More than ever, Americans are flocking to places that allow their dogs to come with. Dog-friendly bars, hotels, and even sightseeing tours are quickly rising in popularity. But what about cats? Don’t cats get to have a little fun? Enter the Cat Town Café in Oakland, California. Cat Town seems to be the first permanent cat café in the United States. Based on a concept that’s become quite popular in Europe and Asia, Cat Town offers visitors a chance to have a delicious meal and a few drinks in the company of cats—all of which are available for adoption. The café was originally funded by an IndieGoGo campaign with the help of California’s Pet Food Express, raising an impressive over $50K with some 500+ backers. It boasts a 2,200 square-foot space and is split into one café area and one cat area. Visitors grab their drinks and food in one part and then go to the next, preventing any cross-contamination from the cats and ensuring everything meets the necessary health code requirements.
Yum! Here’s co-founder Ann Dunn: “The café part is completely self-contained within the larger property. You walk in, get your goodies, then go in to the Cat Zone.” The Cat Zone provides visitors with a chance to interact with free-roaming cats for up to one hour. Visitors can also put in a $10 donation if they’d like to reserve time with the cats in advance. All of the cats at Cat Town are up for adoption and the café’s founders hope they can become a catalyst in finding new homes for kitties in need. Cat Town also includes a cat-inspired art gallery and plenty of merchandise, along with traditional café food items like sandwiches, pastries, and bagels. Customers can purchase treats for the cats if desired. Proceeds from the café help support Cat Town, an organization dedicated to finding homes for at-risk cats stuck in shelters.