Today we’d like to introduce you to Tonya Williams.
Hi Tonya, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In late 2022, I opened Cat Zen Café & Lounge, a long-envisioned passion project created to give homeless cats greater exposure and a welcoming space to connect with potential adopters. What began as a dream quickly became a community hub dedicated to helping cats find their forever homes.
Soon after opening, we recognized a significant gap in the market: truly feline-exclusive care. Cats are often an afterthought in traditional pet boarding and grooming facilities, and we knew they deserved better. That realization led us to begin laying the foundation for a concept designed entirely around their unique needs.
In December 2025, Purr Luxe Resort opened its doors—a cat-exclusive boarding and grooming destination created specifically for cat families. Every detail was thoughtfully designed with feline comfort, enrichment, and well-being in mind, providing a calm, elevated experience that honors the distinct nature of cats.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As a newly established business, we are still very much in the early growth phase, having opened just a few months ago. Our biggest challenge has been marketing and building awareness around our new facility. In order to continue growing, it’s essential that our community knows we are here and understands the elevated, cat-exclusive services we offer.
In 2026, we plan to significantly increase our marketing efforts to expand visibility, strengthen brand awareness, and introduce more cat families to everything Purr Luxe Resort has to offer.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Purr Luxe Resort is a cat-exclusive boarding and grooming facility created specifically for cats and the people who love them.
We specialize exclusively in feline boarding and professional cat grooming in a calm, spa-like environment thoughtfully designed around a cat’s unique needs. As a Certified Feline Master Groomer (CFMG), I bring advanced training in feline behavior, coat care, safety, and low-stress handling techniques. This specialized certification sets us apart, ensuring cats receive expert-level grooming tailored specifically to them—not adapted from canine standards.
What truly distinguishes Purr Luxe is our feline-only focus, boutique-level attention to detail, and commitment to creating a peaceful, enrichment-centered experience. Brand-wise, I’m most proud that Purr Luxe represents advocacy for cats—elevating the standard of care while providing refined, compassionate services that honor the individuality of every feline guest.
What were you like growing up?
Anyone who has known me since childhood would tell you they’re not at all surprised that my businesses revolve entirely around cats. I’ve proudly been a “certified cat lady” for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories, at just four years old, involve sitting outside for hours with neighborhood strays—feeding them, petting them, and occasionally sneaking them into the house when my parents weren’t home.
That deep compassion for cats never faded. As I grew older, I naturally gravitated toward caring for neighborhood strays, adopting cats of my own, volunteering, and fostering rescue cats whenever I could. Advocating for vulnerable beings has always been part of who I am.
I’ve always been driven by a desire to make a meaningful difference. As the first person in my immediate family to graduate from college, I earned a degree in Social Work and spent more than 20 years working in the field. Eventually, that same heart for service led me to entrepreneurship—creating spaces and services centered around feline welfare. What may look like a career pivot was truly a natural evolution of a lifelong passion combined with a calling to serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.purrluxeresort.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purrluxeresort/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Purrluxeresort
- Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/home/sIgBe1XKPkC66-jqk-Otew
