"Make sure you don't let anyone scurry between your feet," I'm told as the door to the café opens. It looks modern, but very cozy. Square tables with comfortable chairs, one side of the café has windows, which makes it bright and friendly. Oh... I almost stepped on the tail of one of the "employees".
This is how my stay in one of Vienna's cat cafés began. At Barista Cats, you can sip your extended drink between one of four velvet paws present. Even if there are some (quite understandable) rules, it's certainly fun to watch the cats play. Unfortunately, the four kitties were pretty tired when I was there.
There are now quite a few cat cafés around the world. It all started in 1998 with the "Cat Flower Garden" cafés in Taiwan. The idea of offering animal-loving people a place where they could cuddle with cats and the like caught on. There are now cafés like this all over the world, but they are most common in Asia. There you can cuddle dogs, cats, hedgehogs, otters, snakes and even raccoons and penguins.
"We are the only cat café with a social background".
In Vienna, a steaming hot Verlängerter is now on my table and Natascha Bergmann has joined me. She is the owner of the Katzencafé with a social background. "We donate 20 cents per drink. The majority goes to the Vienna Animal Welfare Center and Tierschutz Austria. A portion goes to the animal shelter in Cyprus, as I have been supporting this shelter for a long time. Every drink helps and supports the animal," she tells me, explaining the name of her café.
In addition to this financial support for animal shelters, it also pays attention to animal welfare in general. All cats come from Tierschutz Austria. The organization ensures that strict rules are adhered to. For example, a maximum of six cats are allowed to be "busy" at the same time and regular rest breaks are also important. The animals have a place to retreat to. If they want some peace and quiet, they simply disappear through the cat flap into a separate room.
Twelve-hour shifts for animal employees
In Asia, the regulations are more relaxed. In Japan, for example, animals are allowed to work for a maximum of twelve hours. It almost seems as if the Japanese work mentality also applies to animals. However, in the Land of the Rising Sun, older cats (from the age of eleven) must undergo an annual check-up.
Even though the social benefits for visitors are undisputed, this type of coffee house is often criticized. Animal rights activists say that the animals are not kept in a species-appropriate manner and lack opportunities to retreat, which causes them stress. In addition, injuries can occur to both humans and four-legged friends. This cannot be completely ruled out, but efforts are being made in Vienna to minimize the risk. Natascha says that children are not allowed in her café. There seem to have already been incidents with the little ones. However, Natascha does not want to go into any more detail.
Cuddling with a tarantula? Off to Budapest!
If a cat café is too boring for you and you want something more "exotic", you don't have to sit on a plane for hours. There is a "Zoo Café" in Budapest. Here, "zookeepers" hand you a wide variety of animals. Hare, hedgehog, tortoise or chameleon? No problem! However, I would definitely draw the line at tarantulas. In the café, which was founded in 2014, you can currently choose from 20 different animal species.
At Barista Cats, the aim is not only to do something good for people through the calming effect of velvet paws. In addition to adopting the cats from the animal shelter that work in the café, Natascha also tries to get out those that are still "behind bars". The info screens show pictures of cats looking for a home. This makes me wonder whether a second social cat café will be opening soon? Natascha smiles at me, but shakes her head. "I want things to go well here," she says simply.
Here is the link to Barista Cats, where you can also make reservations. These are absolutely necessary!
Remark:
The Barista Cats organizes the "Adoption Thursday" on Instagram every Thursday. Cats that need a good home are also featured there.
Social media:
References:
https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/restaurants/the-top-10-animal-cafes-in-tokyo
https://harinezumi-cafe.com/en/store/harajuku-kawaii-zoo/
Photo credits and copyright
Ingrid Müller
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