Founder & Owner | Happy Cat Cafe
Kati Quarto is the founder and owner of Happy Cat Cafe, Grand Rapids' first and only cat cafe. What began with a BuzzFeed article and a Kickstarter campaign in 2015 became a thriving downtown destination that has facilitated over 1,000 cat adoptions through partnerships with local rescues. Quarto built the business from a Keurig machine into a full specialty coffee bar and adoption lounge, navigating a pandemic closure, personal hardship, and complete renovation along the way. She’s been recognized with the Grand Rapids Junior Chamber Distinguished Service Award, the MWF WomanUp & Pitch grand prize, and Revue’s Best of the West "Best Small-Scale Attraction" in 2023 and 2024.
Beyond the cafe, Quarto also founded the Creston Cat Community TNR Project, served on the Board of Carol's Ferals, and has mentored young women through Northpointe Christian's Big Picture Learning program. She lives in West Michigan with her husband, three children, and three cats.
“I did not build Happy Cat Cafe because everything went right. I built it because I kept going when almost everything went wrong. This business has been my greatest teacher and my most honest mirror. I am proud of what it has become. Not because it was easy, but because it was worth it.”
