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Benefits of Cat Cafés ☕🐈

SleepyShyCat November 16th, 2022

Love cats and a tasty treat? Then I have the purrfect place for you - cat cafés!

_1668606352.Lilly-with-Chai-meowtropolitan.jpg[image consists of cat sat next to a cup]

☕ Never heard of a cat cafe before? Well it's exactly what it sounds like - coffee, tea, cake, biscuits and most importantly, some tiny fluffy friends! Oh.. And maybe some people too 😉. A cat café is a place where everyone “gets you” and your love for cats. Yay for fellow cat lovers!


😺 You may be wondering - is a cafe a safe, calm and enriching environment for a cat? The concern is valid, and in any normal café, the answer would be no. However, cat cafés do not run like your standard coffee shop - they have their cats health and wellbeing as top priority. Here's how:


☕ Cat cafés act as a type of public foster home for strays. Most business models for the cafés are based on the idea that they can help shelter cats get adopted by moving them out of the shelter and into a temporary space where they can acclimatise to humans and meet people who may want to adopt them, and so creating more space in shelters and enabling them to take in more cats from the streets, giving them a better life.


😺 The cafés have the potential to save thousands of cats by giving them a cosy temporary home with plenty of food, water, treats, and humans to play with while also potentially speeding up their adoption process. The cafés provide key socialisation for young cats. The presence of healthy, elderly cats is also a sign of a humane business, as this can improve the chances of helping them find a home.

_1668607133.cat_cafe_cnt_21feb13_flickr_ceruleansky_b.jpg[image consists of a cat sat on a chair]

☕ Creating a safe and comfortable environment is another necessity for the cats wellbeing. Naturally, cats require alone time, so there needs to be a provision of hiding spaces for cats to escape to when they need a break from strangers. The cafes will provide secluded, private areas for them to feel safe and escape to when they need, as well as clear rules about interacting with the cats without causing stress.


😺 For example, you’re not allowed to wake up a sleeping cat, you're not allowed to pick up any cats, you're not allowed to feed the cats (unless treats are provided in monitored amounts by the cafe), and often cafés have an age requirement to enter (my local cat café is 16+) and pre-booked time slots, to ensure it does not get overcrowded.

_1668607341.rjeixn6wfpxb1kwbehxp.jpg[image consists of a cat sat on a cat tree]

☕ Although the café workers will serve you with a selection of drinks or food, their main priority is looking after the cats and ensuring everyone in the café is treating them with respect. The cafés are often non-profit, with the money made going towards looking after the cats and paying vet bills.


😺 Potential adopters will be able to learn more about the personality of the cat(s) they're looking to adopt and see if they would be the right fit for their family.


☕ Cat cafés have plenty for the cats to do - from cat trees to climbing posts and platforms along the walls, boxes of toys and brushes and comfy beds... You'll be sure to find something to do from playing with a cat, giving attention to another, or, if you're lucky enough, have a cat settle on your lap! (the highest honour) Even just sitting and watching all the cats nap or play is a wonderful time.

_1668607210.cat-cafe-to-open-in-london-east-end-cats.jpg[image consists of cats on a 'cat wall' platform]

😺 Not only are the cafés positive for the foster cats, they're great for our own wellbeing too! Besides being cute and cuddly, cats can provide many benefits to our mental health. Cat cafes allow you to take a moment to relax and enjoy the love and attention of a feline friend. A trip to a cat cafe can instantly lift your spirits if you’re feeling down, lonely, or depressed by stimulating your senses and focusing your attention on the present (a very grounding activity).


☕ Simply watching cats do cute and funny things is enough to make you feel happy. Petting or stroking an animal can improve your mood too, as touch raises the levels of the hormone oxytocin, which lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn reduces the blood pressure and heart rate, inducing a sense of calmness. Even the sound of a cat’s purr has a calming and therapeutic effect.


😺 Additionally, owning a pet can be difficult due to cost, small living spaces and long workdays. So, the cafes offer a solution allowing those who love pets to relax, have a coffee, eat, play, and cuddle with the cats where otherwise they wouldn't be able to.


