A well known Dallas cat rescue organization is expanding its reach with a new cat cafe. Called the Cat Café, it's from nonprofit A Voice for All Paws (AVAP), and will provide a home for rescued cats, a sanctuary for cat lovers to grab a coffee, and a place for abandoned cats to get access to veterinary care.

The cafe will open side by side with an adoption center and luxury boarding near Garland and Peavy.

AVAP president Caroline Stovall, who has worked with a number of rescues in Dallas, and her husband Rob have purchased two buildings: 1211 Casa Vale, which will be home to the cat café and adoption area; and 10320 Garland Rd., which will be home to the boarding facility.

According to a release, these buildings are being renovated with a planned opening later this year.

"Our team, along with volunteers, will run the cat café and adoption center," Stovall says. "We will run it like a business with a coffee shop where people can work. We see the coffee shop as a means of funding our non-for-profit organization, too."

AVAP will do treatments such as spay/neuter, medications, and baths, as well as provide a place for cats to become socialized around people and other animals. Having a place where people can visit cats ready for adoption will be a huge benefit to AVAP.

"Cats generally receive less attention than dogs when it comes to shelters," Stovall says. "Creating a center and cafe that focuses specifically on cats and kittens will help the community meet them and find their forever homes."

Nancy Stephenson, AVAP's original founder and well known for her cat rescue work in Dallas, relocated to Oregon in July, but is still involved in operations, fundraising, and marketing, while Stovall handles day-to-day operations.

Board members also involved include Libby Cooley, Shelley Dai, and Dr. Gail Bushur-Irwin (Medical Director), who are all East Dallas residents.

Volunteers are welcome, as are donations, at avoiceforallpaws.com.

The organization offers these tips if you see stray cats:

• If you see kittens, leave them alone. Moms have to leave to go to eat. They rarely abandon kittens.
• Don't give cats away without getting them spayed or neutered.
• Fees for cat adoptions are higher because cats often require more medical needs than dogs. Cats have a more difficult time regulating body temperature (hypothermia), and they can have hypoglycemia.