KITTY CORNER CAFÉ Brings Cuddly Companions to Town
October 2025
Article by Jessica Renstrom | Photos by Jamie Blotske
A purr-fectly charming new nonprofit offers Billings residents a cozy place to unwind with conversation and cuddly cats. The Kitty Corner Café, co-founded by mental health professionals Anna Claypool and Juletta Gilge, is a haven for cat lovers and curious newcomers alike. While visiting Montana’s first cat café in Bozeman, Anna and Juletta were instantly inspired, asking themselves: “Why doesn’t Billings have one, too?”
Now, after two years of planning, fundraising, and tireless perseverance, Kitty Corner Café has opened its doors as Montana’s second cat café.
At its core, Kitty Corner Café is a nonprofit cat lounge, created to blend the therapeutic benefits of spending time with animals with a welcoming social environment. The café partners with Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter, bringing in adoptable cats (when available) and providing them a cozy setting to interact with potential adopters.
Within the first 12 days, the café facilitated 17 cat adoptions, highlighting both the need for feline-friendly community spaces and the overwhelming public support. Although the staff was thrilled for those cats to have found their families, “It was hard for the staff, the customers, and the cats when the turnover was so quick,” Anna explained. To create a sense of stability for both guests and staff, the café now houses seven permanent resident cats, all of whom have become beloved fixtures in the space.
While the word “café” might lead some to expect lattes and pastries, Montana’s health codes forced the team to rethink their initial plan. “The health department told us we’d need essentially a second building to serve food,” explained Anna. “We didn’t want to change the name, though, since we’d already built the brand.”
Still, Anna and Juletta keep their eyes on their long-term goal: expanding to a larger space that includes a fully operational coffee shop alongside the cat lounge. As the founders balance both their mental health careers and the daily demands of the café, they work tirelessly to promote their mission: “It’s like raising a baby,” Anna laughs.
Ready to check out the space for yourself? Get ready to be greeted by some furry friends, along with a wide range of cat- themed gifts, from stickers and shirts to earrings and necklaces, both in-store and at community events. Also, don’t miss out on Kitty Corner Café’s upcoming special events, like “Cats & Mats” yoga sessions! Keep an eye on their social media and website for upcoming dates and details about adoptable cats who will occasionally make appearances at the Café.
Originally printed in the October 2025 issue of Simply Local Magazine
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