The Cat Museum of New York City is a proposed institution dedicated to educating the public about cat care and cat rescue, primarily through cat art exhibits, as well as other programming and events.
New York City is wonderful. We have everything here—world-class art museums, cat cafés, and cat-lovers. We even have a Museum of the Dog! But one thing we don’t have is a cat museum. Other cities throughout the country and the world have cat museums dedicated to cat art and cat causes. It’s time for New York City to get its own cat museum!
We’re starting this museum to change attitudes about cats. We believe that rescued cats have a lot to offer us, and having a pet cat is not a luxury. And New York City cats need our help—there is an overpopulation crisis of about 500,000 stray cats. We can give cats better lives if we share knowledge about cat care and cat rescue with the public.
There is no cat equivalent of the dog park. Cat people deserve a friendly space to meet other cat-lovers and learn more about felines. The Cat Museum of New York City will be a nonprofit institution that will educate the public and connect the community of cat lovers through cat art.
We currently host pop-up events to connect the community of cat-lovers in New York City. Our events so far have included:
cat art exhibits
interactive cat-art-making for all ages
educational presentations about cat rescue, cats in culture, and the history of cats
parties to encourage people to meet other cat-lovers, especially to give back to those who work in cat rescue or shelters or the veterinary profession
We have many more kinds of events in the works!
Our goal is to raise money to open a space in New York City that welcomes all cat-lovers and will house cat art and educational exhibits about cat culture, cat rescue, cat care, and more. We also hope to host more special events like the above. Once we secure a permanent location, we also would love to offer a cat book library, a cat arts and crafts space, and a cat gift shop that particularly spotlights small businesses and local artists. There is so much more we would love to do for rescues and shelters to help them get their animals fostered and adopted as well, such as special adoption events and benefits.
We do not currently have a space you can visit. We are working toward our goal of raising money for a purrmanent location. Until then, we will announce when we have upcoming pop-up events or virtual events and provide resources on our website and social media. Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram and other social media platforms mentioned in our website footer to receive event announcements.
We are new! Many are surprised to learn that before we started working on the Cat Museum of New York City, there was no institution dedicated to feline art and cultural education in the great city of New York. We have been researching systemic issues affecting cat owners, rescuers, and other stakeholders in the cat world since 2023. We received a provisional museum charter from New York State’s Department of Education in October 2025 and are in the process of applying for federal nonprofit 501(c)3 status.
There are many ways you can help.
Spread the word: Tell your cat-loving friends and family about us! Share our website and encourage them to follow the below actions.
Donate and help us toward our launch goal.
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on our progress, needs, and events.
Follow us on Instagram and other social media platforms mentioned in our website footer to stay up-to-date on our events, activities, and partner artists and organizations.
Share your art with us: Fill out our Collection Committee review form if you are an artist interested in partnering with us.
Partner with us: Contact us if you are an artist, business, or organization interested in collaborating on pop-up events or after we launch.
Volunteer: Learn more about what kinds of volunteer skills are needed.
If you would like to volunteer to contribute your artwork or photographs to the museum collection ahead of our launch, please fill out the Collection Committee review form. Submissions are considered on a rolling basis according to our Collection Committee schedule. We will contact you regarding any potential next steps. More opportunities to come; please stay tuned for formal calls for artwork after we launch the museum. At this time, we regret that we cannot offer compensation (beyond the possibility of partnerships, gift shop merchandise profit-splitting opportunities, and/or shipping costs—although we would prefer to meet you and accept your work in person if you are local to New York City). When we launch and secure the means to fairly pay artists, photographers, and other creators, we plan to actively solicit submissions from BIPOC, LGTBQ+, women, and other artists who are underrepresented in traditional art spaces.
Check out our Resources page for rescue/shelter organizations you can volunteer with, fun cat organizations and businesses to support, and cat media to consume (books, movies, podcasts, video games, etc.). Subscribe to our newsletter for announcements about our events and events we recommend for cat-lovers in NYC.
Not yet! We have been working on our museum charter for a while now and were just approved in October 2025. That means we did not have state incorporation until then. We are subsequently working on applying for federal nonprofit 501(c)3 status. We will update our website and announce in our newsletter, on Instagram, and in our other social media when we have nonprofit status. Until then, you can support us through our fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas.
Most of our events celebrate cat culture and art without live cats. We generally announce beforehand if an event is an adoption event or otherwise includes feline friends who could affect your allergies. Read event descriptions closely and contact us if you have a question about whether a specific event includes live cats.
Check out our pet grief resources and know that you are not alone. It is totally normal to feel sad right after or even years after losing a pet cat. We are so sorry for your loss. We’re sure your cat was lucky to have you in their life, and we hope you treasure their memory without feeling overwhelmed by sadness.
It’s okay to feel sad for as long as you need to. You can contact NYC Well or reach out to a friend or therapist if you need to talk about it. We hope to provide a safe space to remember and celebrate the lives of pets who are no longer with us through the museum. If you are feeling hopeless and are suffering from a mental health crisis, suicidal thoughts, or other emotional distress, know that the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can connect you with a counselor 24-7. Call or text the phone number 988 or chat with 988.
No, we are not a cat rescue organization, nor are we a cat shelter. Our work is to educate the public about cat care and cat rescue, and we support those who work in animal welfare/well-being through our programming and exhibits.
No, under no circumstances can we accept any live animals. Please refer to our Resources page for some reputable rescues and shelters we recommend contacting, or research those in your area online. You can also review the Animal Care Centers (ACC) of New York City’s resources on surrender and surrender prevention. We do not have space or capacity to shelter or care for your cat. Your cat is much better off with you.
We realize there are extenuating circumstances (a landlord who does not allow pets or health issues, for example). We strongly recommend doing everything you can to avoid surrendering your cat. We know your cat is a part of your family, and you want to do what is best for him or her. Cats find rehoming very stressful. There are options you may not have tried yet before the last resort of rehoming your beloved cat.
It is illegal to abandon or dump your pet cat in New York, so please contact a shelter/rescue organization or find a responsible adopter yourself to avoid legal troubles/fines. We have more than 500,000 stray cats in New York City, and life for an abandoned pet cat is exceedingly difficult. We know you don’t want this outcome for your family member.
We cannot take in any pet cats or stray cats (whether they are friendly or feral). We know if you are even considering this option, you have started to make a hard choice, and we are working with rescues, shelters, and other stakeholders to understand and eventually lessen the burdens on people that lead to cat abandonment.
We are animal-lovers too, not just cat-lovers. We support those who work in TNR because we think it is the most humane option available during a cat overpopulation crisis that is harming cats and other species, including birds.
We want the same thing as bird-lovers, ultimately—fewer stray cats suffering in the streets of an urban ecosphere means fewer birds being preyed upon. If cats are trapped and spayed/neutered and vaccinated, and then friendly cats are fostered/adopted, no birds are harmed. If feral cats are trapped, spayed/neutered and vaccinated, and then cared for by community caregivers, then the predation on birds lasts only one generation instead of being endless. Of course we care about birds as well as cats, and we believe we can work wing-in-paw toward solutions that are mutually agreeable.