Geneseo’s Cat Tour is a Rousing Success
The third year of the event sees a high turnout of students (and cats)
Photo Courtesy of Sophia Kitchens
Geneseo's Cat Tour is a Rousing Success
For the past three years, Geneseo’s Cat Tour has been part of the community’s efforts to promote joy while also raising money for Hearthside Cats and other local animal charities. This year’s event, cited as the “Third Annual Geneseo Cat Tour,” took place on Saturday, Sept. 19, running from 3:30 to 7:00 p.m. according to the Cat Tour’s website.
The afternoon kicked off with a cat festival at the corner of Chestnut and Main Streets, before the official walking tour departed at 5:30 p.m. as detailed on the Cat Tour’s Instagram.
The route, which was a little over a mile long, wound through the Village of Geneseo and featured 10 different houses, which gave attendees the chance to spot and meet resident cats of the area. The volunteers, which included members of Geneseo’s Pre-Vet club and local Sororities, introduced 12 cats to tour groups. They also showed off five bonus cats, including Fortuna the fortune telling cat who greeted visitors at the end of the route.
So whether they were perched in enclosures, lounging with their owners on porches, or walking alongside the groups—such as the case of one cat named Walter, who won the title of “Favorite Cat”—people got to see and enjoy the many resident felines of Geneseo.
Beyond the cats themselves, the event offered no shortage of ways to spend an afternoon in the village. As explained on the Cat Tour’s official website, the Normal BBQ served up food and local bakery owner Piper of Bent Wing Bakery sold desserts; all proceeds from the event went directly to support Hearthside Cats.
The kickoff event—called the mini cat festival—featured cat-themed merchandise, custom pet portraits, and bouquets. Younger attendees and cat lovers of all ages lined up for the cat toy fish market, stickers, a free whisker station referred to as “cattoos,” and the cat basket themed raffles. All the raffle baskets were supported by local businesses in the area and featured cat themes, as well as one basket that featured a hundred dollars worth of Barilla Pasta products.
As mentioned before, all proceeds from the Geneseo Cat Tour go directly to Hearthside Cats, a local rescue serving cats in need throughout Livingston County. Despite the less-than-ideal weather this year, turnout did not waver; volunteers and community members came out in full force to support the cause, proving that Geneseo’s affection for its feline residents, and for the rescue organization that cares for them, runs deep.
Multiple sororities also came out to help with the tour and raise awareness for the cause, lending volunteers to staff tables, guiding walkers along the route, and encouraging donations. One such organization was the local chapter Alpha Delta Epsilon, whose members pitched in throughout the event’s run.
Alpha Delta Epsilon, whose philanthropies include the Livingston Humane Society, wanted to show up to the event due in part to their love of animals, as many of the group personally own or foster cats.
As the event closes out its third successful year, organizers continue building on a tradition that blends community spirit, local charity, and Geneseo’s love of its local village cats.