People & Places You Should Know: Rotterdam's Pretty Paw Lounge

Happy Tuesday, Capital District! Today, we’re dropping into The Pretty Paw Lounge, the first & only local cat cafe. Get ready to be smothered with kitty love 🐈️ 🧡 Plus, check out our Home of the Week and music listings for the whole week ahead.

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

People & Places You Should Know: Rotterdam’s Pretty Paw Lounge

As a former model, Rotterdam native Rachel Anne traveled frequently for magazine shoots. As an animal lover, one trend caught her eye when she would visit cities like New York and Miami—cat cafes!

That’s how Rachel, a longtime volunteer at local animal shelters, came to open the first and only cat cafe in the Capital Region last spring, only a block away from where she grew up.

The Pretty Paw Lounge in Rotterdam features a toy-filled playroom where you can interact with dozens of felines at a time. When we visited, there were more than 30 of them—all sweet and eager for some playtime. The kitties come from local nonprofits Kitten Angels and the Herkimer County Humane Society. They’re all available for adoption.

The lounge focuses on finding forever homes for special needs cats—seniors or ones that have been abused in the past 😿 

“We get these lists of cats that are up next for euthanasia, and we always try to pull them out and get them here for adoption,” Rachel tells The 518. So far, 169 cats have been adopted from the cafe 👏 

The playroom and cafe are in separate rooms. The cafe offers hot and cold drinks, cookies, cupcakes and other pastries. There’s also a gift shop with a variety of feline-themed items from local vendors.

As its popularity has grown, the cafe has become a community gathering spot with a busy calendar of events, including birthday parties, cooking classes, paint-and-sip nights, and even kitty yoga.

“We get a lot of families with kids. Maybe Dad is allergic to cats and they don’t get to be around cats,” Rachel says. “Or people who are on vacation and miss their kitties at home. We get senior citizens. A lot of autistic children come here for cat therapy.”

Rachel was delighted when a group of friends recently threw a surprise birthday party for a “Harley Davidson kind of guy” who was turning 65. “He just loved the kittens. He adopted one that same day.”

The deets: The Pretty Paw Lounge, 370 Mariaville Road, Rotterdam. Hours: 11a-7p Wed-Fri; 11a-5p, Sat-Sun; closed Mon-Tues. $20 per hour to visit with the cats. 100% of adoption fees go toward vet care.

This Thursday evening, the cafe is hosting “Gather & Feast: Cooking at the Cat Cafe,” featuring wine, hors d'oeuvres and a 30-min cat visit per guest. Details here.

😺 WEATHER WATCH

A word from our sponsor

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🍽️ Six notable Capital Region restaurants are opening or have reopened, including new Thai eateries in Albany and Latham, West Ave Chicken in front of the MVP Arena, and Don Tequila Mexican Cantina on Wolf Road. [TU gift article]

🦃 Did you know that there are more than 100,000 people who are food insecure in the Capital Region? Every Thanksgiving Day, Troy Turkey Trot raises more than $10,000 to support local food banks. There’s still time to register!

💍 After 89 years in the Capital Region, Harold Finkle Your Jeweler on Central Avenue is closing up shop for good. Three generations of the Finkle family have run the store for nearly a century. Longtime customers have been offering their appreciation on this IG post. Btw, the store’s entire inventory is on sale, for up to 70% off. Get it while you can🫰 

Who needs frills when country comfy is the aim? This nicely proportioned A-frame on 13+ acres of rolling fields and woodland features a well-maintained, wrap-around porch with stunning mountain views. You’ll be singing Let It Snow in the cozy open-floor plan, complete with floor to ceiling Andersen casement windows and on-demand heating. There are plenty of bedrooms and baths for the whole family—the attic loft even has its own gas fireplace! The rancher in the family will be thrilled with the oversized 2-car garage, which includes a finished loft space, riding lawn mower, snowblower, and Generac generator. Ski at Jiminy Peak or hike the Berkshires, all within an easy 30-min commute to Albany.

The deets: 3 bd, 3 ba, 2340 sf. Asking: $399,900. Days on market: 3. See the full listing here.

🎟️ WHAT’S HAPPENING

Note: Our full weekend roundup publishes on Thursdays. Check your inboxes!

🍸 Check out the new happy hour at Hattie’s in Albany, Tues—Fri from 4—7p.

🪓 On Wednesday afternoon, Flannel Fest hits the Empire State Plaza with competitions featuring the coziest of foods (mac-n-cheese and donuts), lumberjack worthy vendors, and facial hair competition. You’ll want to show up in your best flannel, of course.

🤘 On Wednesday, Trans-Siberian Orchestra comes to the MVP to celebrate a trifecta: 20 years of its beloved rock opera, "The Lost Christmas Eve," reaching their 20 millionth concertgoer, and surpassing $20 million donated to charity. Nippertown has the story, and get tix here.

🥋Every Wednesday night, Atlas Jiu Jitsu, 61 Colvin Ave, offers a free intro class to Jiu Jitsu at its 6,000 sf studio in Albany. On Thursday nights, try a kickboxing class as well. Both classes are beginner friendly and free to attend! Sign up here. [Sponsored listing]

🎥 On Thursday, join South End Cinema at Youth FX Studios for a free screening of 3 award-winning short documentaries by Mexican-American filmmaker and NeXt Doc Fellow César Martínez Barba, followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.

🕯️ Friday is opening night for “A Sherlock Carol,” theREP’s clever holiday play that puts Sherlock Holmes and the Scrooge on the same stage.

🌲 On Saturday, Stuyvesant Plaza puts on a magical evening for its annual holiday tree lighting.

🦸This weekend, Saratoga ComicCon is calling all cosplayers for what’s being billed as the largest pop culture event in upstate NY.

🎸 LIVE MUSIC & MORE

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Got a cool event, personality or place we absolutely need to cover in The 518? Drop us a line at [email protected]!