I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I’m just here, stuck in limbo.”

Amanda Souza

Most of the lights are dimmed, and an eerie quiet fills Bajah’s Cat Cafe. The soft clink of a glass coffee pot tapping against the kitchen counter breaks the silence as the owner pours the first cup of coffee for the day. In recent weeks, the cafe has seen a noticeable decline in visitors, a stark contrast to its usual lively atmosphere. The small business is grappling with a legal setback that has led to financial strain and uncertainty. 

Amanda Souza, the cafe’s owner, was recently fined $2,000 for operating without the proper licensing for cat rescues. “I was doing it illegally for a little while,” she confessed, acknowledging the mistake. Though Souza has a shelter license allowing her to house cats, her rescue activities — such as medically clearing cats for adoption — require additional permits. 

“I took the hit to avoid betraying my cats and my customers,” Souza said, explaining her decision to pay the fine rather than making her customers go through an investigation process. It’s a painful blow to her, but one she believes is necessary to stay true to the ethical values that define her business. 

The idea for Bajah’s Cat Cafe came to Souza after a visit to a similar cafe in Utah. The calming atmosphere of that cat cafe inspired her to leave her stressful job as an accountant — a role that had become a source of constant anxiety and panic attacks, due to a toxic work environment. In 2021, Souza opened up her cafe in Tiverton, combining her love of cats with her vision for a peaceful, welcoming space that would help both people and cats. 

Since its start, the cafe has seen more than 500 adoptions. However, the recent legal challenge has caused a setback for her business. She’s now working to secure the necessary rescue license, but progress has stalled as she waits for an inspector to become available. 

Due to the recent debacle over the Lafayette House being demolished in Tiverton, the building code enforcement and zoning officer has resigned. This leaves Souza waiting on someone to inspect her building to ensure it is up to code for the rescue permit.  

In the meantime, Souza has continued her collaboration with Forever Paws Animal Shelter in Fall River, and due to her “fame” from the legal battle, she has recently formed a new partnership with the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. These organizations will be helping her display cats for adoption at the cafe, while she works to resolve her licensing issues for the rescue.

 In limbo  

While waiting for the cats to return, Bajah’s offers a variety of activities, from yoga and paint nights to opportunities for people to spend time with the cafe’s beloved mascot cats, Kiki and Oliver. The Persian cats have unique personalities. Kiki is the “queen of the room” and Oliver is her devoted “boyfriend.”

Despite her efforts to bring in customers, the cafe is struggling to regain its former liveliness. School vacations — typically a busy time — have passed with little to no engagement from the community. Though Souza has posted events like movies with the cafe’s two mascot cats, the response has been underwhelming. 

“I don’t know what I’m doing wrong,” Souza admits. “I’m just here, stuck in limbo.” 

Souza feels that many have forgotten that part of her business is bringing good coffee and food to her customers. “People forget there is a cafe here, too,” she said, pouring a cup of hot coffee, filling the air with an aroma that is both bitter snd sweet.

Despite the challenges, Souza remains hopeful that, with time, both her business and her legal issues will be resolved, allowing her to continue saving and adopting out more cats in need. With her continued partnership with Forever Paws and her new one with RISPCA, she is happy to announce that the cats will be returning to the cafe on Saturday, January 11th for a “grand reopening.”

For more information, visit the Bajah's Cat Cafe website.