A former veterinary assistant decided to build her mobile cat salon, a camper van where felines can meet potential adopters and have all the necessary treats. Her goal is to help reduce the problem of the rising stray cat population and euthanasia in her area.
Equipped with cat trees, beds, and baskets, Janette Deloach’s cat salon offers a peaceful and warm atmosphere for pusses. This former veterinary assistant now roams the streets of Polk County, Florida, with the mobile cat lounge to assist her young kittens in finding a loving household.
Visitors pay to spend time with the cats that Janette DeLoach rescues and cares for in this converted camper. They can also adopt them if they desire.
For the young woman, it’s “a relaxing and intimate way to spend time with cats and see if you want to adopt one. I’ve made it mobile so that I can go to coffee shops, breweries, and farmers’ markets.”
An itinerant cat lounge
In February 2022, the idea for Botany Cats was formed. Since then, Janets gets three to four calls every week regarding stray cats discovered in backyards. In her mobile home, she takes them in, has them immunized and spayed or neutered, and then offers them for adoption.
Furthermore, Janet’s new endeavor gives her enormous emotional satisfaction. “When the cats choose their person, they light up, play more, rub up against her,” says Janette DeLoach. It’s so moving and rewarding. The young woman spotlights every adoption on her Facebook account.
Apart from cats, Janet’s camper also houses plants. She describes the van as “Central Florida’s first mobile cat lounge and plant nursery, bringing new furry and leafy friends into your life. Guaranteed to paws-itively chloro-fill your day with happiness” on the lounge’s Facebook profile.
Moreover, Janet gives animal lovers the chance to support her efforts through donations. These donations can include cat food, litter, or money. An Amazon wishlist has been created explicitly for this purpose. Through the list, netizens can get an idea of what the cat lounge needs at the moment.
Reducing cat euthanasia
Besides helping stray cats, Janette DeLoach’s pet project has an ultimate purpose. The rescuer hopes to lessen the need for euthanasia in her county by assisting in the fight against overcrowding in shelters and the problem of feral cat overpopulation.
Janet spoke about this issue to ABC Action news stating: “Polk County has a huge feral problem. There’s a cat on every street that you walk on. There are so many cats going to Animal Control and therefore so many are being euthanized. It’s heartbreaking, it really is,” she said.
According to Polk Animal Control, an average of 146 cats are euthanized each month. The local government wants to reach the goal of zero euthanasia by 2025. They are working with 160 animal welfare organizations to achieve this goal.