☕ Visiting a cafe gets you out of the house and into a social environment where you can interact with the cats, the staff and other customers. Social connection is another powerful tool for improving mental health. As a bonus, it’s a great place to meet new people with whom you already share an interest – your love for cats!

_1668607294.getlstd-property-photo.jpg[image consists of three cats sat on a table]

😺 For us humans, visiting these cafes can serve as a mood booster and providing opportunity for socialising with friends while enjoying delicious food and drink.


☕How do I make sure my day is feline great? 7 cups of tea with cats of course!


🐈 Have you ever been to a cat café? What was it like?

🐈 What's your favourite food or drink to order at a café?

🐈 Which do you prefer, playing with a cat, or having a cat nap on your lap (hard choice, I know)

🐈 Are there any ways which you could support shelter cats?



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34
November 18th, 2022

@SleepyShyCat

What a beautiful post and I love all the pictures you shared 😍

🐈 Have you ever been to a cat café? What was it like?

I've been to a dog café, but not yet to a cat café.

🐈 What's your favourite food or drink to order at a café?

I really like handmade pasta, and if it's available, I would definitely order it. Otherwise, it would be Fettuccine Alfredo or Ravioli😊

🐈 Which do you prefer, playing with a cat, or having a cat nap on your lap (hard choice, I know)

Can I do both?

I'll go with the latter 💛

🐈 Are there any ways which you could support shelter cats?

I would loveeee to adopt a cat from the shelter. My partner is a cat lover and this is something we have wanted to do for a long time.

1 reply
SleepyShyCat OP November 19th, 2022

@Helpingheart23

Ooo a dog café! What was that like 🐶

Hopefully one day you and your partner can adopt a cute new family member 😸🐈

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EmotionsListener November 18th, 2022

@SleepyShyCat

🐈 Have you ever been to a cat café? What was it like?

I've not been, but I suspect I'd be under a pile of cats if I had my way.

🐈 What's your favourite food or drink to order at a café?

I don't tend to go to cafes in general or drink hot beverages very often, so I often end up with a hot chocolate or herbal tea depending on what they have.

🐈 Which do you prefer, playing with a cat, or having a cat nap on your lap (hard choice, I know)

Who says you have to choose? Playful lap napping can be fun.

🐈 Are there any ways which you could support shelter cats?

I find one way that I try to support shelter cats is through donating food and toys. I actually crochet cat toys now too! In theory both of my cats were rescues so I suppose that's another way I support. "Adopt don't shop!" As they say.

Thanks for cat-egorizing all this purrfect information, meow I want to have a cat cafe even more.

1 reply
SleepyShyCat OP November 19th, 2022

@EmotionsListener

I actually have some photos from when I last visited the cat café of myself under a 'cat pile' lol, I went during their quiet hours so I had allllll the cats to myself 😛

Adopt don't shop is 100% the way to go - all my pets have been adoptions and I adore all of them. If I could afford it, and had the space to do so, I'd adopt lots more too 😸

Crochet cat toys sounds super cute and very fun for the cats! I wonder, do you add catnip to the middle 😮 I know some toys have that in the center - I've made a few 'mice' toys for my cat with spare pieces of fabric

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CocoaCassie March 19th, 2023

@SleepyShyCat I have never heard of a cat cafe but I am googling fast lol, how wonderful to add in kitties with coffee!

I have homed a few wild cats over the years and really they are the best, but they only trust me, they can't cope with people they don't know, they need to learn that others can be trusted.

adaptableOcean4193 April 5th, 2023

We are blessed to have a few cat cafes nearby. They are so relaxing and fun, and such a good idea. When the cafes are closed, some of the cats will come to the window to visit with people walking by on the street. I love that!

1 reply
SleepyShyCat OP April 5th, 2023

@adaptableOcean4193

You really are lucky to have a couple nearby! They're great places to relax 😸 and you have an adorable pfp!

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