MASON, Ohio — The Kitty Brew Cat Cafe in Mason has been forced to close “until further notice” after a water leak inside the building worsened, according to a social media post from the business.
The water leaks, which have been affecting the establishment since late May, have affected the cat salon to such an extent that the establishment said it can no longer keep it open.
The Mason business has been in operation since 2017, when cat-loving entrepreneurs Jenni Barrett and Ken Molnar opened the space on Tylersville Road.
“Our top priorities are to create a safe and welcoming environment for cats and our loyal customers,” the social media post reads. “Today we have come to the sad conclusion that water infiltration has progressed to a point where it is no longer possible to keep the cat lounge open.”
The company made the announcement Thursday, but a June 28 post also lamented the water leaks and said the building’s owner had not fixed the problem.
“Since May 24th, we have been experiencing persistent water leaks in the lounge, which was later attributed to the patio above our unit breaking away from the building, allowing water to seep in and cause damage to the building and our property,” the June 28 post reads.
The homeowner responded to the company’s complaints by caulking a hole, but the social media post says this did not solve the problem and the walls were becoming soft to the touch.
“In his recent email, the owner responded to our concerns about the damage and odor by saying it was not caused by the water, but rather by the cats,” the June 28 post reads.
The cat cafe’s lease expires in March 2025, the company said, and they’re looking for a new location to house the business, but that’s not a quick — or cheap — fix.
Still, the company said it has no plans to close permanently, despite the challenges.
“Our intention is to ensure that this is NOT a permanent closure,” the most recent social media post reads. “The best-case scenario will be that the building owner makes the necessary repairs quickly so that we can reopen soon.”
Kitty Brew Cat Cafe said it will update feline fans about the situation on social media when it has updates to share, though in the meantime the business is not open.
“We are hoping that we will soon have good news to share with you,” says the post on the social network.
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