PORT ORANGE — Feel like coddling a cat while you bite on some baked goods? A new storefront in Port Orange might be right up your alley.

LoCATion Cats & Snacks opened Saturday at The Pavilion at Port Orange and brings an Asian trend of cat cafes to Volusia County.

A week before opening, co-owners Marilyn Silva and Colleen Macy explained what the concept is all about to The News-Journal as dozens of curious shoppers stopped to peek at the felines through the large storefront windows. And over the course of an hour, more than a dozen shoppers stopped either to stare through the windows at the kitties or knock to ask if the store was open.

Each time, co-owner Colleen Macy would go to the door to let the curious know: Not quite.

What’s a cat café?

For those not in-the-know, cat cafés were made popular in places like Tokyo, Japan, where tiny apartment living isn't really conducive to keeping a feline.

"Since they've got so many apartments and not a lot of living space, they have these cat cafes where you can just go in and love on cats," said Macy.

The concept found its way to California in 2014 and storefronts have been popping up in Florida recently. Last fall, The Orlando Cat Cafe — actually in Clermont — opened and is so busy the owners recommend making reservations online.

That’s where Macy and Silva’s imaginations were sparked.

"We went and saw that cat cafe and had so much fun there, we decided Port Orange needed one," said Macy.

Cats roaming around where food is served — isn’t that a health violation?

Not in this case, Macy says.

While normally — as per Health Department rules — the bakery or café is run as a separate business attached to the cat playroom, Macy and Silva decided it would be better to go with an old-fashioned automat-type eatery, using vending machines.

How does it work?

After signing a waiver and paying a $5 admission fee, visitors can have an hour to spend petting and playing with the felines, snacking and using the Wi-Fi at the shop.

Drinks and snacks are available through the machines at the back of the store and a counter supplies space for snacking with outlets to plug in a laptop computer. Gourmet popcorn is available, along with chips, ice cream and several Japanese specialties like mochi — basically a rice cake dessert.

Macy said they are also looking into doughnuts and cupcakes and the partners are working on some vegan offerings.

"We're open to suggestions," Silva said.

Where do the cats come from?

While Hoover stretched his enormous girth across a long green couch, his brother Truman confined himself to a hideaway under a counter and JoJo (short for Josiah) followed the available humans around the building. The three are among 16 cats available to cuddle with — all of which come from the Halifax Humane Society.

So if someone just wants to visit and enjoy the company of a cat, they can, Macy said. But LoCATion also serves as a satellite location for the shelter, set up as a sort of foster care for kitties, Macy said.

As she spoke, JoJo found a box to play with and Macy glanced down and smiled.

"If someone falls in love with her," said Macy, "We can make the adoption happen right here."

The partners are also considering weekly activities at the site, like “Purr-lates” (pilates, but alongside cats) and painting with cats. But they are still working on the details.

Where is it?

LoCATion is located between Ulta Beauty and Petco Animal Supplies at The Pavilion at Port Orange, 5513 S. Williamson Blvd., in Suite No. 211.

What are the hours?

LoCATion is open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

But Macy and Silva said that a device called a "Petcube” allows visitors to peek in on their favorite cats even at night. After visitors download the Petcube app, they can direct a small laser in the room so they can play with felines many times more active at night.