Pets
While dogs are certainly man’s best friend, one Hudson County woman wants to make sure cats aren’t forgotten. Inspired by the love and joy cats bring, one woman has opened a store dedicated to cat care and breeding. Meow Mini Mart, located at 57 Congress Street in Jersey City, is open to educate cat owners and provide adorable cat décor in Hudson County. We’re not cat lovers, this store is perfect for the cat lovers in your life. Read on to find out what inspired the owners to open their shop and why they chose Jersey City.
Inspiration for Meow Mini Mart
Owner Shelley Cashin says it was her love for cats that inspired her to open a cat health store. When she got her black cat, Lazlo, in 2015, she noticed he was grooming himself so much that he licked his fur and lost it in places. After multiple trips to the vet and hundreds of dollars, Shelley says she traced the problem to a food intolerance. She spent hours researching what foods would work for Lazlo and found a raw diet to be the best solution for him. Shelley says that once she switched to a raw diet, Lazlo stopped grooming himself and his fur started growing back.
Amazed by Laszlo’s recovery, Shelley started blogging about how the raw diet made a difference to Laszlo and her life. She decided to continue learning about cat nutrition and the benefits of a raw diet. She says she enjoys sharing her findings online to help readers consider switching their own cats to a raw diet.
Read more: New Jersey animal shelters in need of homes
Around 2017, Shelley decided she wanted to retire from her career in fashion retail and find a job that not only fulfilled her soul but also gave back to her community. She started volunteering. Lucky Cat Rescuea shelter that offers space for cats in Hudson County, and other cat conventions in the tri-state area. “I had found my ‘buddy,’ so I decided to build a business concept around it to help other cat owners give their cats a better life with some small lifestyle changes, starting with diet,” Shelley said. Hoboken Girl.
Meow Mini Mart launched as an online store in 2018. It mainly sells cat toys, treats, and other gifts for cat owners. Shelley wanted to raise money through her sales to give to local cat rescue organizations in New Jersey.
Shelley then took her business onto the streets, hosting pop-up events at local street fairs, including the Hoboken Art & Music Festival, the Garden State Cat Show & Expo, and other markets around Hudson County. By interacting with cat lovers at these events, Shelley says she learned that many cat owners feel underserved by the pet industry.
“They complained that many pet stores focus primarily on dogs and often offer higher quality food and treats to their dog customers than to their cat customers,” Shelley said. H.G. “Also, many people have never kept a cat as a pet, and many of the sales staff complained that they could not cater to the needs of cats.” This prompted her to start planning a brick-and-mortar store specializing in cat care, and Meow Mini Mart opened in July 2023.
Welcome to Jersey City
Shelley enjoyed volunteering with local cat rescues and knew of some of the hottest spots for cat rescues in Hudson County. She loved the village feel of The Heights in Jersey City, with its cute homes, lively shopping area, and great cafes and restaurants. When she learned more about the efforts to help stray cats in the area, Shelley says she realized her shop could help them on many levels.
Meow Mini Mart sells cat supplies for all types of cat owners, and Shelly loves to share her advice and expertise on how to be a successful cat owner. Shelly says she loves helping cat owners and talking to them in her store, but she also has a ton of cat supplies. Blog Posts OnlineCat lovers can learn about volunteering with a rescue group, adopting a cat or browse holiday gift guides for their beloved feline friends.
For more information, see: Montclair Area Veterinarian Listings
Shelly is now the proud mother of three cats. According to Shelly, Lazlo, Bo, and Bouvier are indoor cats, and each has an active personality. Last summer, Shelly also rescued a female cat that was kept outdoors, and she says that she sometimes comes back to Shelly’s backyard for snacks.
Meow Mini Mart, located at 57 Congress Street in Jersey City, is open Tuesday through Sunday.
