'The strangest cinema you've never heard of': When Kinmount shelters were overwhelmed, this vintage movie theater became a sanctuary for 60 rescue cats and secured its place as a local cultural treasure

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Aug 13, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Some of our furrvorite memories as a kid were going to the movie theater with our parents. We had one purrticular movie theater that our parents called "the cheap theater" (in a good, homey way) because they would sell movie tickets from $3-5 and had the comfiest seats. We would go, get a tub of popcorn almost as big as we were, and then our mom would put M&Ms inside so we had a gooey, sweet, and salty mess. It was the best.

Usually, our stories involve a single purrson rescuing a single cat from the streets, but not today! This is the story of a vintage cinema that became a cultural treasure not only due to its quirky nature, but also because it stepped up to help when no one else would. When animal shelters in Kinmount, Canada, were overwhelmed with stray cats, Highland Cinemas became a sanctuary for dozens of rescue cats. Now you can go watch a movie, pet some cats, and even tour their 4,000 square foot movie museum! Sounds like a dream - anyone want to take a quick trip to Canada with us?

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  • 01
    The strangest cinema you've never heard of did you know there's a movie theatre in Ontario PARKING
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    _emma_jo Edited Have you ever been to this cinema in Ontario? @highlands_cinemas #ontario #canada #vlog #travelreel #travel
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    The strangest cinema you've never heard of that's also home to over 60 rescued cats PARKING
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  • 04
    edietheforester My hometown! Love the Highlands Cinema H
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  • 05
    The strangest cinema you've never heard of FREAKIER FRIDAY these are the movies that will be playing
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  • We've often said that the only thing missing from our movie theater expurrience is being able to pet some cats in the process.  But, they can only have one piece of popcorn. They're going to ask you for more, but don't let them have any. Too much salt and butter for those babies.

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    elizabethbate_ I knew it was Kinmount the second you said "do you know there's a movie theatre in Ontario" miss that theatre so much! e|
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    gina_kim13 Calling Kinmount northern Ontario is craaaazyyy
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    The strangest cinema You've never heard of these are the cats hello
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  • 09
    bricohandmade I've been there!!! It's such a cool vintage theatre!! And I love seeing all the cats
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  • 10
    aidan_rainey 23h I really wanted to be gatekeepy about this but yes yes yes!!! More people come help support this beautiful place!
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    The strangest cinema you've never heard of GUMPY CAT Aah inside
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  • This seems like a really fun place to go. We love it when business really show us their true purrsonalities. If you want to be kitschy and outrageous, then do it! Own it. Not everyone has to follow the grain, and in reality, we're more likely to show up to places that are authentic rather than carbon copies of everything else.

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    The strangest cinema you've never heard of there's also a massive 4,000 square foot movie museum
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    rachelezzel i'm so sorry did she just say 5000 squoot movie museum
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    934 look at all of these movie projectors
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    helen_fitzgee I love Highland Cinemas! So fun!!
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    ISLINGTO 39269 C2R96
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    clairesteven Fr My favourite place to go as a kid
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    VISIT OUR TRIBUTE TIC TO HORROR THE MOVIES MUS THE STAFI
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    ash_11642 13h I grew up near there, some of the best memories are going to this theatre during summer
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    HIGHLANDS CINEMAS NOW PLAYING NIGHTLY MATS SUPERMAN 700 350 BAD GUYS 2 630 340 FANTASTIC 4 715 410 JURASSIC WORLD 645 330 FI 730 40 0 WWW.HIGHLANDSCINEMAS.COM this is the Highland Cinema in Kinmount Ontario
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    blahkbyrd Can we please learn our geography? Kinmount is NOT Northern Ontario. I very much appreciate the fact that you were sharing these cool little places that are off the beaten path, but as somebody from Northern Ontario, I get really excited as soon as someone says Northern Ontario because we have
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    so much cool stuff up here, but it's ah I of a trek and most people don't go north of cottage country. (And to be clear, Muskoka's are also not Northern Ontario) So please, keep sharing these really cool places, but please also correctly address the location.
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    rebamedia Really cool place, but this is like two reels of yours I've seen in a row now where a place is NOT AT ALL Northern Ontario, but you say it is. Like Kinmount is further south than even Ottawa and Ottawa is NOT Northern Ontario.
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strange movie theater animal rescue local treasure feline cat rescue forever home animal shelter Cats loving vintage animals culture rescue
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