Cat (and a few dog) cafés are popping up everywhere, offering the purrfect retreat for some quality time

Whether you want to spend some quality time with cats because you can’t or don’t have your own, or you have beloved felines at home but just want to meet more (because let’s be honest, there’s always room in a cat-lovers heart for others!), the recent growth of cat cafés worldwide is testament to our love of all things animal.

The concept of animal cafés originated in South East Asia, and is a growing trend worldwide over the last few years. Nowadays, many cities boast at least one cat café. Dog cafés, though few and far between, are appearing in some locations now too.

Recognising the therapeutic value of being around animals, cat cafés offer an escape from the stresses of everyday life, where customers can have some refreshments in calm surroundings, amid the feline residents. Responsible cat cafés put the cats first, so everything is on their terms. There are rules about how to interact with the cats; they can choose whether to greet or play with you (they will have lots of other distractions such as toys, cat towers and climbing areas to distract them, as well as a quiet area that they can retreat to if they don’t feel sociable). Your food and drink is prepared in a separate area, and served with covers that keep inquisitive paws and noses out!

Some of the best cafés are affiliated with cat rehoming charities. Indeed, the resident pussies are often originally from a local sanctuary. Some also offer an adoption service for their cats, so customers can start the adoption process if they would like one of the café’s cats, if they meet the right criteria.

If you would like to support your local cat café, there are some helpful websites that list UK locations. Try https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/articles/making-paw-sitive-changes-the-best-cat-cafes-in-the-uk/

and,

https://www.studentproblems.com/best-cat-cafes/

For dog cafés, https://www.culturecalling.com/uk/features/top-dog-cafes-across-the-uk.

If you’re venturing further afield, many locations around the world have cat cafés, just search for your destination plus ‘cat café’ and see what pops up! You will usually need to book a time slot
for your visit in advance, and sometimes there is a lower age limit restriction for young children, or numbers of children are limited to maintain a tranquil atmosphere.

A welcoming group at the Cat Village café in London

Courtesy © of London Cat Village

Image © Dachshund Cafe via Facebook

Enjoy discovering your own favourite cat or dog café!