Celebrating One Year of RubyCats

Cheers to a Year of Cats, Community and Connection

One year ago, on January 9, 2025, RubyCats officially opened its doors in Downtown Toledo. What started as a dream rooted in compassion for cats and community has grown into something far bigger than we ever imagined.

As we celebrate our first anniversary, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the milestones, memories and people — both human and feline — who made our first year so special.

Board members celebrate the opening of RubyCats

A Purr-fect Beginning

Our journey began with a sold-out Grand Opening Weekend, filled with excitement, curiosity and overwhelming community support. From the very first day, it was clear that Toledo was ready to embrace its first-ever cat café.

Sweet Gulliver

One of the most meaningful moments of opening day came early: our very first adoption. Gulliver, a sweet feline guest, found his forever home — a reminder of exactly why RubyCats exists.

The love didn’t stop there. Local media outlets including WTOL, 13abc and the Toledo Blade helped share our story, while a video featured on Downtown Toledo’s Facebook page reached more than 160,000 views. It was a powerful welcome into the community.

Milestones Worth Celebrating

As the weeks turned into months, RubyCats quickly became a cozy hub for cat lovers, book clubs, families, and visitors from near and far.

Some highlights from our first year include:

• Welcoming our 1,000th visitor just weeks after opening

• Surpassing 1,800 visitors by early spring

• Marking more than 3,800 total Cat Café visits

• Celebrating over 40 cat adoptions

• Hosting more than 20 special events, from yoga and Late Night Hangs to fundraisers and Meet the Artist events

• Logging more than 400 volunteer hours in support of our mission

• Reaching 159,000 website page views from 28,000 unique visitors

• Growing to nearly 6,000 followers across Facebook and Instagram, with 35,000+ content interactions and more than 1.1 million views

Each number represents a person who walked through our doors, a cat who felt safe or a connection that mattered.

A Community Celebration: The Big Meow

In April, we marked another major milestone with The Big Meow, our official ribbon cutting and community block party. With support from our neighbors and partners including Grindhrs and the City of Toledo, Adams Street came alive with music, local vendors, and feline fun.

By that point, RubyCats had already facilitated more than 20 adoptions and the celebration felt like a shared victory.

Oreo (now Daphne Jane) celebrates her new home

Every Cat’s Story Matters

Princess Sarah

Spring brought one of our most heartwarming achievements: every one of our original Opening Day cats found their furever homes.

From beloved regulars like Oreo and Princess Sarah to playful kittens and shy souls who blossomed with time and patience, each adoption told a story of trust, growth and love. Watching cats find homes continues to be the most rewarding part of what we do.

Most recently, we rang in the new year with another happy ending: Roo was adopted on Jan. 1, kicking off 2026 in the best possible way.

Roo finds his furever home

Honoring the Past, Investing in the Future

In August, RubyCats was proud to introduce the Joyce Fae Jacobs Cat Care Fund, honoring a woman whose compassion for stray cats shaped the very building RubyCats now calls home. This fund ensures that every cat who passes through our doors receives exceptional care, today and for years to come.

Later in the year, we were humbled to be nominated for three Best of Toledo Awards:

• Charity/Nonprofit

• Pet Adoption Service

• Pet Rescue

These nominations belong to our entire community: every volunteer, donor, adopter and visitor who believes in our mission.

Thank You for an Incredible First Year

RubyCats is more than a café. It’s a place where cats are given time, where people slow down and where meaningful connections happen every day.

As we celebrate one year, we’re filled with gratitude and excitement for what’s ahead. Thank you for supporting RubyCats, sharing our story and helping us create a space where compassion leads the way.

Here’s to many more years of purrs, playtime and purpose.

How You Can Support RubyCats

• Donate through our Amazon Wishlist

• Make a monetary contribution at RubyCats.org/donate

• Join the RubyCats Membership Club

• Visit the café and spend time with our current feline residents

We can’t wait to welcome you back or meet you for the first time as we begin Year Two together. 🐾♥️