Stray By The Bay Cat Cafe

06/07/2026

Meet our newest fosters🍨

We picked up 5 of some of the cutest kittens from Beatrice Humane Society today and they’ll be with us until they grow big and strong enough to get spayed/neutered (speutered if you would) for adoption! In honor of the hot weather, these babies got frozen sweet treat names!

Ice Cream: female black & white short-hair
Gelato: female tortoiseshell medium/long-hair
Popsicle: female calico medium/long-hair
Water Ice: male black & white medium/long-hair
Frozen Dairy Dessert: female calico medium/long-hair

Don’t tell the others, but Popsicle has me tearing up every time I look at her perfect little face 🥺😭

06/05/2026

As of last night, WE ARE OFFICIALLY 1/3 OF THE WAY FUNDED!! 🎉🤩

$10,000 in less than 10 months is no small feat! We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve been able to pull off and so so SO thankful to each and every one of you that has donated towards our dreams!

Stray By The Bay is not just a small business. It will be a place for cats to socialize and be enriched before adoption. It will be a cat supply pantry for those who need a little extra help taking care of their furry friends. It will be a safe place to gather, meet others that love cats just like you, and attend fun cat themed events.

Donate and share today to bring Stray By The Bay to life! Everyone that donates through our GoFundMe will be memorialized in our Cat Cabana Room forever 😻🌴

https://gofund.me/b4ee304b

06/04/2026

Since we’re about to put ink to paper (digital signature to screen?), let’s take a small peek at what the cat cafe might look like! Here’s an inside look at our ideas for how the Cat Cabana room may look at Stray By The Bay including the private litter box room! 🌴🐱

With the help of “background eraser” and the never ending supply of little elements on a free Canva account (no AI here 🚫🙅‍♀️) we managed to create an idea/plan/guidelines on how to bring together our coastal look! Here’s what we’re thinking:

•LOTS of comfy seating for relaxing (both people and cats!)
•Wooden accent wall with our logo for cute adoption photoshoots
•”Sand”-like polished concrete floors for that beachy feel and easy to clean-ability
•Plenty of enrichment for the cats from towers, to scratching posts, to toys, all the way to cat shelves on the wall!
•Window walls! Can’t/don’t want to visit inside the cat room? There will be windows and seating in the cafe to allow for cat viewing!
•Private litter box room! Don’t want to sip coffee next to where cats do their business? We don’t blame you! Litter boxes will be located in their own private room to allow for everyone’s comfort!

Think we’re missing anything? Leave us a comment with your thoughts! 👇

Want to be a part of Stray By The Bay? Donate to our GoFundMe! Each donor will be memorialized in our Cat Cabana room! 💙🐱🏖️

https://gofund.me/b4ee304b

06/04/2026

❗️Physical Location Update❗️

Today’s the day! Our amazing lawyer has gone over our lease with the finest of fine tooth combs, gone back and forth to make sure our lease is legit and fair, and has given the A-okay on the final draft. Know what that means?

WE HAVE THE FINAL LEASE TO SIGN🙀

What does this mean? It means all we have to do is review it one last time, put a pretty little signature on a few lines, and viola construction can start!

We sent over our final payment for our lawyer’s hard work and we spent a total of $3002.70 of the $3000 we had estimated. Once we sign the lease (before the end of the week), we’ll also have to pay our security deposit of $3036. That’s a total of $6038.70 spent in less than two weeks!

If you’d like to help Stray By The Bay become a reality, help donate towards our expenses! Before we can even open our doors we’ll have to pay at least $31038.70. That’s not even including permits, licenses, start up supplies, and any other bits and bobs that may pop up between here and now!

If you’re able, please think about donating to Stray By The Bay today! 💕🐱

GoFundMe (almost 1/3 funded!):

https://gofund.me/b4ee304b

Venmo:

http://venmo.com/straybythebay

Online Webstore:

https://www.straybythebay.com/s/shop

06/02/2026

Happy Purr-ide Month from Stray By The Bay 💕🏳️‍🌈

05/23/2026

Our most recent fosters are ready for adoption!

Cal and Mari took a trip back to on Wednesday after healing up with us for a few weeks. Yesterday they were able to snag a spot at the South Lincoln Petco (56th and Nebraska Parkway). It looks like the little tri-pawd Cal was able to win some hearts and get adopted today, but his sweet sister Mari is still available!

Mari is sweet, sociable, and loves to snuggle! One minute she’s playing with her toys, the next she’s in your lap purring up a storm and soaking up all the attention. If this sounds like the right girl for you, make sure you head over to Petco ASAP this weekend and adopt her before someone else does! 🐈‍⬛🖤

05/15/2026

First Maker’s Market of the season! We’ll be here 6-10pm with handmade cat toys, stickers, coffee mugs, and our candles! Be sure to stop by, enjoy the other local vendors, and chat with us about our physical location that’s opening up right down the street 😻😻

05/12/2026

Join us this Friday 6pm-10pm! We’re currently working on making a ton of kitty toys for you all 😻

Something here catch your eye? 👀🛍️

This is just a preview of the kinds of amazing finds and hidden gems waiting for you at our first night market, but there’ll be so much more waiting for you! Come by THIS FRIDAY from 6-10pm and build your own dream haul!

Featuring:
Bazing Bling
Kristina Cole Designs
Stray By The Bay Cat Cafe
Bradley Bonbons
Holistically Grateful, LLC
Frog Steel Forge

See you at the market 💜

05/11/2026

Do you or someone you know live in Fairbury or Jefferson County? If they take care of or feed feral cats, be sure to have them sign up for BHS’s big fix day!

The only humane solution to the world’s stray cat problem is TNR, so let’s get those kitties clipped!

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day💐

To all the Moms, Mamas, Mothers, Grandmas, Mommoms, Grammies, Step-Moms, Foster Moms, Cat Moms, Dog Moms, and whatever else you may call the person that you celebrate today, thank you for all you do. Today’s all about you 😊🌷