Louis of Walkersville Feed & Country Store

Claire Doll
MSMU Class of 2024

(7/2022) The Walkersville Feed and Country Store, located on 26 West Pennsylvania Avenue, is home to beer, wine, plants, produce, seasonal decorations, livestock feed and one very, very special cat.

When pulling up in front of the store on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, I was delighted by the rows of pink flowers lining the walls and hanging from the ceiling. The atmosphere of this store is warm and welcoming, so it’s no wonder it attracts all the stray cats in the town of Walkersville!

Owner of this family business, Nick Heni, is an animal lover. He lives on a farm, owns a dog, Stanley, and at home, he tends to beef, cattle, rabbits, and more. Meanwhile, at the feed store, Heni caters to several cats that walk in and out of the door—a bowl of water and bags of cat food sit on the floor of the store, ready to feed any cat that enters. Among these happily satisfied animals is Louis, the store’s renowned cat who actually lives there, too.

Louis is a small tabby cat with mint green eyes and the friendliest personality you’ll ever know. "I have a brother and a friend named Louis, and they never stop talking," said Heni. "That’s why we named [the cat] Louis. He’s too friendly." In fact, just that morning, a lady had come into the shop and immediately became distracted by Louis. As she began petting the cat, she realized that she had completely forgotten why she went into the store in the first place. Unlike most cats, who will shy away from humans or show aggression, Louis welcome them. "He is too, too friendly," says Heni.

In 2018, Louis appeared at the feed store. Unlike the other cats, who would weave in and out of the shop, Louis stayed. Heni fed and took care of him, and he also made sure the cat was spayed and neutered—his little chipped ear tip is proof.

Because of Heni’s kind and giving spirit, Louis never left. For five years, he has made the feed store his home. In fact, Louis has three different beds throughout the store, one even located in the office. Although he does not remember the first day Louis appeared, Heni recalls Louis hanging around the store’s counter and door all the time, interacting with the customers. "He talks to them," said Heni, laughing. "He is a people cat."

At the store, Nick Heni is accompanied by friend and next-door neighbor, Joe Quinn. He occasionally will help out at the store, for example, if a shipment arrives. When asked about how the customers feel about Louis, he remarks, laughing, "The customers like him better than us. There have been a lot of cats over the years, but Louis has stuck around." The feed Store is located on a busy street at a speed limit of 30 mph. Because of this, several cats that find themselves attracted to the Store are sadly struck and killed.

In fact, located inside the store behind the counter are two photographs of Nick Heni holding cats that had once called the store their home. Because of the risky environment, however, these cats have passed away, along with several others, either due to a car incident or old age. "Some cats that have been 15-18 years old have lived with us," says Heni. While reminiscing about the history of all the cats that have come to the store, Heni recalls a cat he saved from a car incident. He also notes that there used to be five little kittens that would take advantage of the free water and cat food offered at the store.

So what makes Louis so special? Why is he, out of all the cats that come in and out of the store, a constant presence in the shop? "He hangs around, and he’s a people cat," says Heni. "He’ll run right up to you and play with you."

"There’s been a lot of cats here over the years," adds Quinn. "You can tell if a cat is smart enough if they cross the road all the time. Some of them perish there," he says, "But Louis is pretty smart. He stops and looks both ways." Perhaps accommodated to the living conditions of the feed and country store, Louis is accustomed to the shop and the customers. His friendly presence is vital to the atmosphere of the store.

Stanley, Heni’s dog who currently spends the workday with his owner, is also well-loved by the customers of the feed and country store. He is only visiting, however, while the rest of Heni’s family—his wife and daughter—is on vacation. His cheerful barking and bright fur coat happily greeted me as I pulled up to the store.

One can tell a lot about a small business by the way they treat people—and most evidently—treat animals. In this feed and country store, you’ll not only find lots of home goods, but also see cat food and water laid out, cat beds, and Louis, himself. "We sell horse feed, cattle feed, dog and bird feed, mulch, flowers, fresh-cut Christmas trees, fall stuff… a little bit of everything," says Heni when describing his shop.

The Walkersville Feed and Country Store is open Monday through Saturday from 9-5pm. If interested in a beautiful and charming shop with a multitude of home goods—or if you are a cat person—visit today! Louis is for sure worth seeing. He’ll run up and show off the friendly personality he’s so famous for. And, if you’re lucky, you might meet other cats, too!