Mount Purrnon Cat Cafe and Wine Bar
Alexandria, Virginia
Mount Purrnon Cat Café and Wine Bar, located at 109 S Alfred St in Alexandria, Virginia, is a unique blend of a colonial-themed cafe and a cat adoption lounge, opened in August 2020 after a successful Kickstarter campaign raised over $25,000. Partnered with Fancy Cats & Dogs Rescue Team, this cozy spot typically houses 20-25 adoptable rescue cats from shelters across southern Virginia, Maryland, and the Carolinas, offering them a cage-free haven until they find forever homes—some in as little as a day, others after months. Open Monday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday to Friday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. (closed Tuesdays), guests can reserve hourly cat lounge sessions for $20 (highly recommended, especially weekends, via 703-567-1138 or online), while the downstairs cafe/wine bar—accessible via a separate ADA-compliant rear entrance—offers free entry with Swing’s Coffee, sandwiches, salads, gluten-free cookies, and a selection of wines, beers, and meads. Featuring events like yoga with cats, wine tastings, and tarot readings, plus free Wi-Fi for remote work, Mount Purrnon combines feline therapy with local history, channeling all reservation fees into cat care, making it a purr-fect retreat for cat lovers and history buffs alike in historic Old Town.