Amanda Jones, Founder and CEO of Sunshine Kitty Catfe

Amanda Jones, a lifelong cat lover and self-described "totally sane cat lady," talks with Stacy about opening the Sunshine Kitty Catfe in St. Petersburg, Florida this fall. They get into the details of how the café will operate, as well as how Amanda came to be interested in cat cafes. At the age of 8, Amanda had her first experience as a "cat whisperer," in which she charmed a stray kitten at her father's office into coming to her. That kitten became Amanda's first pet cat of her own, and a lifetime of love for cats was born. Amanda eventually went on to work as a veterinary assistant, but after visiting a cat café in Seattle, she had an inkling of what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. Currently working as a nurse (for people), Amanda tells Stacy that she always feels wonderfully calm and peaceful when she visits a cat café. In addition, she feels a real sense of community with other cat lovers, and it is exactly this feeling she plans to bring to Sunshine Kitty Catfe. Opening and operating a cat café is Amanda's way of bridging her love for helping animals with a way to make a difference in people's lives. To learn more, you can visit Sunshine Kitty Catfe's website. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram, or you can reach out to Amanda directly at [email protected].