by Charles Guarria @ Hometown News

The father-son team of Frank Lund and Isaac Morden are hard at work creating a welcoming place for cats and the people who love them.

PURe Joy Cat Café at 1120 Beville Road in Daytona Beach will have as many as 30 felines at any given time, looking for a home.

“I feel excited for the cats,” said Mr. Morden, who is completing his final year at Seabreeze High School. “Come out and play with the kitties.”

He also feels excited for his father, who has been at home, retired from a nursing career, these past few years.

The cats will have Mr. Morden to thank for their cozy surroundings once PURe Joy Cat Café is open.

“We wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for him, he’ll be the go-to person.” Mr. Lund said.

Mr. Morden has special needs and finding a job could be difficult.

“A lot of businesses have a hard time hiring people with special needs,” Mr. Lund explained. He, his wife, Shirley, and the school were trying to find Mr. Morden work because “we want him to have a job after he graduates,” Mr. Lund said. “Everyone needs a purpose. He needs a purpose after he graduates.”

It was friends who suggested a cat café. The Lund’s researched the idea and loved it.

“This is another opportunity to get homes for the homeless cats,” Mr. Lund said. “At the same time, Isaac will have a job and (we’ll) also be able to serve other individuals with special needs at our cat café as well.”

The family is not unfamiliar with pets. They have two cats and a dog. All three are rescues.

Animal rescues will be integral to PURe Joy Cat Café.

“We get the cats from local rescues,” Mr. Lund said. “Several of the smaller rescues already reached out to us.”

Memorial Day weekend is a target opening date, but isn’t etched in stone.

Mr. Lund said PURe Joy Cat Café will have a front-end gift shop sporting “a wide range of stuff,” including shirts, stuffed animals, paintings, mugs, wine glasses and beer glasses. Snacks and drinks will be available to buy.

Past the gift shop is where the cat lounge will be located. A large window is going to separate the two areas, so family members who don’t enter the lounge will be able to view the cats and kittens.

The lounge is “like a living room environment that cats get acclimated for a real house, a real home. Instead of being in a cage all day long,” Mr. Lund said.

Space has been set aside for the cats to get away when they no longer wish to be social. There will also be a kitten-only room.

The father-son tandem envisions about 20 cats and 10 kittens. The exact number is, of course, dependent on what the cat rescues can provide.

PURe Joy Cat Café is a non-profit. Patrons will make a donation for a one-hour cat visit. The application to adopt will be available online once a website is set up. Adoption fees go to the animal rescue that donated the cat.

The donation cost is not locked in at this point. Mr. Lund said. “Kids under a certain age will be cheaper, and we’re looking into memberships.”

Reservations are recommended, Mr. Lund said. “Because we will only allow so many in the cat lounge at a time.”

The father-son tandem is OK with a few walk-ins, though they prefer reservations.

There will be special events, such as cat bingo and painting with cats. One or two Sundays each month will be dedicated to first responders, teachers and the military.

Tentatively hours will be 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. They might close a little later on the weekends. The cat café will not be open on Mondays. Ms. Lund, also a nurse, will volunteer on weekends and is a key player in buying the café’s merchandise.

A final thought came from Mr. Lund via a text message. He wrote the family wants “to emphasize our love for cats and people.”

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