Today we’d like to introduce you to April Ferguson.
Hi April, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have a background/career in tech industry events, but wanted to try my hand at something more meaningful. I wanted to create something that would make a difference in my community.
In 2023, I opened Playful Paws Cat Café in Bend, Oregon. The idea was simple: create a welcoming space where people could relax, connect with adoptable cats, and hopefully fall in love with one. We partner with a local rescue, so every cat in the café is available for adoption, and the café serves as an oversized foster home where they can socialize and interact with people in a comfortable environment.
Since opening, we’ve helped more than 400 cats find homes, hosted community events, and built a space where people come not just to adopt, but to unwind, celebrate, and experience the joy that cats bring. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see how a simple idea has grown into something that benefits both people and animals.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Honestly, it’s been a much smoother road than I expected. We’re about to celebrate the café’s third birthday, and the Bend and Central Oregon community has been incredibly supportive from day one. The response has been amazing, and I feel so lucky that people have embraced what we’re doing.
That said, as a first-time business owner, there have definitely been moments of imposter syndrome. I came from a corporate career, so there was a steep learning curve when it came to running every aspect of a small business. There are always questions like, “Am I making the right decision?” or “How do I keep growing without losing what makes this place special?”
Owning a small business is also a constant balancing act. You’re always thinking about how to make it better, how to reach more people, and how to make sure the business stays healthy while staying true to your mission. It’s stressful at times, but seeing the cats find homes and hearing how much the café means to our guests makes every challenge worth it.
We’ve been impressed with Playful Paws Cat Cafe, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Playful Paws Cat Café is Central Oregon’s only cat café, but we’re much more than a place to hang out with cats. We partner with a local rescue to provide a comfortable, home-like environment where adoptable cats can socialize while they wait for their forever families. Every cat in our lounge is available for adoption, and every visit helps support our rescue mission.
What sets us apart is that we’re intentionally small and personal. We limit the number of guests in the cat lounge so both the cats and our visitors have a calm, low-stress experience. It’s not uncommon to hear someone say they came in because they were having a rough day and left smiling. Whether someone adopts a cat, celebrates a birthday, spends time with friends, or simply needs a mental reset, we love being a place where people can slow down and connect.
I’m incredibly proud that we’ve helped more than 400 cats find loving homes. That’s the number everyone notices, but I’m just as proud of the community we’ve built. We have regulars who stop in just to spend time with the cats, volunteers who have become like family, and visitors who make us a must-do stop every time they’re in Bend.
At the end of the day, our mission is simple: create a space that benefits both cats and people. If someone leaves feeling happier than when they walked in—or better yet, leaves with a new best friend—we’ve done exactly what we set out to do.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I don’t really consider myself a risk-taker. I’m actually pretty practical. When I decided to open the café, I wasn’t looking to take a big gamble—I just believed there was a need for a place like it.
That said, opening a cat café was definitely a risk. Bend has always been known as a “dog town,” and there was no guarantee people would embrace the concept. Thankfully, it turns out Central Oregon loves cats just as much.
I also wasn’t ready to walk away from the security of a steady paycheck. When we opened, I continued working part-time in my corporate event planning career because, honestly, I was too afraid to give up that income. Nearly three years later, I still don’t draw a salary from the café. Every dollar we make goes right back into the business so we can continue to grow and improve.
We opened on a shoestring budget, so my family and I did as much of the build-out as we could ourselves. My then-9-year-old son even learned how to rip up carpet using a machine that was probably heavier than he was. It truly became a family project, and those memories are some of my favorites. Even today, I still wear a lot of hats—from marketing and event planning to ordering inventory and cleaning—but I definitely don’t do it alone. I have two wonderful part-time employees who are a huge part of making the café what it is, and I’m fortunate to have professionals, like my bookkeeper, handling the things that are outside my expertise.
For me, risk isn’t about making huge leaps—it’s about believing in an idea enough to put in the work while making thoughtful, realistic decisions along the way. Looking back, opening Playful Paws was absolutely a leap of faith, but seeing more than 400 cats find loving homes and watching the community embrace the café has made every bit of that risk worthwhile.
Pricing:
- A 50-minute cat lounge session is $20/person (ages 8+)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.playfulpawscatcafe.com
- Instagram: playfulpawscatcafe
- Facebook: playfulpawscatcafe
