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Thanks to their steel shelters, this Breton couple gives stray cats a place to stay

Ouest-France · Delphine Van Hauwaert · Published 25 May 2026

Ouest-France visited Brest to see Purr Effect's steel cat shelters in action, tested with local associations like L'Arche de Noé to give free-roaming cats a dry, cool place to shelter from rain — and summer heatwaves. Founders Camille Avias and Sean Mitchell design and build every piece themselves in their garage, using reclaimed materials sourced locally.

« I grew up around cats, I watched them closely, and they always calmed me. I wanted to give them back a little of what they gave me. » — Camille Avias