Purrfect Match: Natural History Museum Launches Fierce! Catio Lounge With Playdates and Adoptions

August 25, 2025

By Brian Hews

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is feline fine about giving cat lovers a new reason to paws and visit this fall. Starting August 23, the Museum will roll out the Fierce! Catio Lounge, a series of play and adoption events tied to its wildly popular exhibition Fierce! The Story of Cats.

These timed, ticketed sessions are the purrfect chance to cuddle, play, and maybe even adopt a fur-ever friend. NHM is teaming up with Annenberg PetSpace, Los Angeles County Animal Care & Control, Los Angeles Animal Services, and Stray Cat Alliance so that every kitty on site is adoptable—without any pesky fees. Tickets for the 15-minute lounge sessions are only available on-site, first come, first served, so cat-ch them while you can. And don’t worry—you don’t have to adopt to simply enjoy some pawsitive vibes with the cats.

The Fierce! Catio Lounge will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on select dates: August 21, 23, 24, and 28; September 6, 7, 20, and 21; and October 11, 12, 25, and 26. NHM members get extra perks, with free sessions on August 21 and 28 from noon to 2 p.m. Prices are $8 for members and $10 for non-members, plus museum admission. Guests must be at least five years old, and minors need to bring an adult along to keep everything pawsitively safe.

The Catio Lounge is just the catnip kick-off for the museum’s full slate of fall programming. The Fierce! exhibition itself spans continents and centuries, showing off everything from ferocious tigers to whisker-twitching house cats. Guests can explore mounted specimens, interactive displays, cultural treasures, and even add their own kitty’s photo to the gallery wall. It’s a chance to sink your claws into the fascinating biology, beauty, and cultural impact of cats, while also learning about the urgent need to protect wild species and their habitats.

For anyone ready to let curiosity lead the way, the Fierce! Catio Lounge offers a meow-ment of joy, discovery, and maybe even a forever feline companion.

Contact Brian Hews at [email protected] or follow @cerritosnews.bsky.social