Magic Bag to Host Second Annual Cat Cabaret

Detroit Performance Artist Satori Circus Headlines Ferndale Cat Shelter Fundraiser

The Ferndale Cat Shelter is enlisting some of the area’s top entertainers for its biggest fundraiser of the year on March 18. The Second Annual Cat Cabaret will run from 6-10 p.m. at the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave. in Ferndale. For $100, ticket holders will be treated to a live variety show, silent auction, burlesque dancers, show tunes, a mind reader, a henna tattoo artist, as well a buffet-style dinner catered by Howe’s Bayou restaurant.
Satori Circus, a long time Detroit performance artist, is booked as the event’s headliner. The performer is well known for his avant-garde style that combines drag, spoken word, cabaret, and original musical numbers, among other things.
Comedian Michael Geeter will also be performing a set. A Michigan native, Geeter has been featured on Fox Television’s comedy showcase “Laughs” and the Detroit episode of “Kevin Hart Presents: Hart Of The City 2” on Comedy Central.

Michael Geeter

Deanna Iovan is the director of the Catfe Lounge, a coffee house/cat playground hybrid that operates under the Ferndale Cat Shelter. She says event ticket sales will go toward taking care of the shelter cats, which helps subsidize fees for spaying and neutering procedures, vaccinations, adoptions, and other activities in the community.
“I look forward to the festivity of the night, and the variety of offerings of the evening,” Iovan told BTL. “I think it’s a unique fundraiser and unique experience for any kind of event – you won’t find anything like it in Metro Detroit.”
Iovan says it’s nearing the beginning of “kitten season.” Just recently, she witnessed a cat at the Ferndale Cat Shelter give birth to six kittens.
Due to a growing number of cats and the finite space at the shelter, Iovan encourages those considering adopting to “get off the fence.”
“It’s therapeutic for some people,” she said. “We have people who’ve adopted from us because they have issues with anxiety or depression – they’re not certified service animals, but they provide that to people who adopt from us.”
Many who end up adopting from the Ferndale Cat Shelter first visit the Catfe Lounge, where patrons can enjoy coffee, tea or juice while socializing with the felines.
“Hanging out at the Catfe is a great way to socialize with animals and get to know the different cat personalities,” Iovan said. “It’s a pretty cool thing to see people come in here who are maybe accompanying a person who loves cats, and then they get to know how cool cats can be by hanging out at the cafe and enjoying their company.”
Iovan notes that there are several other opportunities aside from the Cat Cabaret for people to support the shelter.
“We’ve had people volunteer for all kinds of reasons,” she said. “Our shelter board is all volunteers. There are also opportunities to help with adoption coordination for fostering, bookkeeping, legal advice – there’s a full spectrum of opportunities we need volunteers for.”
The Catfe is lounge is located at 821 Livernois in Ferndale. For more information about the Second Annual Cat Cabaret, including where to buy tickets, please visit the Ferndale Cat Shelter Facebook page.