There are many quirky things to see and experience in Japan, that's why I love it so much! Our first trip to Japan was in 2012 and I had heard about cat cafes before this time however had not specifically planned to visit one whilst we were there. To our surprise we stumbled across one just around the corner from our hotel in Shinjuku - the Calico Cat Cafe (website is in Japanese). And cats aren't the only creature worshipped in this way in Japan; they also have rabbit, goat, owl and reptile cafes just to name a few. Many people in Japan live in apartments and cannot have a pet, and subsequently these cafes are very popular (there are at least 39 cat cafes in Tokyo alone!).
It is well known that chilling out with a furry friend can reduce your stress levels and make you feel happy, so it's no wonder people will pay for a bit of feline time! This concept is slowly finding its way into western culture; a cat cafe has recently opened in Melbourne Australia and is proving to be very popular. I haven't visited the Melbourne cat cafe yet but I plan to in the near future!
Back to the Calico Cat Cafe. As was the case everywhere we went in Tokyo, we found this little place of kitty heaven to be welcoming, friendly and warm. It was very obvious the staff had close, trusting relationships with the cats (apparently 52 of them!) and only had their best interests in mind. There are strict rules in place to ensure high standards of animal welfare (for example not allowing young children and making sure people are aware not to disturb sleeping cats). The whole place is decked out with beds, toys, ramps, hiding places etc making it a cat heaven. The cats were happy and relaxed and if it appeared they didn't want to be social any more, they were taken out to a quieter area to chill out for a bit.
We were able to purchase coffee, cake and little chicken treats to feed the cats. We probably spent more than two hours in the Calico Cat Cafe and will definitely be going back when we return to Japan next year. There was a gorgeous little Munchkin cat we would like to meet again, if he is still there! A definite must for animal lovers visiting Japan!
It is well known that chilling out with a furry friend can reduce your stress levels and make you feel happy, so it's no wonder people will pay for a bit of feline time! This concept is slowly finding its way into western culture; a cat cafe has recently opened in Melbourne Australia and is proving to be very popular. I haven't visited the Melbourne cat cafe yet but I plan to in the near future!
Back to the Calico Cat Cafe. As was the case everywhere we went in Tokyo, we found this little place of kitty heaven to be welcoming, friendly and warm. It was very obvious the staff had close, trusting relationships with the cats (apparently 52 of them!) and only had their best interests in mind. There are strict rules in place to ensure high standards of animal welfare (for example not allowing young children and making sure people are aware not to disturb sleeping cats). The whole place is decked out with beds, toys, ramps, hiding places etc making it a cat heaven. The cats were happy and relaxed and if it appeared they didn't want to be social any more, they were taken out to a quieter area to chill out for a bit.
We were able to purchase coffee, cake and little chicken treats to feed the cats. We probably spent more than two hours in the Calico Cat Cafe and will definitely be going back when we return to Japan next year. There was a gorgeous little Munchkin cat we would like to meet again, if he is still there! A definite must for animal lovers visiting Japan!