Savannah cat café launches pet food pantry as families struggle amid record 39-day shutdown

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A Savannah cat café is helping federal workers feed their pets during the longest government shutdown in American history, now in its 39th day.

Pounce Cat Café owner Ashley Brooks created a pet food pantry after seeing families struggle with an impossible choice between feeding themselves or their pets as federal workers go without pay and SNAP benefits are delayed.

“A lot of people have cats and dogs that are probably struggling too,” Brooks said. “We just wanted to see how we could help.”

The cat café put out a call on social media Friday asking for donations for the pet food pantry. In less than 24 hours, their pantry shelves were stocked with bags of cat food, treats and other pet supplies.

“We’ve had a ton of people come and donate a bunch of goodies,” Brooks said.

Pet owners impacted by the shutdown can visit the café any day between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. to get whatever they need, no questions asked. They can also call or email the café ahead of time.

“We obviously want animals to be fed, but we also want to be able to keep pets and families together,” Brooks said. “And I feel like this is another big component of being able to do that.”

Anyone wanting to help can drop off donations directly at Pounce, contribute to their Amazon Wishlist, or make a monetary donation.