'Kitty Hall' event prompts flurry of cat adoptions in Minneapolis

A line of cat lovers snaked through the lobby and around the large marble sculpture in the center of the Minneapolis City Hall rotunda. With a camping tent filled with kittens in one corner and tables topped with cats lounging in cages in the other, it was hard to tell you were in a government building. No one seemed to mind the strangeness of the scene, though – they were waiting to play with kittens.

Minneapolis held its first-ever "Kitty Hall" event Tuesday with the goal of raising awareness for cat adoptions.

Attendees visited with adoptable kittens in the "Kitten Cuddling" tent and learned about cat care from volunteers.

Twenty-nine adoptable cats and kittens from Minneapolis Animal Care and Control attended the event, and 22 were adopted by the end of the day, said Jordan Gilgenbach, the city's media relations coordinator.

The remaining cats are still available for adoption at Minneapolis Animal Care and Control. The shelter does not have time limits on animal stays, so the cats will remain at the shelter or in foster care until adopted, Gilgenbach said.

All adoptable cats and dogs can be viewed on the shelter's website.

"We had an amazing turnout for Kitty Hall today," said Caroline Hairfield, Director of Minneapolis Animal Care and Control.

The event also featured six "cat-idates" for Kitty Council President and Meow-or. Attendees could meet the cats and read about their platforms before voting. Mayor Betsy Hodges announced the results of the election toward the end of the event.

The meow-oral winner Hans' platform included putting "a scratching post on every corner," according to the event website. The Kitty Council President winner was Alice, who was pro-legalizing recreational catnip. Alice was adopted at the event, but Hans was still available at the end of the day.

Gilgenbach said they aren't paw-sitive if this will become an annual event.