Kelli Steward, the co-founder of Alabama’s well-known cat café, Gatos and Beans, died this weekend. In accordance with AL.com, Steward had been battling “a really severe sickness” for some time now. Her dying was confirmed by a Fb publish from her web page on Sunday.

Co-founder of Birmingham’s first cat café passes away

The social media publish mentioned, “Kelli is gone from this world. I don’t have the phrases to convey the lack of one like her. Issues didn’t matter a lot to her.” It additional added that folks, pets, and misplaced animals had been Steward’s “ardour.”

“We want little or no on this world. Like Kelli, we can provide again to those that are in want,” the publish learn. The Alford Avenue Veterinary Hospital, the place Steward labored as a receptionist “for many years,” additionally put up a Fb publish. It reads, “It’s not simple shedding a member of the family and even tougher to place that sense of loss into phrases.”

They additional described her as a lady with “a perky perspective” who made buddies with the hospital’s workers, in addition to the purchasers. “Rather more than a receptionist, Kelli was, for a few years, the face of Alford Avenue Veterinary Hospital.”

“In lieu of flowers or playing cards the household asks that you just present your love for Kelli by donating to a charity of your option to honor her,” the publish concluded.

Steward began Birmingham’s first-ever cat café after quitting her job as a receptionist on the hospital, though she continued to work there often. The café, positioned at 4348 Third Court docket South, is thought for its distinctive and comfortable vibe completely fitted to cats. Clients can pet and play with the felines, and even undertake the cats.

Throughout an earlier interplay with AL.com, Steward had spoken at size about her love for felines. “They’re all distinctive. All of them are so completely different, and have such completely different wants,” she mentioned.

Persevering with, she shared, “They’ve all these implausible little personalities, whether or not they’re good, unhealthy or detached. They only are who they’re.”