House of Black Cat Magic — Restaurant in Asheville

I visited House of Black Cat Magic some time last week; honestly, I was a little disappointed. I semi-regularly like to visit cat cafes/shelters just to visit and play with the kitties. I have two cats of my own, and I’ve spent a lot of time and energy learning to care for them — both of them have had some pretty frustrating health issues, and they’re thriving now after a lot of trial and error. My one cat in particular, has suffered from chronic respiratory issues (it’s very common, especially with cats who have been in shelters); there are many treatment options for this, but the main thing that you can do for them is manage their symptoms. When I was visiting, I noticed multiple cats in the cat lounge had symptoms similar to my own boy… so I was surprised to notice that the employees were burning incense. A quick google search can tell you (I’ve also consulted with my vet about this) that incense and things like it are an irritant to cats, especially those with respiratory issues. Sure, they weren’t burning it directly in the cat lounge, but I could smell it very strongly in there just the same. I understand that they were probably burning it to cover up the strong litter smell, but there surely must be some alternatives. I also don’t really understand why there was such loud music playing in the cat lounge; that’s definitely a smaller issue, but to me, it seems stressful.

All that being said, I’ve only visited the one time, and I can’t say for certain that these are long term habits. I also greatly appreciate the fact that they’re holding a space for black cats in particular. I’ve worked in a cat shelter, and I know how tiring, both emotionally and physically, the work is. Caring for animals is HARD, and I’m not trying to negate all of the wonderful work that they’re doing. I just wanted to bring this point up in case it hasn’t been brought up before.

In reply to your response: I really appreciate the quick and thorough response. I wasn’t trying to insinuate that any of your cats in the cat lounge have chronic viruses; I was just relating some symptoms to an experience that I’m very familiar with. I also wasn't trying to suggest that you don’t have proper training or vet care; really, like I said before, it’s incredible that you’re holding a space for these kitties. I guess, as far as burning things around the cats goes, it’s just a matter of difference in opinion. In my own research and discussions, I’ve found that any sort of smoke inhalation can be an irritant for small animals’ lungs. Burning all natural ingredients and homegrown catnip might be the lesser of two evils… I just personally wouldn’t burn anything around my kitties, whether they had respiratory issues or not. But once again, I’m just offering up my point of view. I’m happy that y’all have so much support, internally and from your team of...

We were in Charlotte for race weekend and on our way back to Indianapolis, I wanted to drive through Asheville because it's my favorite town. Upon looking at the map, I saw House of Black Cat Magic and I knew we had to stop. I am so glad I found this little gem of a place. Black cats are my absolute favorite. The magic shop is so cute and the shop cat, Pumpkin, was causing a ruckus on the bookshelves. He was so friendly and sweet. We were greeted by Magic, another shop cat who showed us around. I found so many little things to buy before going in to see the rescue kitties. The kitties were so sleepy since the shop had been busy all day but they all let us love on them. Even with them sleeping, it was well worth the $7 a person for 30 minutes.

If we didn't have two black cats back home and had a drive back to Indy, I would've tried to adopt one. If you're in Asheville, please stop by and support this amazing shop and cat lounge. You might find a new best friend! I will definitely come back next time we...

I rescued two black kitties sisters from Young Williams . They told us they were positive for feline Leukemia and possibly not promised long lives, , but neither are any of us. They lightly joked about black cats and the stigma of being symbols of evil. They assured us this is not true. Serafena and Winifred, became Sara and Winnie. Sara lived almost two yrs. She passed this past Feb, Winnie still going strong. She loves prayer time. She sits quietly purring, paws upon the Holy Bible, as I kneel to pray. I always pray for Jesus to apply His presence to the doorways of our home and car for protection from the evil outside. For as long as she resides in our home, we will pray 🙏 for peace and protection until Jesus returns. God created all creatures and loved them the same. So, black cat stigma comes from humans, and like humans, their souls are not for sale. Thank You for supplying the daily sacrifices of food, water, shelter, and love for...