Ready to escape the high tech bustle of Silicon Valley? Looking for some low key feline-friendly fun? We’ve found some of the best kitty-related events and venues in Silicon Valley, San Jose, and the South Bay area.
Do Good, Play with Cats
You know what’s even better than playing with frisky kitties all day? Doing it for a good cause.
The Dancing Cat
The Dancing Cat is a shelter specifically designed to save at-risk adult cats who are homeless in San Jose. This unique shelter offers a safe, cage-free zone to let the kitties play with each other, explore, and get into trouble in a home-like environment.
For a small fee to help care for the animals, guests can join the cats at play, snuggle with them, toss cat toys around, and help these homeless tabbies socialize before adoption. Some people enjoy sketching the cats or simply working on their laptops in this animal-friendly environment. The Dancing Cat occasionally hosts fun events like Purr Yoga, crafting workshops, and music nights. Bring snacks, your pet-loving children over 5, and enjoy the free wi-fi. It’s an open playspace for humans and cats!
The free-roaming cats are ready to go home with their forever families, so guests are encouraged to learn about the adoption process. All adoptables here have been spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated. There are only adult cats available here; kittens are easy to adopt, but sometimes it’s harder to find homes for the older felines. That’s where The Dancing Cat comes in.
During covid, restrictions are a bit tighter and most events have been cancelled. Watch The Dancing Cat’s website for the return of awesome cat-friendly events like yoga, cat-themed henna tattoos, music nights, watercolor workshops, and cat care classes like feline first aid and disaster preparation. None of those work for you? You can hold your own event at The Dancing Cat: book clubs, birthday parties, baby showers, and so much more.
Mini Cat Town
Visit Mini Cat Town to help find homes for kittens — and only kittens. While The Dancing Cat focuses on adult felines, Mini Cat Town is all about the littles.
Founded by 3 cat-loving sisters, their TNR and fostering project grew to Mini Cat Town, a nonprofit that’s rescued over 340 cats and kittens since 2015. Lounge with the kittens in this comfortable home-like space at the Eastridge Center in San Jose.
Did you fall in love with a kitten from Mini Cat Town? Adopt a kitten from their rescue, or sign up to foster the babies until they’re ready for their forever homes.
Drop in any time to play with the cats, roll around some yarn balls, and recline on soft furniture. Kittens must be handled with care, so this lounge is for kids ages 12 and over only.
County of Santa Clara Animal Services
Do you love cuddling cats as much as we do? Then sign up to be a Cat Socializer at the County of Santa Clara Animal Shelter, where you can play with cats, groom them, feed them treats, and tell them how pretty and special they are. Cat Socializers must commit to playing with cats for three hours at a time, at least one day a week. Sounds good to us!
Shop with Cats
Recycle Bookstore
Book lovers in San Jose visit Recycle Bookstore for its amazing collection of new and used books, but cat lovers stop by this staple of The Alameda to pet the feline employees.
This 40-year-old independent bookstore carries some of the best new and used books — and the cats would know! Three gorgeous cats, Emma, Ender, and Bob Newhart spend their days browsing the stacks, assisting with purchases, and collecting cuddles. If you visit the shop with a baby stroller, watch out for Bob — he likes to go for a ride. Ender likes to knock over displays, so if you can’t decide on your next title, follow Ender around and let him choose for you.
Cats & Kiddos
Annenberg PetSpace Kids Camp: Pet Pioneers
Do your kids love cats, too? In Playa Vista, kids ages 8-11 can join a weeklong summer camp at the Annenberg PetSpace.
Kids, you can learn about animals, pet adoption, veterinary care, pet behavior, and much more. Get outside and play, do some kitty crafts, play games, and of course, pet the animals! Learn about pet behavior, grooming, nutrition, medicine, and how to be a responsible pet owner. At the end of camp, bring home your cool craft, a t-shirt, and tons of knowledge. These half-day camps are offered 3 times over the summer.
