Like everything else in the realm of print media, bookstores have been having a rough go of it the last decade or two.
Waldenbooks, Crown Books and Borders no longer exist, with the latter chain shuttering its last 400 stores in 2011. Barnes and Noble is the last surviving book chain thanks to an aggressive strategy of expanding their cafe and lounge space, encouraging shoppers to hang out while they sample books and drink coffee.
There are still some 14,000 bookstores in the US, depending on how some hybrid businesses are categorized, and independent booksellers now make up the majority of real-world retail while the giant that is Amazon looms.
The key to survival is offering things Amazon can’t. Some distinguish themselves by catering to specific customers, like fans of mystery or science fiction, offering rare and signed volumes alongside their regular stock. Some pursue a Barnes and Noble-like strategy, leaning heavily into the hybrid coffee shop model. And some become community spaces for book signings and poetry nights.
Others lure customers inside — and back after they’ve already visited — with pets.
In a new story, the New York Times highlights independent book shops around the country that have dogs, lizards, turtles, rabbits, and of course, cats.
When it comes to our furry and clawed friends, some shops are populated with adoptable felines:
At the Literary Cat Co. in Pittsburg, Kansas, readers have the opportunity to adopt a pet while they shop. The store partners with a local rescue organization, hosting about seven cats at a time, along with three permanent feline “employees”: Hank, the regional manager; Scarlett Toe’Hara, the assistant regional manager (she’s polydactyl); and Mike Meowski, the assistant to the assistant regional manager.
Jennifer Mowdy, the store’s owner, described each cat’s role, personality and origin story with the air of a matriarch ticking off successful grandchildren. Speaking of the upper respiratory illness that cost Mike Meowski an eye, she sounded stoic. He was a kitten; she was there for him. They soldiered through.
Mowdy created a glass alcove for allergic customers – and to deter escapees – and a “kitty conference room” (accessible by cat door) for litter boxes. With regular scooping, four air purifiers and daily mists of Mrs. Meyers Room Spray, she said the scent of the store is neutral to positive.
In the past year and a half, the Literary Cat Co. has facilitated 50 adoptions. “We’ve only had one cat that didn’t work out,” Mowdy said. “Too much fight in her.”
Kittens tend to wreak havoc; Mowdy prefers a mature animal of the “Don’t call me, I’ll call you” variety. Felines are welcome to scale shelves and interact with readers as they please, which is their way.
“They get to practice being a good house cat,” Mowdy said. “They get socialized.” Occasionally, the right cat finds the right reader’s lap. The rest is destiny (with the rescue organization handling logistics; the Literary Cat Co. simply makes the introduction).
Check out the entire story here. (No paywall.)
Pain In The Bud 
Now I have one for you to read. I thought it would be right up your alley. https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/how-to-stay-the-same-for-10-million-years-a-cats-guide-to-evolutionary-success-and-domination/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=2025-07-25&utm_campaign=%2BDr%2BPaola%2BAnswers%2BWeekly%2BMews%2BCat%2Bof%2Bthe%2BWeek%2BPhotos
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Thanks! Good timing. I was just reading about the divergence of felinae and pantherinae and thinking of writing a post about it, especially since there’s a lot of confusion about the difference between felid, feline and panther.
The linked Scientific American interview with an evolutionary biologist is really interesting, and she touches on some of the points I was reading about, especially the way cats have maintained the same features, body plan and behavior for so long.
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Oh wow – what a joy that would be, reading cat books in a cat environment with cats. I would never leave. Hopefully no mobile/cell phones allowed either.
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It sounds perfect. There are no cat cafes near me, but the rabbit bookstore mentioned in the story is about 20 miles north of here.
Google says there are 12 cat cafes in London and a bookstore called The Curious Cat that has feline staff.
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We are quite spoiled for choice but I do worry about quality and kitty care
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That was the whole controversy by one of the UK animal groups calling for cat cafes to be shut down. I’ve got no say as an American, obviously, but it shouldn’t be too difficult to put a system in place to make sure the cats are kept happy and healthy.
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I would drop in and not leave. 🤣
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And catch up on my P.D. James books.
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Next up for me is The Dagger In Vichy by Alastair Reynolds, my favorite science fiction novelist. He’s on an extremely short list of writers whose stuff is an immediate buy and read for me, along with David Mitchell, Peter Hamilton and, formerly, the late Iain Banks.
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Sounds good! I saw everything sci- fi that was good on t.v. Went through Black Mirror and Love, Death and Robots twice.
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Two of the Love, Death and Robots episodes in the first season are based off Alastair Reynolds short stories: “Beyond the Aquila Rift” and “Zima Blue,” which are both very different and show his range.
“Sonny’s Edge” from season 1, about people in the UK breeding genetically engineered monsters to fight in a new bloodsport, was written by Peter Hamilton.
I haven’t read much Bruce Sterling, but the Swarm episode and the one in the most recent season about a woman who buys an alien pet, are both based on his stories.
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P.S. I do have trouble reading when a cat is around. Some go on my chest, lap, on top of couch staring at me. I was thinking do cats do this to keep humans stupid? Nah. Humans are already the dumb species. 🤣
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Not so bad if they’re on your lap. Bud sits on me when I’m reading because he knows I’m probably going to be sitting in that spot for a while, and once I give him some scritches, he’s content to just hang out.
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My favorite bookstore in St. Pete, FL is Haslan’s Bookstore on Central Avenue, and one of the main reasons I go there is to see “Beowulf” and the other 4 furballs that run the place! Beowulf normally hangs out near the front counter, but it’s normal to see one of their several cats tucked in a bookshelf while browsing their used and rare book section, and it does provide a unique experience for book and cat lovers. I’ve found several older commentaries in the store, as well as a great selection of contemporary books, magazines, and other great items for gifts.
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Beowulf is a great name for a cat, and any place that sells rare books is worth a visit. Thanks for the recommendation, William!
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I haven’t been able to get out to our local indie book store for several years (illness) but I hear that the owners’ dogs are frequently there. I don’t think the dogs live there though. Kind of ironic since the store is named for Hemingway … (He had all those polydactyl cats…)
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