>As seen on TikTok, cat cafés are trending in NYC. But what are they, exactly? You would think that they would be cafés you could bring your cat to and have coffee with them, but I had to discover for myself that that’s not quite the way it works.
Cat cafés can have a built-in coffee shop, but don’t need to. They can just look like a café, and as long as there are cats around, we can call it a cat café. Also, you don’t bring your own cat; you play with the cats of the café, which are up for adoption. It was easy to find college students at each cat café, showing their appeal for the demographic. However, some are better than others.
1. Koneko
First Impression: When you first walk in, you will think you are at a regular café where you can purchase coffee, matcha or dessert. But as you head in further, you will see cats peeking their heads from the glass in the back — and realize you are at a cat café.
Address: 26 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002
Website: https://www.konekonyc.com
Cost: $20 for an hour
Aesthetic/vibe: Black-and-white, cat photos on the walls fitting aesthetic, modern. Stools, benches and poofy chairs in the cat area.
Visitors: Adults, couples, college students, some kids on a Sunday afternoon.
Place to hang coat/shoes: Yes
Bring drinks in cat area: Yes
Capacity: 15 people
Cats: 17 of them, many are sleeping, others happily walking around and willing to play, others sitting, waiting for attention, approachable.
Staff: Tend to survey the area, feels like they are towering over you at times, yet sociable. Kicking us out with four minutes to spare.
Takeaway: Although the café has its downsides of price and in need of slight improvement on employee behavior, the overall vibe, appeal to college students, space, has this cat café ranked the highest.
You will meet those who want to give cats a second chance…
Keyra Francisco
Are you enjoying your experience here?
Yeah, it’s fun with the cats. What brings me in is just the cats, really. I’ve never been to a cat café, so my co-workers and I decided to take a trip here; it’s a new experience. We work at Scotch and Soda.
Do you have any pets at home?
No, I don’t have any pets.
What is a word that comes to mind when you think about cats?
Scary — I had a history of getting attacked by my cat’s friend. But I feel pretty safe here. [laughs] They’re really friendly cats.
Are you from New York?
No, from Jersey.
2) The Brooklyn Cat Café
First impression: As soon as I walk into the high-ceiling and dimly lit cat café, I feel two small hands and a body with a short stature hug my calves. A two-and-a-half-year old toddler, not a cat, greets me at the door. So, if you are looking for some affection, not only will cats provide it at this café, but toddlers may also.
Address: 76 Montague St, Brooklyn, NY, 11201
Website: https://catcafebk.com
Cost: $10 for 30 minutes, <$10 for more time
Coffee Shop: N/A, but there are sodas at the front that can be purchased.
Bring drinks into cat area: Yes
Aesthetic/vibe: Homey, café style, large living room space with sofas and comfy chairs.
Visitors: Mostly kids, parents, some adults, college students on a Saturday afternoon.
Capacity: 30 people
Place to hang coat/shoes: No
Cats: 20 of them, some that want to remain undisturbed, others happily walking around, or sitting and waiting for attention.
Extras: Bunnies and albino rats in cages to be observed.
Staff: Not very sociable, but let you wander around undisturbed. Respectful of time.
Takeaway: Although the café has its benefits with ambience, cats and cheap prices, the downsides of not having a real café and the overpopulation of kids, as well as a short amount of time for visits, ranked The Brooklyn Café as second best.
You will meet those who miss their cat from home…
Grace Fennell
Do you come to cat cafés often?
Not really. I’ve been to a lot in Japan, which is where the concept came from. I’m just missing my cat from home, so I came here. I’m from New Zealand, and they only have one cat café there.
How are you liking the experience?
It’s good, they seem to keep the number of people down and it’s quite common here; that’s what people worry about for the cats.
Do you have any cats back home?
Yeah, and a dog. They co-exist.
What brings you to New York?
I’m here for work, and I’ve been here for three months; I like it. I like how it’s different from New Zealand; a culture shock, but a good one.
3) Meow Parlor
First impression: When you walk into the dimly lit cat café, you will immediately notice how small it is. People who notice the cats from the outside can already tell the experience just from peeking through the window.
Address: Hester St, New York, NY 10002
Website: https://www.meowparlour.com
Cost: $16 for an hour
Coffee Shop: Built-In, affiliated with Macaron Parlor (coffee shop next door). Workers will bring your purchased order to the cat café.
Aesthetic/vibe: The front is more aesthetic than the hospital lights in the back. It’s claustrophobic, I found myself reaching over strangers to pet the cats. Cat memes on the walls. Poofy chairs and pillows.
Visitors: Adult couples, college students. Not too many kids on a Monday evening.
Capacity: 15 people
Place to hang coat/shoes: Yes
Bring drinks into cat area: Yes
Cats: 14 of them, most are either sleeping and want to remain undisturbed. Willing to play, jumpy or ready to scratch you. Two-month-old kittens present as well.
Staff: Not very sociable. Kicked us out with 10 minutes to spare.
Takeaway: Although the café has its benefits of being an actual café that includes kittens, the downsides — a lack of aesthetic appeal, not-so approachable cats, a small space and not-so sociable workers — puts this cat café as the lowest rated of the three.
You will meet those who want to de-stress…
Nikki Simonson
What brings you here today?
I was trying to find something to do; I felt a little bit stressed, so I thought, “What better to do than to pet some cats?” I have a cat at home in Philadelphia. I’m in New York for a job.
Are you enjoying the experience so far?
Yeah — I love it. I haven’t been inside a cat café before, but I’ve walked past one in LES.
When you think about cats, what’s the first word you think of?
Cute.