Adoption Events
Are you ready to adopt your next furry family member? Visit one of the fabulous adoption events in South Bay.
South Bay Cats
South Bay Cats brings a clowder of “certified pre-owned cats” to Petco in San Pedro for Think Adoptions First events every Sunday afternoon. This non-profit is driven by volunteers who help control the feral cat population through a trap-neuter-release program, monitoring colonies, and finding forever homes for adoptable kittens and cats.
Not ready to adopt, but still want to support rescue cats? South Bay Cats has a partnership with Ralph’s Market. Register at the grocery store as a supporter and every time you scan your Ralph’s Rewards card, 4% of your grocery bill goes straight to South Bay Cats at no additional costs.
Cat-O-Rama
Annenberg PetSpace will be hosting Cat-O-Rama, an exciting cat and kitten adoption event for everyone. Play with kittens, learn about how to care for cats, play games, and learn about local volunteer and fostering opportunities. Enter the raffle to win toys, treats, and Basepaws DNA and health tests. And there will be free snacks! What more could you want?
The event will be held Saturday, June 19th from 11am-4pm at the Annenberg PetSpace.
People and Cats Together
People and Cats Together (PACT) is not holding its adoption event during the pandemic, but as vaccination rates rise, they hope to restart the program. You may still adopt a kitten or cat from this loving shelter — cats need homes, even in a pandemic. Normally, you can find PACT at Petco in Redondo Beach every Saturday from 11am-3pm.
Virtual Events
Silicon Valley Pet Project
The Silicon Valley Pet Project focuses on saving Silicon Valley’s homeless cats and dogs. Due to the pandemic, there are no events right now, but you can enjoy SVPP’s online resources. Watch the super-popular Kitten Cam on Facebook Live at 5pm on Fridays. Shop at Pet Food Express, Chewy, eBay, Amazon Smile to help with fundraising. You can even donate your car! If you’re staying in tonight, you might as well curl up with your cat and try pet wine, sold through SVPP. Your purchase supports the homeless pets of Silicon Valley and most of the money goes toward veterinary services.
Town Cats Cause for Paws 2021
Cause for Paws was an online auction held in May and featured talks by famed cat experts, Samantha Bell and Patty Guthrie. Amazing auction items included a Broadway Experience, a dinner party catered by a professional chef, spa packages, pet photo shoots, and so much more. This event raised a ton of money to help save homeless cats, so watch for more Cause for Paws events through Town Cats.
Closed for now, but stay tuned!
The pandemic has really turned everything upside down. Countless programs have been cancelled throughout the country, but as things open up again, events will return. Here are some of the cat-related events we’re looking forward to the most.
Humane Society Silicon Valley Youth Education Programs
The youth education programs at the Humane Society Silicon Valley are on hold during the pandemic, but are expected to return.
In Amazing Animals Summer Camp, third through sixth graders can play with dogs, learn about wildlife, do arts and crafts, and play with shelter pets. Middle schoolers will learn all about animal welfare and how they can make a difference. These kids will learn how to take responsibility, be leaders, and find out what they can do in their own community.
Scout programs are welcome at HSSV. Scouts can tour the center, take workshops about animal care, learn how to care for their pets, and for the animals in their community. Educators, take your class to HSSV for a fun field trip where kids can learn how to be animal advocates.
When you’re ready to party again, kids are welcome to throw their birthday bash at the Animal Community Center. Parties include decorations, goodie bags, and a tour of the shelter. We can’t wait!
Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority Kiddies 2 Kitties
Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority’s popular Kiddies 2 Kitties reading program is perfect for young readers and young cats. Kids can read out loud to adoptable cats and kittens at the shelter, and play with them afterward. The kids practice their literacy skills, the kittens get socialization — it’s a win-win! Under normal circumstances, this program is held on the first and third Wednesday of every month.
You don’t need to go out of town for cat-related fun, but if you do, The Comforted Kitty is ready to keep your cat company with quality care and expert cuddles. Book your next cat sitting appointment today!