Ontario’s first cat store massively successful in mission to find fur-ever homes for Burlington’s cat population

Although Best Cat’s store location at 3455 Fairview St. in Burlington has been open for less than 18 months, it has become known as a cat adoption spot in Burlington, finding homes for over 200 felines to date.

There are always cats in the store for adoption, but the adoption events, held in conjunction with Neveah's Charity ​of West Lincoln (NCWL) Cat Rescue, mean there are more cats in a range of ages and a variety of personalities.

“At the rate we’re adopting cats, they have actually been running low on cats, but now they’re able to help out other overcrowded shelters,” says Meagan Daigle, an avid cat enthusiast who co-owns Best Cat with her brother Kyle.

Their weekend adoption events typically have anywhere from 15 to 30 cats available in the store, and while it’s recommended to fill out an adoption form online ahead of time to get pre-approved, you can fill out the form in the store on adoption day. Meagan says they’re trying to hold one of these events every month, as long as they can get enough volunteers. The last event was held April 20-21, and the next will be May 4-5. 

“A lot of our cats come from overcrowded shelters, and some of them are from high-kill shelters. They were labelled as feral, and they were scheduled to be euthanized and require some socializing,” says Meagan. “Some of them are works in progress. NCWL Cat Rescue just took on 58 cats from a hoarding apartment. We’ve kind of all banded together and tried to take on a few of these really scared cats. Some of them, you can tell, have never been touched by a person before. I’ll stay after hours with them when it’s quiet and work with them a little bit. A few of them we’ve had for over a week, and they’re completely different cats.”

When it comes to choosing a cat, Meagan suggests keeping an open mind and not focusing solely on looks and colours. It comes down to the personality of the cat and whether they’re going to be a match for you and your home. “Some of these cats have had some sort of trauma and have been through a lot. It’s important to be patient and give them at least two weeks to a month to settle in.You’ll really see a big change in them after time,” says Meagan.

Before you bring a cat into your life, you need to prepare your home. Meagan says the first step is selecting a room in the house that you can keep the cat in for at least the first week so they can decompress and get used to the smells of the house and you and your family. Kittens will require some kitten-proofing because they can fit into the tiniest spaces and will chew on everything.

The other thing Meagan highly recommends before getting a cat is calling vets and asking about the cost of exam fees and vaccinations. “A lot of people aren’t aware of how expensive vet care can be. That’s why we see a lot of pets surrendered because their owners can’t afford it.An exam fee is over $100 just to see the cat, so it can get costly,” says Meagan.

Best Cat is the first store in Ontario entirely devoted to enriching the lives of indoor cats, offering a wide selection of everything a feline could need or want and trying to offer affordable options for things like carriers, litter boxes, and food dishes. During adoption days and events, Best Cat offers 10 per cent off everything in store for customers adopting a cat. 

For more information, visit the Best Cat website or Instagram.