Christmas Eve eve coffee with my daughter began with a stop at Muskegon’s new — and only — cat cafe, The Whisker Room, 926 2nd St. Muskegon. Falling somewhere between casual coffee drinker and javaphile, I like to order a basic cup on my first visit to any shop. As the barista poured my to-go cup of delicious, “pawcrafted” drip coffee, I peeked into the cat room.
Spacious and cleverly decorated, the area was inviting, with multiple nooks for relaxing alone or visiting in small groups. Board games were available for patrons, while a large screen played fish videos for the cats’ enjoyment. As if on cue, a friendly feline rubbed its cheek against a guest, confirming this was the right choice for my upcoming daughter date.
What happened next was most surprising. When I visited thewhiskerroom.org to reserve our cat time, I found what may be the best website I have ever used. It was visually appealing, easy to navigate and paired with a scheduling system that worked flawlessly.
Visitors are limited to 10, so I made a reservation rather than risk a walk-in. Later, I needed to change our time slot. With just a few clicks, the update was complete, and the availability immediately reflected the change. It was impressive to see a website work so seamlessly.
Two toffee nut “Catte Lattes” later, on Dec. 23, I watched the “purr-therapy” promised on the cafe’s website happen in real time. The stress from earlier Christmas shopping melted away as the cats worked their magic simply by being cats. In exchange for constant attention, the cafe’s feline residents provided endless entertainment.
Extra pawsitive vibes came from supporting a small business that is also an extension of The Arc of the Lakeshore, in partnership with Big Lake Humane Society.
