Alumna Sara McGinnis, class of 1993, has a job like no other. Her lifelong love for cats led her to found Whisker Station Cat Cafe and Lounge, an idea inspired by her visits to multiple cat cafes.  Located in Kirkwood, the building has become home to many foster cats, which people can meet, play with and adopt.

“In March of 2020, literally the week [COVID-19] happened, we spent a lot of time building and making [the cafe] what we wanted it to be. My husband, Daniel McGinnis, was an engineer and made a lot of renovations to the building. We met at West High and were together ever since, but sadly, he isn’t here with us anymore,” McGinnis said.

All of the cats come from the Heartland Humane Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates through a network of dedicated foster homes, unlike traditional shelters that house many animals in one location. Since McGinnis has volunteered as a special events coordinator at the downtown Humane Society of Missouri, she was eligible to partner with Heartland.

“I had a job in [animal welfare] and then I stayed home with my kids for a while, but kept volunteering. When they were old enough, we started fostering kittens and cats. I started fostering for [the Heartland Humane Society after] someone recommended [them] to me as a possible good partner and that was really key to this being successful, [especially since] I work well with the president at that rescue,” McGinnis said. 

Today, all adoptions are facilitated through the Heartland Humane Society. At Whisker Station, a multitude of kitties are situated inside the cat room, but finding their forever home can be a long process. First, the cats need to have up-to-date vaccinations and procedures done, such as spaying. Then, the cats need to be acclimated to their new environment, which can take a long time depending on how comfortable they are around both humans and other cats. 

“A lot of kittens have been born and adopted, but we also have a few that are sick and have been pulled from the room because it’s upper respiratory season. We don’t want [the infection] spreading to the other cats. Sometimes just keeping a certain number of cats can be difficult: people always laugh ’cause they’re like, ‘how are there not enough cats?’ I’m like, ‘there’s plenty of cats, but they’ve not necessarily had all their shots yet.’ They don’t have all their deworming. They’re not ready to come yet,” McGinnis said. 

Inside the building, there’s a main room with the cafe, and off to the left is the spacious cat room, a carefully crafted cat’s paradise. There are a plethora of toys, hiding places, beds and for privacy, a closed-off litter box room. The interior caters to the needs of both cats who prefer lying low and those who enjoy perching high, with wall-mounted shelves acting as stepping stones for climbing and small boxes on the ground offering cozy hiding spaces.

“Cat cafes [give you] the advantage of [enjoying] a lot of one-on-one time with the cat that you’re visiting and [allowing you to] see their personality as they’re out in an open space. Some of them like to climb up high and take naps, but others are more comfortable with sleeping on the ground. They live here full time, [so we make sure] they’re very comfortable and not locked up in crates. We get better connections that way, [introducing] cats to families that really work for them well the first time,” McGinnis said.

Junior Omaz Omeni visited the cafe in 2023 to enjoy some time with cats she normally wouldn’t see.

“I’m not allowed to have pets, so it was a nice experience. I remember that one of the cats climbed into my lap and rested there for a bit. Overall, I think it was a calming experience,” Omeni said.

For $14, visitors can enjoy an hour of interactive playtime with the cats, a unique experience to connect with them in a relaxed and welcoming environment. Reservations or walk-ins are accepted, but a 15-person capacity is instilled inside the cat room. Various cat toys, seating and even educational books about cats can be found within the cat room for customers to use, and pre-packaged food and beverages are available for purchase.

“We’re not a full-service cat cafe. Every cat cafe is a little bit different. Some do pastries [or] work with organizations that provide that sort of thing. We have two breakfast places next door that are fantastic, and we felt like they already served that need for a cafe in Kirkwood,” Marketing Manager Samantha McGinnis said. “We focus more on the adoptions and going into the cat room. You can play with the cats, pet them, they can sit on your lap, snuggle with you, all of that stuff is okay. The only thing we don’t let people do is pick up the cats; that’s a pretty standard cat cafe rule. It’s to protect both the cats and the participants.”

Through the business, there has been an increased number of adoptions for the Heartland Humane Society. Last year, 200 of the 430 foster cats from Heartland were adopted through Whisker Station. McGinnis credits this to the building’s physical presence, in comparison to individual foster homes that the Heartland Humane Society typically operates through. Paired with its popularity, the cafe has increased the awareness of foster cats in need of a forever home. 

“I’m a task-oriented, to-do person [and] I don’t always have a big vision for myself, so I never imagined owning a business, [but] I definitely think this gives the cats a lot more visibility than they were getting before,” McGinnis said. 

Over the years, hundreds of cats have been adopted through Whisker Station. But, beyond the statistics, Whisker Station’s greatest impact lies in the lasting connection it creates between families. 

“The best part is when a kitty goes home with a really sweet family. When they come back to visit, we get to hear how they’re doing and [see] the pictures and how happy they are,” McGinnis said.