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Cat and Kitten Cafes

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What Are Cat or Kitten Cafes?

Cat Cafes (occasionally called kitten cafes, probably because it sounds cuter) are a recent and popular trend in Japan and Taiwan. They are basically cafes, where you can go and play with the kitties! You can 'hire' the company of a cat, or access to cats, for an hour or more, and relax with friendly felines, internet, drinks and peace. Or as much peace as you can get if you're feeding the cats catnip!

Pets are generally not allowed in most rental apartments in Japan, and Cat Cafes are the only chance many people have to play with a small, furry animal. The first Cat Cafe was opened in 1998, in Taipei, Taiwan, and the first Japanese Cat Cafe opened in Osaka in 2004. The Cat Cafe Calico in Tokyo is one famous example, as is Cat's Store (%u732B%u306E%u5E97, Neko no Mise?) - out of the thirty-nine currently there! They tend to be very strict about cleanliness and must comply with a number of regulations, as well as limiting the cats' contact time to reduce stress. They also are usually run by cat lovers and seek to raise animal welfare and abandonment awareness.

Have You Heard of Cat (or Kitten) Cafes?

Or is the concept new and strange?

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Kitten Cafe - Painting by Flynn the Cat. Click for more cat artworks..

Video Evidence! Cat and Kitten Cafes DO Exist!

Short Kitten Cafe videos from Taiwan and Japan

Cat Café part one two
by tubeandcatR | video info

5 ratings | 15,139 views
curated content from YouTube

Are Kitten Cafes A Good Idea?

Mew chirp aroaw maow?

Do you think kitten cafes are a good idea?

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Yes! When can I visit one?

DinaDLG says:

Used book stores have one or two cats hanging around already...

Delia says:

Great idea!!!! I', already thinking about it.

Kumori says:

Yes!! I love this idea sooooo much!

WordCustard says:

I'd love to go to one! Nothing like a playful kitten or purring cat to put a bad day to rights. June makes a good point and ideally they would be checked out by animal welfare on a regular basis just in case.

freya says:

yes, i do think they r a good idea

Absolutely not.

June Parker says:

ok if the cats are guaranteed a happy retirement but horrific when you realise that a lot of greedy people will jump on this bandwagon just to make money and won't care a toss what happens to the cats when the fashion changes or they become too old to want a lot of human company. A really bad idea!

 
view all 8 comments

How Much Do They Cost?

Cat Cafes cost around 800-1000 yen for an hour (about US$7-10)

Links, Articles and Eyewitness Accounts!

More reports online about cat and kitten cafes!

A Fishy Drink - Design by Flynn the Cat

"Most Japanese rental apartments prohibit pets. The only ones that allow them are condominium apartments for families. This means that young, single-dwelling workers in their 20s and 30s can't even think about getting any pets, despite the fact that they're stressed out and are seeking comfort and companionship of some kind."

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Cat Cafes of Japan: Cute and Attractive Cats, Kittens | The Real Owner

Here is all about the cat cafes of Japan. All pict more...0 points

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MEOW MEOW MEOW - I Like to Have Tea With Cats in Japan Because I’m Shy - Vice Magazine

I Like to Have Tea With Cats in Japan Because I’m more...0 points

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cat cafe/kitten patting!

can anyone tell me the locations of any cat cafes more...0 points

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Calico Café Caters to Cat Cuddlers Craving Kitten Companionship

'Rent A Cat' cafés like Calico in western Tokyo a more...0 points

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Cat Cafes in Tokyo: Awesomely Cute Cats and Kittens | The Real Owner

Cat Cafes in Tokyo with awesomely cute pet cats an more...0 points

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COLUMN: What to do with a problem like the YouZeum - Columbia Missourian

Here are a few suggestions for what to do with the more...0 points

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Cat cafe soothes Tokyo's busy feline lovers

TOKYO (Reuters Life!) - The 14 felines-in-residenc more...0 points

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Tokyo Cat Cafes | Calico

Tokyo Cat Cafes. GlobalPost's Mimi Hanaoka reports more...0 points

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Tokyo's cat cafes offer serenity in the city

If you don't mind the staff dipping their whiskers more...0 points

How Common Are Cat Cafes?

