TIVERTON, R.I. (WPRI) — All cats at Bajah's Cat Café have been removed due to regulatory and compliance issues, according to the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA). The RISPCA, as well as Tiverton police and animal control, inspected the Main Street business on Friday at the request of local officials. Inspectors found more than 20 cats, some with mild upper respiratory symptoms. Despite this, all appeared well cared for and had recent veterinary records, the RISPCA said. "In general, the facility was clean and in good shape," RISCPA President Wayne Kezirian said. "The real issue was town building and zoning codes compliance, which I don't think had been confirmed, and the fact that this organization did not have a shelter license." Owner Amanda Souza-Viera voluntarily surrendered 18 cats, keeping two she owned and returning two others to Forever Paws in Fall River. Three of the surrendered cats were immediately adopted by pre-approved families, while the rest are being cared for at RISPCA's Warwick facility. The RISPCA will test the cats with mild respiratory symptoms for zoonotic diseases, which can spread to humans. "Those animals with upper respiratory infections were in the back of the building," Kezirian said. "We don't have any indication that those animals were ever in the front interacting with folks, but as a precaution, we want to make sure that type of illness was not in this facility." Souza-Viera acknowledged on a social media livestream that she had been accepting and rehoming cats without the necessary permits. "I messed up and apologize profusely," she said tearfully during the livestream, which has since been deleted. "I just wanted to help cats." Souza-Viera admitted she knew she lacked the proper licensing, but said she was in the process of starting a rescue. Officials notified her of the permits and approvals required to open as a rescue facility, which she intends to pursue so she can accept surrenders and process adoptions. "This was a clean, well-run operation by a person who cared for these animals," Kezirian said. "My impression was that she cared for the animals deeply and would accept the surrender whenever one [a cat] was offered because she just couldn't say no." RISCPA said that, while it is possible regulatory and administrative fines may be imposed by other parties, they do not anticipate animal cruelty charges. "It was a non-compliance situation more than a cruelty situation," Kezirian clarified. "The animals that appeared to be healthy actually came with vet records. The operator of the cat café had been pretty diligent about having these animals be seen by a vet." The Warwick shelter is now at capacity, but plans to place the cats up for adoption once they are medically cleared. Founded in 2021, Bajah's Cat Café offers visitors a chance to enjoy coffee and spend time with cats. Souza-Viera created the café as a calming space to help cats in need of shelter, veterinary care and adoption. The owner of Mad Cats and More, another cat café that opened earlier this year in Coventry, wrote in a social media post that he and his family are devastated for Souza-Viera. "We are deeply saddened by these cats losing their home," the post reads. "As lovers of cats, this deeply saddens us." Mad Cats and More also fended off rumors that it was responsible for what happened. "We ask that the misguided anger from this event not be turned towards us, as we are equally angry and saddened over this," the post continued. Bajah's Cat Café has created a GoFundMe to restart their rescue mission. "This mission doesn't stop now," Souza-Viera said. "It's just going to make me stronger, and it's going to make me fight harder to get the rescue open." Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup SIGN UP NOW