Cat Cafés: Purrrfect Relaxation Or Cruelty To Cats?

Cat cafés have never been so popular. What’s not to love about enjoying coffee and cake and playing with an adorable moggy during a relaxing afternoon? It’s no wonder that the number of cat cafés in the UK currently sits at 20 – and they’re increasing at a pace.

I visited Pause Cat Café in Bournemouth to see what all the fuss is about…

Pause only opened in February 2017 but already has a cult following. Go anywhere in Bournemouth and ask about this café and you’ll be sure to hear some glowing reviews.

The café offers cat lovers the opportunity to book an hour’s slot to interact with their 12 rescue cats for £5 whilst enjoying coffee and cake (not included in entrance fee).

You’re required to book before going which can be over the phone or online. There are the rules that visitors must abide by:

Check your footwear – ask a staff member for a wipe or shoe covers if your shoes are dirty.
Please sanitise your hands (with gel or by washing) on arrival.
Do not feed the cats – cover your food and drink.
Do not bring in cat toys or catnip from outside the café.
Never wake or stroke sleeping cats.
Do not chase, pick up or pull the cats, let them come to you.
Don’t force the cats to play if they don’t want to.
Feel free to take and share photos, but no flash.
Do not make loud noises around the cats.
Take care not to hurt the cats with hot food or drinks.

As a cat lover and owner myself, I don’t think the rules are excessive. If you know cats, you’ll know EVERYTHING is on their terms so you’ll have an abysmal success rate trying to make them play with you if they don’t want!

The Visit

As soon as I walked into the café, I could feel the peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. I was greeted by a friendly member of staff who gave me a helpful introduction to all the cats prior to showing me to my table.

I was then advised of anything the cats didn’t appreciate, such as sudden movements around them or loud noises. I signed a waiver to state that I understood the rules of the café and any injuries I might sustain were no fault of the cats or the premises. Fair enough.

The cats roam free and decide what to do and where to go. Some dozed in the sunshine and climbed above guest’s heads on the special cat run that is built above. Others played with the abundance of cat toys dotted around and purred with pure enjoyment at the affection being showered upon them. I could also see the contentment on the guests’ faces too – and it was obvious to me that the staff loved the cats. A really chilled environment.

Is It Cruel That Cats Live In A Café?

The café is not your usual café. It’s more like a cat playground – and humans are their guests.

You could argue that it’s cruel to stop cats roaming outside, but Pause points out they’re giving a wonderful home to many cats that faced the prospect of living in a rescue centre. The cats have more love and affection that would simply not be possible had they remained in the centre.

Owing to generous donations from customers and backers, Pause are able to create an amazing home for the cats which includes personalised micro-chip entry system bedrooms, wall and ceiling walkways and numerous fun and interactive toys to play with.

The company has consulted experts in animal welfare, health and behaviour to create the best possible environment for the cats to thrive, and any guests that cause concern will be asked to leave and not return.

Cats have regular check-ups with a vet and they’re supervised by trained cat care specialists to ensure they’re healthy. Plus, the number of cats in the café will always be low and since their space is large, this ensures that each cat has sufficient territory and space to roam.

Do The Cats Have ‘Down Time’?

All the cats in the cafe have been selected for their friendliness (they’re really friendly!) However, the café is aware that they all need some down time from petting hands. For this purpose, the cats have constant access to their private rooms via microchip entry systems.

There are also high-level walkways and ledges so the cats can simply people-watch if they’ve had enough of the attention.

What About Food Hygiene?

It’s good – very good in fact. I did not see one moggy hair in my falafel or Pina Cat-Lada (both come highly recommended, by the way!)

The food is either pre-prepared off-site by their local suppliers, or prepared in their kitchen and served in a re-sealable container. There are separate food-handling staff and cat-handling staff, as well as a dish-wash room that is used before any crockery enters the kitchen.

Pause claims that their “kitties will be well fed and watered, so should have no interest in your superfood smoothie and cake!”

What Else Is Pause Doing?

Not only are Pause giving a fantastic home to their cats (and providing guests with a fulfilling experience), but they are ardent in raising awareness about rescue cats: they host classes on cat welfare at the café. Their aim is to “encourage adoption rather than commercial cat breeding”.

As Pause put it themselves: “Pause Cat Cafe® is a place for people to experience the healing serenity of being around cats, and all of the benefits they bring: enhancing your mood, relieving stress, increasing joy and happiness”. I couldn’t agree more – what an uplifting and positive experience – all for a fiver!

https://pausecatcafe.co.uk/