At Fat Manx Tattoo Parlor and Cat Sanctuary in Granite Shoals, pen machines hum in one room, transferring inked images onto human bodies, while in another room, cats lounge, play, sleep, and prepare to claim their forever caregivers.

Johny Stinks and husband and co-owner Robert Mclean created Fat Manx to bring together two parts of their lives they care deeply about: art and animals. 

“I invite people to come here and relax, play video games, create artwork, or simply spend time with the cats,” Stinks said. “The studio and the sanctuary really go hand in hand.”

With its bright-pink exterior walls and rainbow mural, Fat Manx is hard to miss at 6825 RM 1431. 

Inside, intricate artwork covers the walls, and tattoo stations fill the homey interior. The couple also leases the space to a nail salon, She Shed. Toward the back, a separate area houses the cats cared for by the sanctuary, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. 

Stinks runs the tattoo studio alongside fellow artist Tavarita, who has been with Fat Manx for nearly two years. Although Tavarita lives in Austin, she commutes several times a week to work with local clients.

“She specializes in traditional tattoos mostly and does a lot of our walk-in work,” Stinks said. “It takes something off my plate so I can focus on my cats. She’s a fantastic artist.”

Tattooing is more than a career for Stinks. It is a creative outlet that reflects the same passion she brings to the sanctuary. She looks for tattoo artists whose creativity and mindset align with what she has built in her business. The right fit is about more than artistic ability. It is about people who share the same values and add to the culture at Fat Manx.

“I’m looking for someone who is a creative first and a tattooer second,” Stinks said. “It’s not just a job at the end of the day.”

That same creative spirit extends beyond the tattoo studio. She Shed, owned by licensed nail technician Monet Danos, began as a home-based business in 2023. After graduating from Baldwin Beauty School in 2024, Danos expanded her services, specializing in gel nail applications and custom nail art. The salon is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with appointments available via an online booking system. 

Walking into the cat sanctuary, which stands apart from the business enterprises, reveals a slower side of Fat Manx.

Cats move through the space at their own pace, stretching across towers, settling into window perches, and deciding whether a visitor is someone they want to approach. Some greet people immediately, offering gentle purrs, while others stay back, watching from a distance until they are ready.

Each cat has its own personality and needs, with some requiring extra patience and others simply needing time to adjust before they are ready for their next chapter.

Patience is at the heart of how Stinks and Mclean approach the sanctuary. They focus on giving each cat the care it needs, creating a place where animals are not rushed or overlooked.

The sanctuary intentionally remains small so each cat can receive individual attention. Stinks tries to keep the number of cats to 15 at a time, but the space is currently home to about 20.

Some cats find homes quickly. Others, known as the “main” cats, stay much longer because they may be older, have medical needs, or require more time than some families are able to provide.

“They’re not the most adoptable, and we want to give them a nice place to relax until they leave naturally or somebody ends up taking them,” Stinks said.

Mclean said some cats simply need more time before they are ready for a home.

“You just hold on to them and love on them, and sometimes they make incredible changes and get adopted later in their lifespan here,” Stinks said.

That approach extends beyond the sanctuary’s furry tenants. Fat Manx is meant to be a place where people can feel comfortable being themselves.

“I want people to feel like they are in my house,” Stinks said. “This is not a tattoo shop—it’s a second home. I want people to feel comfortable enough to make mistakes and be themselves.”

Buddha, the Manx cat Stinks grew up with, was the beginning of that connection. Like many Manx cats, Buddha was born without a tail, giving her a rounder frame and larger belly that inspired the name Fat Manx. Buddha lived to be 19 years old. She died in 2023, the same year the shop opened.

“She was a very big part of my life,” Stinks said. “She met every boyfriend I had, and she went through every move we ever did all across Texas and New Mexico. She was wonderful.

Buddha’s impact lives on through the work Stinks and Mclean continue at Fat Manx, extending beyond the cats inside the sanctuary.

Even when the sanctuary is full, Stinks continues to find ways to support cats in need. Through her network, she connects community members with services such as vaccinations, spay and neuter surgeries, and other veterinary care, including through the Hill Country Humane Society.

“If we can’t help you by taking in a cat, I will give you all the resources that I have,” Stinks said.

Not every rescue has a happy ending.

Sometimes, Stinks helps cats that have been injured on the streets or hit by vehicles. When possible, she provides burial space; otherwise, she arranges cremation, believing animals deserve dignity even in death.

“I see animals as people,” she said. “I see them having the same rights and dignities as us, and I treat them the same way. They have dignity in their death and shouldn’t just be left there.”

The pink building may be what first catches attention, but what keeps people coming back is the care found inside it.

For more information, visit fatmanxtattoo online.

maci@thepicayune.com