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Cat cafes started in Taiwan, but really took off in Japan, where there are now reportedly 150
Goat cafes, a piglet cafe, even loneliness-curing Moomin cafes.
The world of the weird cafe has moved on from cats.
And yet, while some of these obscure cafes grab headlines for a few days and then vanish, cat cafes have proliferated around the world, to become if not the most novel, certainly the most enduring craze when it comes to themed coffee houses.
With the “Cats” movie trailer horrifying the internet, it’s safe to say our beloved felines are trending yet again.
German philosopher Albert Schweitzer reportedly once said: “The only escape from the miseries of life is music and cats.” But if seeing the live action adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical doesn’t sound like a welcome escape, might we suggest a cat cafe visit?
Started in Taiwan over 20 years ago with a cafe called Cat Flower Garden (now called Café Dogs & Cats), the concept was most enthusiastically embraced in Japan. Today, there are more cat cafes in Japan than anywhere else in the world – around 150 at the last count.
Since the 1998 opening of the first cat cafe, there’s been a storm of cat cafe opening around the world. You could say the concept is cat-ching on.
The United States has more than 125 cat cafes, and some of them serve more than coffee and cat cuddles.
There are now a slew of cat cafes in London, including one where guests can partake in high tea with the furry creatures. For about $33 per person, Lady Dinah’s offers a 90-minute package involving cakes, scones, two drinks and, of course, quality time with the cats.
Cat cafes offering purr-fect coffee breaks exist all over Europe now as well, and India’s first cat cafe has been open for nearly five years.
Australia, Colombia and South Africa have all embraced this particular cat life as well.
Anita Loughran, owner of Cat Cafe Melbourne, was so inspired by a trip to Japan that it was the motivation for the Melbourne cafe, which opened in 2014. “It’s a place where animal and cat lovers can mingle, socialize and be comfortable in a quiet environment that reflects their interests,” Loughran says.
Cat cafe 101
For the uninitiated, a cat cafe doesn’t sound too complicated. It’s a regular cafe that happens to have cats walking, or lying, around. But there are nuances that distinguish this kind of cafe from others.
You often need to book before you arrive, because: A) the cats are liable to walk out as you walk in, and B) the ratio of people to cats needs to be controlled.
“We now have a booking system, because 20,000 people wanted to come into a 30-seat cafe all at the same time,” says Lauren Pears, founder of London’s Lady Dinah’s.
Sanitation and health issues also need to be considered and have put some people off.
“Who wants cat hair everywhere? That would gross me out,” says Diana Mullin, a noncustomer from Vancouver.
But Loughran says there’s nothing to worry about: “As the cats are completely separate from the cafe, this is not an issue. And if people still have their concerns, they should actually visit a cat cafe first. We would not be able to open if we weren’t super hygienic.”
Most cafes also have a look-but-don’t-grab policy to minimize catty stress and potential clawing of customers. Grabbing is never recommending, but many cafes encourage gently petting and caressing and place the emphasis on this interaction as opposed to the food and drink program.
The price of admission to Osaka’s Cat of Liberty, for examples, includes a hot or cold beverage, but the drinks are an afterthought. It’s the soothing cat time that matters.
Feline good
After all, the idea is that these cafes provide an almost therapeutic area to chill, as Café Neko owner Takako Ishimitsu in Vienna says.
Though she advises any mother visiting the cafe check her pram before leaving: Some of the cats can inadvertently turn stowaway, having sought out the warm softness of a baby carrier.
Thomas Leidner, owner of the Cafe Katzentempel in Munich, says: “The popularity of these cafes is probably due to the fact that many people are not allowed, or are disinclined to have pets in the city, yet they occasionally feel the need for closeness to an animal.
“Life today is busy and hectic, so offering an oasis of calm, where you can relax over a drink and enjoy (vegan) snacks, is important to us.”
Pears agrees. “I think a lot of our patrons just enjoy coming to play with them. We also find they tend to make conversation with other patrons. The cafe has a nice community feel to it.”
“What could be better than a black Americano, a good book, and a cat curled up beside you (even better if it’s on your lap)?” says Sandi from the UK, one of the trend’s enthusiastic fans.
“Bliss! The only issue I have is struggling to leave.”
And so the cat cafe continues to spread across the globe.
Cat cafes around the world
Budapest, Hungary: CatCafe Budapest, Revay utca 3; +36 2 0617 3301
Cape Town, South Africa: Cat Heaven, 5 Bright Street, Somerset West, Cape Town; +27 83 357 2527
Dubai, UAE: Ailuromania Cat Cafe, 844 Jumeirah, Dubai; +971 4 321 6661
London: Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium, 152-154 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch;+44 (0) 207 729 0953
Madrid: La Gatoteca, Calle Argumosa 28; +34 9 1622 5831
Medellin, Colombia: La Gateria, #74d-59 a, Tv. 32b #74d-1, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Melbourne: Cat Cafe Melbourne, 30 Guildford Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000; 0491003583
Mumbai, India: Cat Cafe Studio, Bungalow No, 63, Harminder Singh Rd, Aram Nagar Part 1, Versova, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400061, India; +91 82914 90907
Munich, Germany: Café Katzentempel, Türkenstr. 29 80799 Munich +1 089-20061249
New York: Brooklyn Cat Cafe, 76 Montague Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 +(347) 946-2286
New York: Koneko, 26 Clinton St. New York, NY 10002
Osaka, Japan: Cat of Liberty, 2 Chome-17-10 Nishishinsaibashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0086, Japan; +81 6-6214-2020
Paris, France: Le Cafe des Chats, 9, rue Sedaine, 75011 Paris +33 9 7353 3581
Tokyo: Nyafe Melange, 1-7-13 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku; +91 3 5449 4024
Vienna, Austria: Cafe Neko, Blumenstockgasse 5, Ecke Ballgasse 1010 Wien; +43 1 5121 466
This article was first published in June 2014 and updated in July 2019.
Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey is a freelance writer and author based in Melbourne, Australia. Her first book is “Living Abroad in Australia” (2nd edition) by Moon Travel Guides and she’s currently working on the “Moon Handbook to Sydney & the Great Barrier Reef,” and “Spotlight Sydney,” both due to be published in late 2014.
