The Brightside: In a Cat’s Eye

CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. – When you’re driving through Chincoteague Island and you pass the store with the kites, cat spinners, and bubbles on Maddox Boulevard, you’ve found In a Cat’s Eye.

“When people come in, they laugh, and they giggle, and they walk around the store, like ‘oh my goodness!’ and they show each other everything because the items are unique and fun and playful,” Christina Woods, the owner, said. “Mostly I started as a gift supply store, a gift store, for people who love cats, and love pets, and love animals.”

And it’s all because of her love of cats. Well, mostly one cat, her very own feline friend that she says showed up at her doorstep years ago and has been her sidekick ever since.

“Boots, or Pip, or Puppy Cat, Tootsie, she’s got these four names that we call her all the time,” Christina said of the feline friend.

We’ll call her Boots for the purpose of picking one name, and she’s the inspiration behind tons of items you’ll find in the store. Custom shirts made by Christina herself showing Boots’ face, socks with other cats on them, cat themed purses and wallets, even handmade black cat earrings. But besides honoring her four-legged family member with an entire store, Christina says she also uses this cat-topia to bring awareness to the feral cat population on Chincoteague Island.

“There are over 100 feral colonies on Chincoteague, which is not a very big island,” she said. “I do what I can by helping to collect money for them at the counter here.”

And right above her donation jar that goes toward organizations that trap, neuter, and release, Christina uses the space to show animals that have been found and are in need of a family.

“When people on the island find a cat or even off the island find a cat, somehow they get directed to me, and they call me,” Christina said.

But outside of the donations and the family-finding, Christina says her shop oftentimes just serves as a place for vacationers to come and think about their furry friends that they’ll soon be going home to.

“Who comes to the island but people who love animals? You come to see the ponies and go to the beach, if you just wanted to go to the beach you could go anywhere, but we have the ponies here and Chincoteague is so unique,” Christina said.

Christina also sells artwork from local artists in her shop and even some of her own work. She also sells items for dog lovers, and even horse lovers. If you want to visit In the Cat’s Eye, you can find them at 6691 Maddox Boulevard in Chincoteague.