I know you probably are thinking, what are you doing posting about Midwest Pet Refuge/ Cat Tales center of operations?
Well, it seems a day doesn't go by where I am not reminded of cats. One only has to go to their Instagram or Facebook feed to be bombarded with photos of these adorable furry felines.
While driving in Indiana, I did a search for used bookstores and happened to find this one that mentioned that it was a cat adoption center that houses used books.
I thought it was an interesting concept and it's not like the used books stores I go to don't have cats, many of them do, as store pets.
This one is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 nonprofit. And yes, in addition to many furry felines, that are available for adoption, they do have a large selection of affordably priced used books! We stopped in there recently and learned that behind the heart of this is a board and group of volunteers who love animals. To increase adoptions, they incorporated a used bookstore back in 2016. This has not only increased their adoptions, but it has done so drastically. They hope to open a larger shelter / used bookstore in the near future.
Cat Tales is Midwest Pet Refuge
115 N Meridian St, Portland, Indiana 47371, United States
260-726-3331
If you want to learn more about the store it was featured in the book Bookstore Cats.
by Brandon Schultz
Hardcover: 160 pages
Publisher: Glitterati Editions (September 5, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1943876525
ISBN-13: 978-1943876525
Synopsis
Reading an article about cats who live in bookstores inspired author Brandon Schultz to further investigate the lives of bookstore cats. Cats have strong personalities that enchant and engage, and it turns out there are many of them living in every reader's favorite environment: the bookstore. With personalities and histories as varied as the books they tend, each cat has a story worth telling. Collected here are their tales, along with enchanting photos of the feline employees in their shops.
Most bookstore cats are famous in their local communities, many have been featured and profiled in entertainment outlets, and some even have their own books and social media accounts. Now, for the first time, some of the world's most beloved bookstore cats are collected together in one adorable directory, making the perfect gift for cat lovers, book lovers, shoppers, and the generally curious worldwide. Aside from keeping a bookseller free of mice, these noble creatures become part of the fabric of their environment and, while they chase away the mice, they lure in the world's cat-loving readers.