There are currently 79 Cat Cafes in Japan

Tunnel cat by Takashi(aes256)
Yume and friend by woofiegrrl
Hello by woofiegrrl
Ryou: Bobtail by woofiegrrl
Tetsu scarfs down yummies by woofiegrrl
Yuu washes Ran-chan by woofiegrrl
Rin-chan by woofiegrrl
Hime-chan: "Where's mine?" by woofiegrrl
Yume: Zzzzzzzz by woofiegrrl
Yuu: stretch! by woofiegrrl
Ryou by woofiegrrl
Photo by woofiegrrl
Rin-chan poses by woofiegrrl
Rin-chan: Rear View by woofiegrrl
Taking pictures of Tetsu by woofiegrrl
Ryou: Derp. by woofiegrrl
Kitten Playtime by woofiegrrl
Tetsu getting into things by woofiegrrl
Kitten Time by woofiegrrl
Benny is sleepy by woofiegrrl
automatically generated by Flickr

Most people in cities such as Tokyo rent, and aren't allowed to keep pets. Cat Cafes are one of the only places they can touch a real, friendly, cat.

More Cat Cafe Videos!

Giocat Cat Cafe: A Coffee Shop Full of Cats!
by simonandmartina | video info

837 ratings | 82,895 views
automatically generated by YouTube

Do you want to visit a Cat Cafe?

Or will you steer clear?

Two Cute Stray Kittens
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Some Articles and Blog Results About Kitten Cafes

A quick search on the internet to see who else is talking about kitten cafes!

Sorry, there are no matching results available from Google

Who's Blogging About Cat Cafes?

A quick search of the net!

This weekend: Ray Wylie, Illmaculate, JD McPherson, the Alphabaeticians ...
By Ryan White, The Oregonian Ray Whitehouse, The OregonianJeff Inlay, left, and Eric Levine, right, of The Alphabeticians perform at the Flying Cat Cafe. Justin Bieber's been a one-teen idol wrecking crew this week. A photographer on Sunday.
Cat cafe
Vienna's first cat cafe is open for business. Customers can interact with their five feline hosts, who all came from an animal shelter and now freely roam about the cafe. Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints Comments (0) This ...
May 7 Photo Brief: Cat cafe, Protest in Moscow, Palestinian prisoners on ...
Some 1600 Palestinian prisoners currently on hunger strike throughout Israeli jails, first cat cafe opens in Austria, opium in Afghanistan and more in today's daily brief. France's Socialist Party (PS) newly elected president Francois Hollande waves ...
The Global Note: Fears of a “Grexit”…Yemen's War On Qaeda…Mexico's Horror ...
Four years and nearly $1.5 billion dollars later, City are champions of England. Have you ever craved a latte while petting a kitten? Well, now you can enjoy both at the same time. Austria's first cat café has opened; customers can have drinks while ...
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Guestbook Art by Flynn the Cat
  • DinaDLG May 5, 2012 @ 2:46 am | delete
    I've never heard of this before, what an awesome idea! Great lens, thank you!
  • Ruthi May 3, 2012 @ 8:53 pm | delete
    I think that cat cafes are a great idea!
  • WordCustard Nov 17, 2011 @ 1:22 pm | delete
    Love the guestbook art! We don't have enough animals in evidence in British businesses. I think we're really missing out.
  • Jodi_k Nov 10, 2011 @ 7:17 am | delete
    Awww, they're soo cute. No cat cafes here, but it's not unusual for a store (or sometimes a bookstore) to have a friendly kitty patrolling.
  • KathyMcGraw Apr 1, 2011 @ 5:55 pm | delete
    Talk about unique...I never would have thought of this, but I can see how a Cat Cafe would meet the needs of people. Blessed :)
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