By Shayna Mace | Photography by Hillary Schave
Years ago, when Liz Brey and Heather Wipijewski met while working as vet techs for a local veterinary emergency hospital, they bonded over their mutual love of animals — more specifically, cats. The duo often met for coffee (another shared passion), where they’d discuss work — and bandied about ideas on how they could open their own business and help animals. A cat cafe was the answer.
Brey and Wipijewski visited cat cafés across Wisconsin, Minnesota and Colorado for inspiration, and Brey even spent six months working at a coffee shop to master the art of whipping up coffee drinks. Their dream came together when they found the perfect location in Sun Prairie — right next to a Mounds Pet Food Warehouse.
With everything falling into place, the pair left their vet tech jobs behind and opened their cat cafe, The Cat’s Brew, in September 2024.
The cafe serves coffee and coffee drinks (lattes, espresso, cappuccinos) smoothies, tea and juices. Scones and cookies are sourced from Madison’s Elegant Foods, and other bakery items are available. (Brey notes they don’t serve a full menu as they don’t have a kitchen on-site.)
The main draw is the cat room, home to up to nine adoptable felines. Guests can observe the cats through large viewing windows from the café area or opt to spend time inside with them for $10 an hour — a fee that helps support their care, says Wipijewski. Visitors can read, relax or interact with the cats, but no food is allowed in the cat room — only drinks. The cat room and café area also have separate HVAC systems, Brey notes.
The felines are all from Little Orphans Animal Rescue out of Montello, and Brey and Wipijewski are proud that they’ve facilitated 46 adoptions thus far.
“Helping the cats get exposure and adoptions is wonderful,” says Brey. “We’re happy with the number of adoptions we’ve had so far, and to be able to help those cats find homes is a big part of why we’re here. Getting to know the community and get these cats homes has been [great].”
