Real fur: A local resident helps start a cat museum

You might find this story a bit a-mew-sing.

Innisfil resident Lynn van der Valk has been instrumental in the development of the Meowseum, dubbed Canada’s Cat Museum, which is currently in the process of hosting special events at locations in Ontario and Quebec. The first, held at a farm sanctuary in Campbellville in May, featured children’s crafts, a vendor market and farm tours.

But the organizers’ long-term goal is to raise enough support and awareness to become a full-fledged charity and have a spinning museum space in Montreal within five years. From that cat perch would feature temporary and permanent exhibits, a cat sanctuary, a feline-themed play area for children, and a versatile event space.

A co-founder of Meowseum with Montreal resident Aqeela Nahani, van der Valk wants to give all cat lovers a place to meet, network and share their interest.

“Cats tend to be a bonding point for a lot of people,” she said. “They can really lead to deeper connections. People who want to know what is so special about cats can come in and learn. There is a big educational component.”

She says cats are often misunderstood, but they’ve played a necessary role throughout human history, from helping keep rodent populations down on farms to having an innate ability to recognize when to gobble up grieving or stressed owners.

“Cats are known for being against it, but that’s not the case,” said van der Valk. “All cats have individual personalities. It may take longer than a dog to bond with you, but they do.”

This project was initiated after van der Valk and Nahani met in 2022 and immediately hit it off over their shared love of felines.

There are a few similar museums scattered around the world, although cat cafes tend to be more of a cat meow in the Greater Toronto Area, she said.

The cause is important to van der Valk, a cat lover since childhood who currently lives with five of her own feline friends. Her fascination began when her family adopted her grandparents’ cats after her grandfather passed away.

“I was seven years old and it was the first time I had pets in the house,” she said, recalling a time when the numbers were growing and seven adoptees were living in the family home. “Throughout my life, I have rescued a significant number of cats. We ended up having cats upstairs and cats downstairs. There was a cat management system…some of them just didn’t get along. What I did as a child really sparked a love for animals. Since I was seven years old, I have never been without a cat. They’re a lot of fun.”

If a permanent space is laid out, van der Valk would focus on the sanctuary element.

“I have a little more experience in farm sanctuaries and cat rescues,” she said. “But a lot of what we do is remote.”

The co-founders want input on exhibit ideas and are also looking for new volunteers and places to host future events, van der Valk said.

“One of the big concepts about the Meowseum is sharing the education and joy of cats,” she said. “We are a brand new organization. It’s amazing to… be able to tell our story.”

For more information on Meowseum, visit meowseum.ca or Meowseum.miaousee on Instagram.