Benefits of Cat Cafés ☕🐈

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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?

https://forms.gle/tSRzfxpQJvvYpZXh6 Feedback & Ideas Form, Share your ideas!

Tagging the Hobby Zone subcommunity tag list

(If you want to be added/removed click here!)

@Aileen1114117 @Aliceiin3rdwonderland @corinnajoyhenryluv @CosmicMiracle @EmotionsListener @enigmaticsmile321 @FallandWinterPlease00 @HealingTalk @Helpingheart23 @hiraxx @independentFig7852 @jujubears @LadyOrgasma @Liv125 @Lou73 @Meifeng @Merliah001 @MilaAvery @MistyMagic @NicholasW @Paprika001 @practicalTree3613 @SerenitysFire @SleepyShyCat @SmileSravani @SparklingSeashells @Sunisshiningandsoareyou @sweetrosa1987 @ThadSterling @thandocilo @theboymoana @tidyHickory3283 @Walker7957 @WarmLightXO @WorriedMagpie