PURROLOGY CAT CAFE

WORDS Kelly Sanford Brown PHOTOGRAPH Amy Sexson

Sigmund Freud once said that “time spent with cats is never wasted.” If this statement is true, then Kristina Lynn, owner and founder of Purrology Cafe will be doing the people of Polk County a great service when she opens Lakeland’s first cat cafe later this month. Guests to the cafe will have the opportunity to enjoy the company of cats in a fun and unique way, and she will be saving lives in the process.

Picture this. You walk into the doors of Purrology Cafe, where you are greeted by a barista who offers you a variety of refreshments such as Italian sodas, Lemon Revivers, Mint Energizers, coffees from Patriot Roasters, and even vegan cupcakes from Mike and Mike’s Desserts. Once you’ve decided on your fare, you can simply enjoy them while watching Purrology’s feline residents do feline things through allergy-safe, clear glass. With around a dozen adoptable cats and kittens inside the cat lounge, Lynn said, “The entertainment will not fall short watching them run around, chase one another, and climb the cat walls inside.” For the more adventurous cat lovers, a second option is available. You can pay by the hour to enter the cat lounge, where you can take in your beverage and mingle with the cats for a fun, hands-on experience. “This is perfect for anyone trying to find the next member of their family,” she said, “or for those who simply want to cuddle a kitten and release some stress.”

Lynn has already dedicated over a decade of her life to cats. She’s spent years fostering abandoned kittens, bottle feeding them until they were healthy and strong, then finding them loving homes when they were old enough. “As time went by,” she said, “the demand grew stronger. Rescues were filled to the max. I knew I needed to do something bigger but wasn’t sure what that was.” Then, in July of 2021, along with her sister, she visited a cat cafe in Georgia, and everything fell into place. “The whole time I was sitting inside, I kept thinking how cool the whole thing was!” Lynn said. After they left, her sister suggested the idea of opening a cat cafe back home, and by the end of the night, they had already filled several pages with concepts and ideas. “The more research I did on the pros of cat cafes, the more I knew this was something Polk County needed.”

Born in Michigan, Lynn moved to Lakeland in 2006 with her daughter after her grandmother relocated here, and she was shocked to find out that Polk is the number one county in the state for pet euthanasia. Her initial goal is to reduce the number of felines being euthanized. “All of our cats [at Purrology] will be available for adoption and come from local rescues. This will help promote the cats that need homes and increase adoptions within our community.” She added, “Even if families aren’t looking to adopt, spending time with our cats increases their social skills and gives them the loving interactions they need.” Purrology will be partnering with Polk County Animal Control and TLC Petsnip, and all adoption applications and 100% of fees will go back to the rescues. As the business grows, Lynn wants to help assist with TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) to help reduce the number of cats on the street. She also hopes to work with other rescues in the future as she believes they all share the same goal: “to keep these fur babies from being put down.” The business, much like the existing love for cats, will be a family affair. Lynn graduated from Polk State College with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Supervision. The former private school teacher looks forward to applying her skills to this new venture. Her daughter, and Purrology’s social media specialist, Krysslin Alexus, attends Lake Gibson High School, where she specializes in theatre arts. The mother and daughter have two kittens, Doja and Jinx. Once the cafe opens, Lynn’s sister, and Purrology’s event coordinator, Alex Swingler, will help organize things like private parties and other fun activities such as yoga with cats. Swingler is currently a second-grade school teacher for Polk County and has a five-year-old daughter, Charlotte, along with their two kittens, Waffles and Selina. Their family bond is strong, and they look forward to sharing their love for felines with the city of Lakeland and all of the surrounding area.

When asked why she chose Lakeland, Lynn said, “Lakeland is home to me and my family, so it was non-negotiable.” This is also why she is choosing to offer fare from local businesses, as she believes this sense of community will “help give the support needed to make a positive impact for our local felines.” Even as she readies Purrology to open, she has still been helping other local individuals and rescues. “I don’t see competition,” she said, “I see individuals who have the same goal as I do, and working together, we will make the changes needed to better our felines in the community.”

Lynn has already overcome many obstacles on her journey to reach her goal and found help and support along the way. Finding a location proved to be challenging. She was turned down due to the belief of some that the business wouldn’t be successful and that a cat cafe was not a good fit for the area. Lynn said, “I finally found a great realtor, David Quinones at S&D Real Estate, who believed in it as much as I did.” With his persistence, and hers, they were able to obtain a great location at 5343 Florida Avenue South. When finding contractors willing to do work that frisky felines might later damage seemed difficult, Lynn persevered and found those willing to assist. In addition, she received an outpouring of support through a campaign on Indiegogo, and fellow cat-lovers continue to make donations through Purrology’s social media accounts and contribute goods and supplies via their Amazon wish-list. Finally, Lynn said, “Bill Alcock, from Winner’s Circle, has been a saving grace.” She added, “He has guided me through this process and directed me to sources I needed, alongside my boyfriend, Colin Morrison. Without these two, I would be nowhere near where I am.”

Despite a few construction setbacks, Lynn hopes to open Purrology’s doors at the end of the month, giving ailurophiles of all ages the opportunity to put Freud’s words to the test. At the same time, she will be giving Lakeland’s homeless felines the chance to be snuggled and loved and maybe even find their forever homes. Simply put, it’s the purr-fect scenario.

Purrology Cafe 5343 Florida Ave S, Lakeland FB @purrologycafe IG @purrologycafe