RICHMOND, VA – The Purrfect Bean, a popular cat café in Richmond‘s Byrd Park, will remain closed for the rest of the year after a kitten caused significant water damage in a “series of freak accidents,” according to the business. The incident, involving a 5-month-old tuxedo kitten named Roller, resulted in flooding that will require extensive repairs to the storefront.
The café, which opened in August 2025, will need to redo its entire flooring, ceilings, and walls on the ground floor. The bathroom in the upper floor cat lounge also sustained damage and will require repair. Waterlogged equipment, including the espresso machine and coffee grinder, must be replaced.
According to the business, some kittens were unharmed, lounging on furniture and utilizing the café’s scratchers and window perches, while others “enjoyed splashing around in the water.”
The Purrfect Bean is hosting a local pay-what-you-can fundraiser Saturday at Byrd Park, supported by TikTok personalities “The Tiramasu Guy” and “Find Your Exit Plan,” a local Matcha cart. A GoFundMe has also been established to support the café’s staff who are currently without income.
“We are beyond grateful to be in a city that is built on community.The love and support truly means the world to us,” the café crew wrote on Facebook.
As opening, The Purrfect Bean has facilitated over 100 accomplished cat adoptions as of November 5.The café currently has nine kittens available for adoption, with names like Jumpin’ Jack Flash and Hole punch. the café commemorates each adoption with a Polaroid photograph displayed on a corkboard near the entrance.
The cats are currently staying with their foster families during the repairs.