MEET the kitties you will be playing with at Bournemouth's first ever cat cafe.

Pause Cat Cafe is one step closer to opening after Jaya Da Costa has adopted her first three felines - Clifford, Liquorice and Bear.

Now Jaya is appealing for a family of cats who need rehoming to complete the project.

It comes as the £25,000 crowdfunding campaign is coming to a close this week ahead of the quirky cafe opening its doors later this year.

Jaya said she chose the cats whose owner died this summer aged 77 because black felines are notoriously more difficult to home.

She said: “I just fell in love with them as soon as I met them. I can’t believe people turn them down just because of their colour.

“They are a purrfect match for the café! They love attention, cuddles, children, other cats and they are not interested in going outside.

“All three cats like to snuggle up on your lap together, but you'll have to keep an eye out for your cuppa in the café because they have a penchant for drinking tea!

“Their previous owner used to buy it for them and make a brew, even though she only liked coffee herself.”

Jaya wants to rehome an entire family of kittens because she was advised by an animal behaviourist they would best settle into the café environment.

The cafe, at Old Christchurch Road, near Horseshoe Common, will have 12 resident rescue cats roaming its two floors and will promote rescuing felines.

People who cannot have pets will be able to book an hour’s slot for £5 to interact with the cats while enjoying coffee and cake which is modelled on cat cafes in Japan where the concept first originated in the 1990s.

Jaya said: “Finding a family of kittens that are looking for a home, especially if the mother was looking for a home as well, would be a rare and wonderful opportunity to enable a feline family to stay together for their whole lives.”

Anyone who knows a litter that needs rehoming, should email hello@pausecatcafe.com

The crowdfunding campaign has so far raised more than £15,000 but still £10,000 is needed.

The money is needed to transform the former estate agents into a cat-friendly space which will include microchip activated areas where cats can be alone, exercise equipment, an isolated health care unit as well as fund vet and animal behaviourist advice and a CCTV system to monitor the cats.

To help, go to www.tiny.cc/cat