Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Renee Shamloo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Renee, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
The Cat Lounge prides itself in reimagining the shelter system. When we opened our doors in 2019, Southern California had started seeing cat cafes pop up. We loved this concept, but we knew we wanted to do things differently. Our mission before The Cat Lounge was even named was giving adoptable cats a second chance in finding a forever home. So, we scratched out the café idea entirely and decided to create a lounge-like environment instead! This meant we did not have to partner with a for-profit company, that our time and energy spent was just on rescue, and that we had the ability to make decisions that would be best for the animals. Not only that but creating a home-like environment that was cage free benefited everyone! The cats were less stressed, people coming to hang out or adopt were able to see the true personalities of each cat, and it was a warm environment people wanted to come to rather than avoid because of how sad shelters can be. We’ve had people walk through our doors who have never seen this concept and are blown away that they can spend time with cats in this type of environment. We’re very proud of being a non-profit so the focus can be where it should be – cats! That focus has allowed us to reach 5,000 adoptions just shy of our 4 year anniversary. We will continue pushing boundaries and hope to create new standards that will make an impression in rescue for years to come.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
he Cat Lounge Rescue and Adoption center is San Diego’s first non-profit cat lounge! We rescue cats that would have been euthanatized otherwise from high kill shelters and partner with local rescues to provide a safe haven for cats where the public can participate in socializing, rehabilitation, and adoption. We provide a public forum to educate the community on the importance of adoption, while giving them a lounge to see our work in action. We provide socialization and full medical care from spay/neuter to specialized surgery for every cat we take under our care. In four years time, we have rescued over 5,000 cats!
Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?
The Cat Lounge has a vested interest in our cats even after they leave our facility. Our team learns the background and personality of each cat we rescue in order to find them the right home and genuinely cares about their journey. We believe our investment to their long term happiness shows itself in several ways, creating a positive experience for adopters to want to get involved, whether it be to adopt again, refer a friend, or ask for help in a rescue situation. First and foremost, we’re not afraid to say “no”. We spend every day with our rescue cats and have their best interest at heart. That means having to turn away homes that may not be the best fit for the particular cat despite any tensions that may arise thereafter. Those who share our mission understand that we are not trying to give out cats to whomever wants one, but to the right home. Additionally, once the cat is adopted, we remain involved as much as our adopters need! We do an adoption follow up to ensure things are going smoothly and are always available for a call for help, whether it be advice on how to introduce their current cat to a new cat or behaviors that they’re not sure how to deal with. We give adopters the support they need at any time – we still get photos of cats adopted 4 years ago! This honest communication and care is what allows us to create trust and love in our community.
Any advice for managing a team?
Rescue is one of the hardest fields to work in. You see the most innocent creatures being treated with the most cruel intentions and the exposure begins to chip away at you without even knowing. It is incredibly easy to become burnt out by the hundreds of pleas for help we receive a day, feeling guilty for turning someone away, and losing morale when you lose a life no matter what efforts you took. Unfortunately this is unavoidable, but maintaining high morale means shifting our focus to the positive because the negative will always be there. We have to focus on our wins – the lives we have saved and the transformations we have taken an active role in – in order to keep our head up. Community support is also key in keeping things positive. When you know that the people around you have your back and know your character, it can take a huge load off your shoulders. Lastly, we spend with each other! We have created friendships and bonds that are irreplaceable. No one knows the struggles we face except other people in the field. Being able to openly communicate about our experiences, our fears, and our happiness is the best way to manage a team.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thecatlounge.org
- Instagram: @thecatloungerescue