The 14 Best Cat Cafés Around the World
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Courtesy Brooklyn Cat Café/Photo by Alexandra SteedmanBrooklyn Cat Café, Brooklyn, New York
This cat café is a first for the borough, but it likely won't be the last. Just off Atlantic Avenue in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood, this joint offers friends of its felines the chance to keep in touch long after their half-hour of play has ended with its 24-hour cat cam, a live feed of a mother and her kittens. Reservations are recommended, but not mandatory, and kittens and cats are up for adoption. Plus, much to the joy of eco-conscious Brooklynites, there are vegan and vegetarian treats on offer. —Betsy Blumenthal
Courtesy Meow Parlour/Photo by Ethan CoveyMeow Parlour, New York, New York
Manhattan's first permanent cat café opened in December 2013, eight months after locals were teased by a Purina-branded pop-up earlier that year. If you find yourself getting attached to one of your feline friends, good news—Meow Parlour works with KittyKind, a local all-volunteer rescue group, to help match café cats with permanent owners. —Meredith Rosenberg
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Courtesy Cat Café Neko no NiwaCat Café Neko no Niwa, Singapore
Across the Singapore River from the fashionable Arts House, this cat café isn't just about the kittens—they're purveyors of "Alfie de Meow," a custom cat-themed jewelry line (aka human catnip). Buy a brooch or two in honor of your best bud, with 10% of the proceeds going to CATSI, a local non-profit that serves the city's stray cats. —B.B.
GettyCats Republic, St. Petersburg, Russia
We're not surprised that the first cat café in Russia opened in St. Petersburg, home to the celebrated Hermitage cats. These valiant, furry comrades protect the world-famous art collection from rats and other unwanted guests, and once they retire, occasionally end up at the Cats Republic where they're given the honorific of 'special citizen.' Don't underestimate the 'republic' concept, which is serious business here: Each customer must apply for a 'visa,' which is granted after a fee is paid (about $7), after which visitors are led by a 'cat ambassador' into a separate enclave filled with the feline friends—but not until each member of the group meows three times (seriously). There's also a cozy little café section, along with a library and gift shop, where you can purchase cat-covered pillows (#necessary). —B.B.
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Courtesy KitTea/Photo by Albert LawKitTea, San Francisco, California
This funky cat café in San Francisco's Hayes Valley is clean, bright, and has plenty of cool features to keep its cats happy, like a wooden, wall-bound obstacle course. Take turns frolicking in its Cat Lounge, where 8-12 furry friends hang out (shoes off, please) then make your way to the Tea Lounge for a Meoweo cookie (a cat-shaped Oreo). The spot recommends reserving spaces in advance, since walk-in availability is limited. Rounding out Bay Area bastions of cat love is Cat Town Oakland, a non-profit rescue cat café that tries to get as many of its occupants into loving homes as possible, through a partnership with Oakland Animal Service. Entertaining these frisky, friendly kitties is hard work, so grab a cold brew from Bicycle Coffee, or a spicy jalapeño bagel from Authentic Bagel Company, at the counter. —B.B.
Courtesy La GatotecaLa Gatoteca, Madrid, Spain
This concentrated colony of cats, conveniently located near the Reina Sofía Museum and the Atocha train station, marks the physical headquarters of ABRIGA, an NGO that rescues cats and educates the public about responsible adoption—one astute visitor noted that it's more of a "cat sanctuary" than a café. All cats are up for adoption. Plus, there's a gift shop, and a cat mural-covered wall that we're pretty sure competes with the world-renowned works next door. —B.B.
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Courtesy Le Café des ChatsLe Café des Chats, Montreal, Canada
Montreal is one step ahead of the cat café craze: One of the first cities in North America to claim a permanent outpost, it's now home to several cat-serving storefronts. Le Café des Chats opened in August 2014 in the Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood, but the Canadian feline frenzy didn't stop there;[Café Chat L’Heureux](http://www.cafechatlheureux.com/en-ca—"the Happy Cat"—opened just a few months later. Pop in for a sweet session with the kitties, or for a quick Q&A with a licensed veterinarian. —M.R.
GettyNeko no Jikan, Osaka, Japan
Due to the strict no-pets policy mandated in many Japanese apartments, it's no wonder that the Land of the Rising Sun has the most kitty cafés—a staggering 150—of any country in the world. Japan's first cat café, Neko no Jikan, opened in Osaka's Shinsaibashi entertainment district in 2004, although the majority of the cafés are in Tokyo. If you find yourself in the capital, though, we highly recommend Temari no Ouchi, a Studio Ghibli-inspired shire complete with painted trees and cottages set near Kichijoji Station. —M.R.
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GettyLe Café des Chats, Paris, France
Reservations are required at Paris's first kitty cafe, which opened in 2013 and now has two locations—one in the Marais, and one near the Bastille. The former outpost, carved out of a cozy, brick-bound hole in the wall, is home to about a dozen resident cats who were adopted from local animal welfare groups. Although its feline occupants aren't up for adoption, the cafe does help point interested patrons in the direction of ethical shelters. —B.B.
Courtesy Pee Pees KatzencaféPee Pees Katzencafe, Berlin, Germany
Pee Pees, which opened in 2013, was Berlin's first cat café. It's a little off the beaten path—about a 20-minute drive from the city center—but it's worth it for the paw time and the delicious homemade cakes and pastries. —M.R.
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Courtesy Cat Café MacskakávézóCat Café Macskakávézó, Budapest, Hungary
Cat Café Macskakávézó opened in 2014, and customers have to pay an entrance fee for some kitty time. The price includes unlimited drinks (coffee, spritzers, and teas in flavors like chocolate whiskey cream), board games, and a slice of cake. As for the time spent with the furballs? Priceless. —M.R.
Courtesy Lady Dinah's Cat EmporiumLady Dinah's Cat Emporium, London, U.K.
Not only is Lady Dinah's the first cat café in London, but it's also the world’s first crowd-funded cat café after raising over £100,000 on Indiegogo. To avoid a catastrophe (see what we did there?), book in advance—reservations are required, and have been steadily filling up since the café opened in March 2014. Try arranging for a 'High Tea' session, which includes a three-tiered plate of sweet and savory selections, like salad, cheeses, scones with jam and clotted cream, and cakes, along with an hour of playtime. Talk about aristocats. —B.B.
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GettyCat Café Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Australia's foray into the cat café scene happened in July 2014. Housed in a cozy upstairs lounge, reservations are required at Cat Café Melbourne, and there's an hourly charge to visit. Just don't get too attached: The cats aren't up for adoption, but the café does promote adopting from shelters. Slide up the coast to Sydney, and you'll find the Catmosphere Café, a space-themed spot where you can have coffee and cookies with the 'catstronauts'. Good news for those hoping to bring some of that supersonic stress relief home: These kittens are 100 percent adoptable. —B.B.
Courtesy Catmosphere CaféCatmosphere Café, Chiang Mai, Thailand
It was only a matter of time before themed cat cafés appeared. This one in Thailand—which also has an outpost in Sydney—opted to go for an all-out space theme. Check out the cat cinema, where popcorn and soda come included when you book the space for two hours, and opt to rent a horror or sci-fi flick. The best part? The cats will stay for the show. —B.B.