At Tampa’s inaugural cat café, Chandler forges lasting friendships with his new feline companions

Tampa’s first cat café celebrated when one-eyed orange pirate kitty, Chandler, became a success story. The pretty in pink, house-panther-themed Cats & Caffeine works with a partner rescue, Cat Lovers Inc., who rescued Chandler and his tiny siblings back in the winter of 2022.

 
(Warning: The before picture may be disturbing to some viewers.)

Images via Facebook and Instagram/Cats and Caffeine

Chandler lost one eye as a kitten, and it wasn’t pretty. Possibly, his eye was damaged by another cat. Sadly another one of his siblings, Fritz, needed a costly leg amputation too. Despite the horrendous injuries, they were otherwise doing well. Cats are amazingly resilient but have such a hard life on the streets.

"The vets said he was most likely scratched in the eye by another cat as a baby,” the café shared.

Chandler was rescued as a tiny kitten with a badly damaged eye by Cat Lovers Inc. via Facebook.

Most kittens on the streets won’t make it, but this one was a lucky one indeed. After the rescue, Chandler’s fate was to spend his days hanging out in a pretty pink café.

Chandler the Pirate Kitty

Since Chandler was a little guy, he wasn’t old enough to undergo eye surgery. So the rescuers had to do their best for him until he was older. Sometimes, kittens with serious eye infections and injuries can recover almost miraculously.

Unfortunately, Chandler’s eye was beyond saving. Thus, he was destined to be a pirate kitty. But, as with everything else, cats adapt to life with one eye or without any eyes. They can live long, happy lives as housecats and surprise their humans with how well-adjusted they are. We’ve previously shared some easy tips for caring for a blind cat.

“We were able to maintain his eye for as long as we could… but once he was old enough, the vets had to make the difficult decision to remove it. After the surgery, he was much more comfortable and still so handsome,” Cats and Caffeine shared.

Despite losing an eye, Chandler was always a typical goofy kitty. He was a favorite for many visitors after arriving at the café. There, he could be himself in a cage-free environment.

“Being blind in one eye has never stopped him from zooming around the cafe & showing endless love.”

Here’s Chandler enjoying the Zen vibes at the café, where they frequently practice Yoga too! What an amazing way to share a space with cats looking for homes! They receive important socialization in such a calm and peaceful setting.

We love how local students stressing over exams come to get some kitty cuddles and feline therapy too!

Chandler Meets Two New Friends and Future Mommies!

After many exciting days of enjoying life at the café and meeting many new friends, Chandler met his future mommies.

“We’re so happy for this little fighter who captured our hearts + many! CONGRATS to Chandler & his new forever moms” they shared.

Congratulations to Cats and Caffeine and the happy family!

Chandler and his foster family

We see that Chandler also has a doggie sibling (Joey, is that you?) and took a seat on the Friend’s couch. Okay, he took it over really.

Unlike Chandler from the TV series Friends, this kitty doesn’t mind double-dipping or licking from the bowl.

If you are in the Tampa area, you can make a reservation to visit the café and meet adorable adoptable kitties like Chandler. You can also follow Cats and Caffeine on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.