We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristen Fahy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristen, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I started Save the Meow Meows in 2020 after fostering through ASPCA and learning more about the dire need for fosters and rescue in Los Angeles. I actually began, not intending to really create a whole rescue operation but just with the thought of being able to save even one cat a month. It started to snowball and once I joined forced with Farside Journey Inc, our now umbrella rescue, I was able to learn even more and have a greater impact. Then, when we opened our cat lounge in 2023 the thought process was to have a place where all the cats can stay and live, while awaiting homes and recovering from illnesses, and also provide an educational activity for the local area and residents. We hope to become a real community center and so far it has been a win-win for the cats and people.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business, Save the Meow Meows Cat Lounge and Shop is something I am proud of, but also has been a source of great learning with trial and error. Going into it I had no prior experience other than an intense passion and dedication for rescuing cats. Rescue is a world of its own and it is difficult to convey all the intense emotional and physical challenges that come along with it, and thus conveying that to the public is a challenge in itself. While we often hear, “wow that is the most amazing job!”, the behind the scenes is filled with endless stressors. This may include pleas for help for cats that we simply are not equipped to help, funding issues (being 100% donation based), and bureaucratic or political situations that are unimaginably complicated.

However what sets us apart is that we have people involved as staff, board members, volunteers, and supporters who are dedicated beyond expectation and are incredibly caring. We are not afraid to try new things and forge our own path, testing what works and what does not work. At the end of the day we are led by our strong morals and always do what is best for the animals that we work so hard to save. I try to educate and illuminate some of the darker or more obscure areas of rescue so that others may feel inspired to follow in our path and create their own small independent rescue. The challenges are endless but so is the reward- saving lives of animals who have no other vioce of their own. I truly believe that if I could do it, anyone can.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Yucca Valley is a town directly leading to Joshua Tree National Park and thus has many visitors each year from around the globe. Save the Meow Meows Cat Lounge and Shop is of course an excellent recommendation for anyone all-ages to enjoy some time visiting our rescue kitties in a beautiful environment. There is no time limit and you can feel instantly happier! Next door to us is a delicious pizza place called 2 Guys Pies. Other fun activities in the area are thrift shopping, visiting unique roadside attractions such as “The World’s Smallest Crochet Museum” and local western classic Pioneertown including the infamous Pappy and Harriots. I would recommend staying overnight and doing some stargazing, you may even see the Milky Way or even a UFO, though that could also be from the nearby military base in Twentynine Palms! Yucca Valley and the Joshua Tree area has some gorgeous scenery and there are many beautiful hiking trails. Lots of visitors come from Los Angeles for a weekend getaway and that’s how I first discovered the area and fell in love with how different a place could be such as the literal Mojave desert just 2 hours away from one fo the largest cities in the country. Make it a roadtrip and I promise you will make amazing memories.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
India Griffin from Farside Journey has been my mentor and a huge source of inspiration while also keeping me grounded in the reality of rescue. Without her I would not be able to operate Save the Meow Meows at the scale we are at today and hope to expand even more in the future. It is rare to find such steadfast, intelligent and consistent moral-led people in rescue and I am so lucky to have her through this journey.

My partner Dylan Bayone has been roped into my crazy adventures and deserves lots of praise for guiding me when times are hard, getting hands dirty when cats are in urgent needs, and many sleepless nights with newborn foster cats. He is my emotional support and provides the best advice when things get tough – which is often. I am eternally grateful for this.

Website: www.savethemeowmeows.com

Instagram: @savethemeowmeows

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savethemeowmeowsrescue

Other: Tiktok: @stmm_catlounge

Image Credits
First image (Breea’s Photography) All other Images (Mika Montemeyer)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.