Cat cafes have recently been popping up everywhere. They first started in Taiwan and attracted tourists from all over the world, however the concept blossomed in Japan. Ever since Lady Dinah’s opened in London in 2013, more and more cat cafes have been popping up across the UK. I have been lucky enough to visit 11 cat cafes across the UK and Europe, some more than once. I recently visited Kitty Cafe in Nottingham for the second time.

Kitty Cafe

Kitty Cafe is a cat rescue centre, as well as being a cafe. There are two locations, the original one in Nottingham and one in Leeds (which I have also visited twice).

Kitty Café is a re-homing and care facility for cats and kittens from a range of backgrounds. From rescue cats, to strays, to cats which have had medical issues – we take them in and look after them until they find their forever home.

It’s so lovely to see that cats that are looking for their ‘furrever’ homes are being cared for and are able to interact with other cats as well as humans. Each person who visits the cat cafe has to pay a welfare charge of £6 which goes towards looking after the cats. It may seem a bit odd having to pay to enter a cafe, but when it’s going towards the wellbeing of the cats, I don’t mind paying it at all.

The cafe

Kitty Cafe, Nottingham is spread over two rooms and is basically heaven for any cats. There’s so many shelves placed on the walls for the cats to walk over, cat trees for them to climb, hammocks for them to sleep in and toys for them to play with. There’s plenty of tables, however it is advisable that you book online beforehand. There may be a chance that you are able to drop in, but they are often fully booked. The cafe is open to people of all ages (I have been to a couple of cat cafes that don’t allow children under 12) which is great if you know of any kids who love cats. I do sometimes find that children can spoil the atmosphere of a cat cafe if they’re running around and chasing after the cats. So, if you don’t like children it’s probably best to avoid weekends and school holidays.

There are strict rules in the cafe and before you enter, you must read through them and sign to say that you understand them. These rules include not feeding the cats, not picking them up, not disturbing them while they are asleep and not to carry your hot drinks around the cafe with you. You are free to walk around as you please and play with any cats who are awake or are wandering around.

The food

There’s a great menu at Kitty Cafe. Whether you are looking for a quick bite to eat or a full on lunch. Both times I have been to Kitty Cafe in Nottingham, I have gone for a Rose Lemonade (my favourite) and a cheesecake. This time around, I went for the Mississippi Chocolate cheesecake which was delicious. It was very rich and chocolatey but not so rich that I couldn’t eat it. Leigh went for a pot of breakfast tea and the Caramello cake which he really enjoyed.

If you’re looking to have a proper meal, then Kitty Cafe offer a great range of sandwiches, jacket potatoes and pizzas as well as pasta dishes and salads. If you’re interested, you can download the full menu here. There’s also some cute kitty-themed mocktails if you’re after something a bit fancy.

The cats

If you want to find out the names of some of the cats before you visit, you can have a look on the Kitty Cafe website. There’s so many cats looking for a home. I fell in love with a tiny tortoiseshell kitten called Rae Rae. She climbed onto my shoulder and sneezed in my face, it was love at first sight. There were quite a few kittens when I went and they were all really playful. There was one ginger and white kitten (Bandit) who is a polydactyl which means he has thumbs! I had a great time throwing a little tinsel ball for him.

One of the most famous residents of Kitty Cafe is Heathcliffe. Heathcliffe is a ginger Maine Coon and he’s an absolute beast. The first time I visited, he was hiding under the table and I could only see his giant paws. This time around, he was up and about and I got to have a stroke. He also decided to settle down on someone’s shoulders and drool all down their arm. What an honour!

Have you ever been to a cat cafe? Would you consider visiting Kitty Cafe in Nottingham?