What do you get when vintage arcade games and cat adoptions collide? The Purr Ground cat arcade in Wrightwood! A unique and entertaining take on the popular cat cafes.
The Purr Ground is a small family-owned business making a big impact. All the cats and kittens housed here are rescues looking for their forever homes. Owner Elisha has a passion for animals that is unmatched. Elisha not only takes in as many stray cats and kittens as space will allow but also works with shelters—Friends of the Valley and Devore, to name a few—to rescue cats that have medical conditions and need surgeries the shelter may not be able to provide. With the help of her community, she fundraises to get the procedures done and rehabilitates the cats until they are ready to be rehomed.
Not all cat cafes are kid-friendly, but “The Purr Ground is proud to be the second that allows younger kids,” says Elisha. In their first year of operation, they were able to find forever homes for over 100 cats and counting, with a return rate of zero! For a small entrance fee that goes right back into caring for the cats, you not only get to spend time with the cats in their space-themed paradise, but you also have unlimited play on all the vintage arcade games like Space Invaders, Pong, Street Fighter 2, Star Wars, and Rampage. The stunning wall murals were done by Elisha’s husband, Nic Nak, who owns Soul Windows Tattoo shop in Wrightwood.
When a cat is adopted, they are dewormed, vaccinated, and spayed or neutered to prevent future unwanted litters. The adoption fee also goes right back into caring for the animals. The Purr Ground will be celebrating three wonderful years of purrfect matches this October.
While The Purr Ground is cat-centric, Elisha also owns Wrightwood’s Littlest Pet Shop, which is a rescue dog adoption center. She has a soft spot for rescuing dogs with behavioral and medical conditions from the aforementioned shelters. “I do the dirty work to rescue, temp test, and vet the animals,” says Elisha in preparing them to be ready for adoption.
If you are looking for a furever friend to add to your family, support your local rescues or check out a shelter near you. When asked what Elisha would say to someone looking to adopt, she responded, “Make sure the animal is the right fit for your home and remember it’s forever.”
The Purr Ground is open Friday through Sunday, and Wrightwood’s Littlest Pet Shop is open Saturday and Sunday. For more information on The Purr Ground, you can follow them on Facebook at The PurrGround or on Instagram @thepurrground. For more information on Wrightwood’s Littlest Pet Shop, you can visit their website, wrightwoodspetshop.wixsite.com, and follow them on Facebook at Wrightwood’s Littlest Pet Shop or on Instagram @wrightwoodspetshop.
