- Title: Kittens in festive sweaters bring holiday cheer to Washington cat cafe
- Date: 24th December 2019
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 24, 2019) (REUTERS) KITTEN WEARING CHRISTMAS SWEATER JUMPING OFF PLATFORM AS FESTIVE MUSIC PLAYS IN BACKGROUND GIRL DANGLING TOY IN FRONT OF TWO KITTENS PAN FROM SNOWFLAKE DECORATIONS ON CEILING TO CAFE CUSTOMERS PLAYING WITH KITTENS ON FLOOR TIGHT SHOT KITTENS PLAYING VARIOUS OF KITTEN GETTING DRESSED IN CHRISTMAS SWEATER (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASHLEY CAMPION, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF "CRUMBS AND WHISKERS", SAYING: "We just wanted to bring a little more Christmas joy to the 'Crumbs and Whiskers' atmosphere and give the kittens a little bit of holiday spirit." VARIOUS OF KITTEN PLAYING WITH TOY ON RUG (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASHLEY CAMPION, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF "CRUMBS AND WHISKERS", SAYING: "So we actually just hit our fifteen-hundredth adoption - which is crazy - just in our company together as a whole. And then in this location we've had over 250 adoptions, which is wild, because we only opened in March. So it's been a very, very big year for us. Lots of - lots of adoptions happening." VARIOUS OF SIGN SHOWING NUMBER OF CATS ADOPTED AND SAVED FROM EUTHANASIA KITTEN JUMPING UP AS CAFE EMPLOYEE DANGLES TOY / COMPARES SIZE OF FOOT TO SIZE OF KITTEN VARIOUS OF KITTEN IN SWEATER RELAXING IN BASKET SIGN ON WALL READING (English): "MEOW YOU DOIN'?" VARIOUS OF CAFE EMPLOYEE KISSING KITTEN, SAYING (English): "I'M INSPIRED TO PUT MY CATS IN THESE LITTLE SWEATER THINGS NOW" / "SAY 'HI' TO THE CAMERA! HI!" KITTEN IN SWEATER EATING CAFE CUSTOMER, ZAIN IMRAN, STROKING KITTEN IN BOWL TIGHT SHOT IMRAN'S HAND STROKING KITTEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) CAFE CUSTOMER, ZAIN IMRAN, SAYING: "It's really relaxing and therapeutic in a sense, you know? It calms you down, you know, when you play with cats. It brings you more down to earth." TIGHT SHOT KITTEN PLAYING WITH STRING TWELVE-YEAR-OLD ZAC MICHNICK TELLING HIS MOM TO LOOK AT KITTEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) CAFE CUSTOMER, ZAC MICHNICK, SAYING: "My mom gave me a gift, and it was to come here for Hanukkah." WIDE SHOT MICHNICK AND HIS MOM PLAYING WITH KITTEN ON RUG PAN FROM TIGHT SHOT OF KITTEN TO MICHNICK'S MOM SMILING (SOUNDBITE) (English) CAFE CUSTOMER, ZAC MICHNICK, IN AN EXCHANGE WITH REPORTER, SAYING: MICHNICK: "We only have a dog, so it's a real treat to come here." REPORTER: "Are you asking your mom if she'll get you one [a kitten]?" MICHNICK: "Obviously." REPORTER: "What did she say?" MICHNICK: "Absolutely not." CAFE EMPLOYEE TAKING PHOTOGRAPH OF MOTHER AND DAUGHTER HOLDING KITTEN IN BOWL TIGHT SHOT KITTEN SLEEPING IN BOWL (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASHLEY CAMPION, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF "CRUMBS AND WHISKERS", SAYING: "I think the concept itself really draws people who are really interested in animal welfare, but also people who just want to have a little bit of fun and love on - love on the kittens and just kind of feel warm and fuzzy on the inside." GIRLS STROKING KITTEN IN BOWL KITTEN IN SWEATER LOOKING INTO CAMERA AS IT WALKS PAST
- Embargoed: 7th January 2020 21:28
- Keywords: Crumbs & Whiskers cat cafe cats in Christmas sweaters rescue catsf
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Human Interest / Brights / Odd News,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001BBC5EFT
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Rescue kittens got dressed up in festive holiday sweaters on Christmas Eve (December 24) as adoring fans took turns playing and cuddling with them at a Washington cat cafe.
Crumbs and Whiskers, which also has an outpost in Los Angeles, acts as a foster home for homeless cats until they are adopted.
Customers can book an "experience" online, allowing them a set amount of time to interact with the furry felines. Many end up filing adoption papers shortly thereafter.
"We actually just hit our fifteen-hundredth adoption," said Ashley Campion, the company's chief operating officer. "It's been a very, very big year for us."
But not everyone comes to shop.
"It's really relaxing and therapeutic," said Zain Imran, a university student from Pakistan, as he stroked a kitten curled up in a bowl. "It calms you down when you play with cats. It brings you more down to earth."
Another customer said his mom had bought him a session at the cat cafe as a present for Hanukkah.
"We only have a dog, so it's a real treat to come here," said twelve-year-old Zac Michnick. But when he asked to adopt one of the kittens, he said his mother retorted "absolutely not."
Campion said the kittens' sweaters were made from tube socks and meant to add a little extra holiday cheer to visitors' experiences.
"I think the concept [of Crumbs and Whiskers] really draws people who are really interested in animal welfare, but also people who just want to have a little bit of fun... love on the kittens and just kind of feel warm and fuzzy on the inside," she said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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