-next-cat/)**) 
Gatos works with Kitty Kat Haven to select the cats best suited to live it up at Gatos and Beans. This is a great way to help these fantastic felines find a forever home. We are at our maximum “cat-pacity” or else Amber would have adopted a cat on opening day! Oh, and as of now you can’t bring your own cats with you. Trust us when we say there are plenty of cats there for you to enjoy. We won’t tell your cats if you don’t tell ours!
Oh, and the coffee is great, too!
The other main ingredient in the success of Gatos and Beans is the tasty coffee! The cafe uses **[Redbike Coffee](https://www.redbikecoffee.com/)**, a local roaster in Irondale. If you have ever had a cup of coffee from **[Crestwood Coffee](https://www.facebook.com/CrestwoodCoffeeCo/)** or **[Brennan’s Irish Pub](http://brennansirishpubbham.com/)** then you’ve probably experienced the great taste of **[Redbike Coffee](https://www.facebook.com/RedBikeCoffee/)**! 
Even if you don’t have time to play with the cats, you can still swing by and pick up a cup of coffee. There’s a tip jar that goes to maintaining the cat room and will help add on a “catio” in the future.
Your Mission…
As you have probably gathered, we are beyond excited to welcome Gatos and Beans to Birmingham! Kelli and Stephen have poured so much into the cafe and the community. Be sure to thank them by following Gatos and Beans on Facebook and Instagram. As I mentioned earlier, they are a 501c3. You can support them by buying a cup of coffee, booking an hour in the cat room, and telling all of your friends! We already know that Magic City Kitties is abuzz with pics and posts from Gatos and Beans.
As cats get adopted out they will be replaced with other sweet furbabies in need of a good home. Ideally, you will see new and fresh furry faces every time you visit! At the end of the day, the mission of Gatos and Beans is to match loving cats with loving owners. So stop in and make some new friends! When a cat rubs against your leg, just know that’s their way of saying “Thanks a latte!” -Russell H.
Hours & Location
Gatos and Bens is open:
Thurs-Sat: 11am-8pm
Sun-Mon: 12pm-7pm
Tues-Wed: Closed
They are located at 4348 3rd Court South Birmingham, Alabama 25222
Make yourCat Room Reservation HERE!